Conestoga College, Algonquin College, and Brampton Flight Ce

[supertrooper]

I agree with the above posts especially if you are thinking about Conestoga or Algonquin. They are not very difficult programs to get into and there is no competition so it is like any other college program except that you pay your flying ontop of your diploma. You will get more out of just doing the private school route and getting a degree on the side or attending Seneca, Confed or Sault which are truly competitive programs to get into. Diploma in general arts is as useless as getting a diploma in basket weaving.

[costermonger]

Diploma in general arts is as useless as getting a diploma in basket weaving.

Okay, time somebody asked this: what exactly is "flight management" or "aviation technology" diploma gonna do for you without the licenses and ratings you actually need to work as a pilot?

Just as a means of comparison, here are the subjects Conestoga, Sault and Confed offer that aren't specialized aviation courses, grouped by school but in no particular order:

School A:
-math (basic, calc & technical)
-communications
-physics
-technology
-mechanics
-fitness
-hydraulics

School B:
-math
-communications
-health & wellness
-persuasive writing
-physics
-microsoft office
-personal financial planning
-intro to accounting

School C:
-calculus
-trigonometry
-writing & presentation skills
-physics
-electrical fundamentals
-geography
-business
-organizational behaviour (business)
-student success

Let's stop pretending the names of the programs mean anything; they differ slightly in non-aviation content but "General Arts & Science - Aviation", "Aviation Technology" and "Aviation Management" are all different names for the same thing: a post secondary diploma in case someone asks if you have one. They each have some useful courses in terms of employment skills, but you're there to be a pilot (one would assume) and that's pretty much all they're good for.

---

I've worked with people from all three schools mentioned (as well as Brampton, Seneca, etc). I've instructed people from all these schools as well. Individual differences in attitude and work ethic are infinitely more noticeable than where you went to school.

[skypirate88]

I may be a little hesitant to call confed and sault competitive programs to get into...I seemed to have no problems getting accepted to both programs with less than stellar marks.

[HighDreams]

I believe Sault and Confed get around 300 aplications. But mark wise, I've heard of people getting in with below average marks.

[gustind]

Individual differences in attitude and work ethic are infinitely more noticeable than where you went to school.

Well said. +1. Thank you.

[Chaffey]

Sault and Confed I think are the way to go. BFC used to run the Algonquin Program and then pulled out because lack of business. I've heard good things about BFC. I heard that the success rate at Algonquin is dropping. Im not sure what the case is here. Either the students are having too much fun living it up in Ottawa or the "TWO" flight training providers are poorly managed and cant handle the "AMOUNT" of students. I'm not saying they have poor instruction, I'm saying maybe its a bit overwhelming. I don't know anything about the other training school.

Think of overall cost is my advice.

[HighDreams]

So, I've gotten accepted to Algonquin for May and I have to do an interview with BFC sometime over the next couple weeks. I've been looking at the cost and all three by the time I do up the costs are basically the same, but at Conestoga and Algonquin you can get OSAP and bursaries etc. I'm going to WWFC Saturday to see what they're like and then Algonquin next week to meet the program coordinator there and to see the Calgary Flames play lol. Hopefully after that I will be able to make up my mind; it's not easy trying to decide where I'm going lol.

[Hedley]

costermonger wrote:
Individual differences in attitude and work ethic are infinitely more noticeable than where you went to school.

To all the 200 hr wonders that want to get hired after graduation:

Ditch the white shirt and gold bars. Go to Mark's Work Warehouse and buy a plaid work short and a brown jacket and some work boots. Buy a stack of work gloves at Canadian Tire - you're going to need more than one pair!

And learn how a wobble pump works. Do any of these fancy colleges teach you that? Learn how to move a drum of fuel without hurting yourself. What's a bung? Learn how to de-ice an airplane. Learn how to refuel. Learn how to move aircraft on the ramp and in and out of hangars without damaging them. What's a Herman Nelson? Hint: he wasn't on the Munsters.

Those of you on the Air Canada Direct Entry Cadet program can disregard the above. Instead, go out and buy more gold bars for you shoulders - you're going to need them soon.

[Shiny Side Up]

What's a Herman Nelson? Hint: he wasn't on the Munsters.

Now that's really dating yourself, I doubt many two hundred hour wonders know who The Munsters are.

Go to Mark's Work Warehouse and buy a plaid work short...

Work shorts? Now that's bizarre even for you. Not sure what kind of operation you think these lads might be working at.

[Hedley]

Work shirt. Though I always envied what WC Fields golfed in:



Yeah, I guess not many people watched the Munsters on TV.

[Shiny Side Up]

Not many people under the age of forty.

Interesting aviation round-about off topic tidbit though (wikipedia surfing): Yvonne De Carlo, a Canadian girl, apparently had some flying lessons from Howard Hughes.

Yvonne when asked in 1972 about her affair with Howard Hughes before he turned into a legendary recluse: "Howard taught me how to land a plane and how to take off. But he never taught me anything about flying in between. He thought that I had learned the difficult parts, and that was enough."

And now you know.... the rest of the story.

[BingBong]

Has anyone actually attended Conestoga College or Alqonquin College for their two year aviation diploma program or Brampton Flight Centre or know of anyone that has?

I graduated Conestoga in 2006. Relatively good program overall. Its still fairly new and like everything will experience growing pains...PM me if you wish...

Every school has its pros and cons...and they will all try to blow sunshine up your ass. The only real piece of advice any grad should follow is...move the F#*K outta southern ontario after you graduate and get some real world experience...oh and leave any sense of entitlement/attitude at home...it won't get you very far.

[insight]

Resurrection of this thread after searching for some information!

I've been accepted into a few of the aforementioned programs. Ottawa appeals to me because I can make the move live rent free with a car as well. This saves me time and money than Confederation. I've heard some weird stories however about the program director of Algonquin. From favouritism to the flying club he is apart of, to comments of female students? How attached are the OAS & OFC to the program. Information via PM would be great.

Regards

[avbird]

I just graduated Algonquin. Yeah don't trust the program manager at Algonquin College. also don't do the 100 dollar pilot assessment thing they make you do. It's useless and you never find out anything. OFC and OAS are both good really completely different approaches. The program defiantly needs some fine tuning.

[husky24]

so does osap pay for Conestoga college and flights ? and how come they pay for everything at confederation ?
cheerz