Looking for some advice for my training

[777_Lover]

Hello everyone

I am 17 years old high school student, currently on the PPL stage. I am coming here to share with you what I have already seen, and to get somes advices on my project.

My plan is to start my training right after my graduation from high school, when I’ll be 18. I would love to fly big airplanes like the Dash 8 or the CRJ, that’s why I am looking for a school that will help me reach that as fast as possible. But I’m realistic, I now that I will have to fly light planes before, and to be honest I think It can be interesting too.

For now I looked at Exact’Air, Cargair, Grondair in Quebec, and Harv’s Air in Manitoba. Doing my training in Quebec would not be a problem as I speak french too.

I also looked at schools that would give me a diploma, with the flight training:

- Mount Royal University : http://www.mtroyal.ca/Programs...../index.htm
- University of the Fraser Valley : https://www.ufv.ca/programs/aviation-di ... .en.961125
- Okanagan College : http://webapps-5.okanagan.bc.c.....ionDiploma
- British Columbia Institute of Technology : http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/1005dipts
- Mount Allison University : http://www.mta.ca/programs/aviation/
- Algonquin college : http://www.algonquincollege.co.....d-science/
- Canadore College : http://www.canadorecollege.ca/.....ot-program
- Conestoga : http://www.conestogac.on.ca/fu.....nd-science
- Confederation College : http://www.confederationcolleg.....management
- Sault College : http://www.saultcollege.ca/Pro.....upcode=AVI
- Western Social Science : http://dan.uwo.ca/undergraduate/cam/index.html
- Cégep de Chicoutimi : http://www.cegep-chicoutimi.qc.....daeronefs/
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic : http://saskpolytech.ca/program.....Pilot.aspx

Do have any advice about all the schools I talked about ? What to think about the schools that offer a diploma with the flight training ? Will a diploma of that kind allow me to do something else in case I loose my medical ? Is a diploma like that an advantage on a resume ?

Thanks a lot by advance for your answers guys

[North Shore]

Check out the search function, and trawl through the 'Flight Training' forum - you'll find a lot of similar questions and answers.

Getting a degree/diploma now can be a useful qualification, but you're probably 30 years away from losing your medical, by which time anything that you learned in school will be long forgotten or out-of-date...

Good Luck!

[Black_Tusk]

My advice?...

If you want to join the industry quickly at the best it's been in a long time, go private. Pound through your training faster than any college program and go find a job up north. I'd suggest Harv's.

If you want a Diploma, when you have your ATPL (or 1000 hours and a MIFR) apply for the PLAR program at Sask Polytech and you can have an Aviation Diploma in your hand for under $3000 and a few challenged courses. The ATPL qualifies for a number of credits towards the Diploma.

You don't need a Diploma to fly -8's and RJ's. But if you ever want to make the jump to the big metal, that's when it would help. But by then it will be 5 years down the road at minimum and you'll have had plenty of time from now until then to tick the boxes on the PLAR Diploma program or any other.

[MrTurbine]

If you want a degree, Momcton Flight College, BSc , you'll graduate with a frozen ATPL
If you want to plot through it real quick, Harv's Air, or a good flying club that have lots of airplanes, like Calgary Flying Club

[triplebarrel]

Im 23 and I have a couple bits of education under my belt including my second year in welding and aicraft maintenance engineering diploma (I like school) I strongly believe that education and knowledge is power. I have seen some job ads on AvCanada recently explain that they prefer candidates that have been to a diploma program. As I have been trying to organize my thoughts and get peoples feedback for the best way to finish my training (I have my PPL with some hours built) I came across many different avenues I could pursue.

With my age and amount of hours and my location it is not economical for me to go to Sault, Confed, or Seneca. I wish I could tell my 18 year old self to pursue a program with one the mentioned schools. MRU in Calgary will cost you $100,000. I live in Calgary, also my instructor here in Calgary went there and he confirmed this, furthermore I made an appointment with the career counsellor and she gave me a value in that ball park.

Sault, Confed, and Seneca are subsidized schools, meaning they are hella cheaper than going to a private flight school. Seneca would be my top recommendation. They say from PPL to multi/ifr is 55,000-65,000. Those schools will cost you half of that. Seneca might be the more expensive one out of the three. I wouldn't recommend Confederation because you will not receive your Group I Instrument rating.

Good luck

[Black_Tusk]

Don't forget living expenses while in any of those programs. Basically all of them you can not work. So while it may be cheaper, supporting yourself for 4 years while going to Seneca or 3 at Sault is a lot of money.

[Sultan.chd]

Hi , i hope you all doing well. I have a question which is confusing me and i will be very appreciate you all, the question is to become an airline pilot such as air canada or west jet, is it necessary to have a diploma or degree to get a job?

[Black_Tusk]

Yes and no. Regionals, no. Mainline, it's asked for but not a requirement. If you go through a program like Encore you'll be mainline WestJet eventually. With Jazz it's not guaranteed but you have a very good chance to be hired by AC without a degree if you have come from an express carrier. But not %100.

[klJeffrey2]

Id been keen for a little holiday whilst training but would it be cheaper after the CASA conversion?