OK! So here it is: a question that im wondering if anyone has asked, and more specifically has anyone ACTUALLY tried it…

As we all know only a certain number of hrs for a CPL can be used for a tuition receipt… the PPL cannot be used at all, and I am not 100% sure about ME, IFR, IR, Float etc…
(READ GST exemption, income deduction etc…)

SO here it is; flight training is being treated as school by CCRA; or rather now CRA… So it is considered the same as if you go to university or college and you take Economics 103, or Basket Weaving 310A. They simply say that the CPL course should only take X number of hrs to complete. And so for THAT course, (the CPL) they will only allow a deduction of X number of $…
As we all know X hrs is no where NEAR enough to be proficient enough to “Pass” the CPL “course” TC wants a certain level of performance on the written and on the FT… As well as the fact they have OTHER “graduation” requirements READ X PIC, Y Night, Z Hood etc…
SO the IDEA! If I take a class at Uvic; say Math 445B (Advanced Partial Differentials) and I do less than stellar; READ (F) I can take the course again next semester; I get a tuition receipt for BOTH times I took the class and no one at CRA would bat and eye…

Has anyone tried to apply the same logic to the CPL? Take the CPL “course” fly all the hrs that CRA allows; then see if you have passed the “course”. TC says “WTF??? You want a CPL?! You don’t even have the hrs to write the written!!” IE you “Failed” the program… SO you take it a second time, and deduct the max hrs AGAIN; and see if you passed, if yes then YAY your done… If not then do it a 3rd or 4th time etc…

Im not trying to be a sneaky bastard here, its just that we ALL shelled out a HUGE amount of money to put us in a position that we could actually WORK in the economy; and if we are only allowed to deduct such a small portion of that total money we are NOT being treated as equals in other industries… thoughts, Ideas, experiences!?

When I was claiming it the rule read something to the effect that "only hours needed for the licence requirments can be claimed - no time building." I'm not sure if they have changed the wording.

200 hrs. is needed to have the licence.
100 PIC is needed for the licence.
PPL is needed for the licence.

I claimed every cent. The only problem I had was that I claimed my PPL expenses before I was finished the PPL. After fighting with them for a year and a half (money was really low) I went to my flight school and asked if I could "register" for the commercial program. They gave me a letter stating I was enrolled in the commercial program - I took that letter straight to the tax people and the problem went away. They had no problem with me claiming my private as soon as I proved to their satisfaction that I was getting my commercial. Haven't had a problem since, but they haven't 'reviewed' my tax file that time.

As for ME, IFR, Float - as long as you fit them into the 200 hrs. for the CPL I don't see how they could object. They shouldn't object anyway, but that's the government.

For the private, you can claim 45 hours
40 hours for the IFR
What ever time it took for your multi
35 hours dual for commercial
30 hours solo for commercial
15 hours for the night rating
sadly they wont let you claim the 100 hours pic need for the commercial

...the cost of dual and solo flying hours required to obtain the following licences or ratings, to the minimum flight training requirements of the Department of Transport, is considered to be part of the student's tuition:

(a) Private Pilot Licence - aeroplane;

(b) Private Pilot Licence - helicopter;

(c) Commercial Pilot Licence - aeroplane;

(d) Commercial Pilot Licence - helicopter;

(e) Instrument Rating;

(f) Flight Instructor Rating;

(g) Night Rating; or

(h) Alternate Landplane or Seaplane Rating.

The minimum dual and solo flying time is currently 45 hours for a Private Pilot's Licence and 65 additional hours for a Commercial Pilot's Licence. Fees for ground school and flight simulators are eligible for the tuition tax credit but costs incurred by a student in flying a personal aircraft while taking a course at a flying training school or club are not eligible.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it516 ... P164_19587

Section 29 is where the above is from.

Just looked this up. As far as I'm concerned they contradict themselves. They say the minimum solo and dual hours required and then they say 65 for the CPL. You need more than this to get the licence - should be able to claim it all.

Claim what you want - the worst they can do is review your claim and deny the amount. If they never find it you're golden.

It was a few years back but I went to 2 different schools over 2 different tax years - got 2 different tax receipts for the full amount of hours and and got the full tax credit on both...

But my accountant is "flexible" and thinks it's BS that they don't offer the full amount for credit...