BCIT Airline and Flight Operations : Commercial Pilot

[fish4life]

don't bother with aviation diploma's everyone has one, yes get a degree in something that you can use to fall back on or a trade even is a good one although a large time commitment involved but at least you can make money on the side.

20G for an instructor rating sounds like an insane amount of money but perhaps I'm out of touch with current cost's.

personally I got a ramp job while taking my flying and doing a degree worked great as just as university and my cpl were finished I slid nicely into the right seat of a multi-turbine for a great company (not the only route but worked for me)

most starting pay ranges from $20-30 000/hr oddly enough the lowest paying ones also have the longest hours and worst conditions (pretty much only days off are your CARS mins for rest) and the ones near the top have gravy schedules and great working conditions (perimeter 16 days a month only normally work 12 of those)

Asia has been up for debate for a while seems like most jobs there are for higher time jet cpt's already although they still have some. Ask yourself this though while your 19 leaving Canada and going to another country to fly a big shiny plane may seem like a great idea until your older with a wife and kids perhaps and realize you have a really hard time adjusting to a culture, living in a compound or being away from family and friends isn't all it is cracked up to be. Some people love it and make it work well while others have extremely hard times and wish they never left, you will find out your way as time goes on. Remember this "chase lifestyle not metal".

If you plan on staying in Canada and want to do the big airline thing you might as well learn French it will only help your application to Air Canada, WJ, Transat (almost req'd) or Jazz.

not sure about the situation in the lower mainland but keep an open mind a worked with many guys in MB that were from either BC or southern Ontario so you will most likely have to move somewhere to find that first job.

Medevac pilots tend to be jobs for guys/gals that have min 500MPIC and turbine experience in a scheduled/charter field. The good gigs are hard to come by, the shitty ones are much easier to get. Only additional requirements that you can control is to stay out of trouble any criminal record may mean no medevac flying/ really hard time getting most flying jobs anyway.

[mdh]

I really wanted to be a fighter pilot for the Canadian military but I didn't have 20/20 vision .

You don't have to have 20/20 uncorrected. The air force allows corrective eye surgery in some circumstances for pilot candidates. I don't know if eye surgery still disqualifies you from fighters, but it would allow you to fly transport and helicopters. Talk to a recruiter to get clarification on the policy. Or better yet talk to some air force pilots here on the forum who can give you the most up to date and accurate information.

[BTyyj]

don't bother with aviation diploma's everyone has one, yes get a degree in something that you can use to fall back on or a trade even is a good one although a large time commitment involved but at least you can make money on the side.

20G for an instructor rating sounds like an insane amount of money but perhaps I'm out of touch with current cost's.

personally I got a ramp job while taking my flying and doing a degree worked great as just as university and my cpl were finished I slid nicely into the right seat of a multi-turbine for a great company (not the only route but worked for me)

most starting pay ranges from $20-30 000/hr oddly enough the lowest paying ones also have the longest hours and worst conditions (pretty much only days off are your CARS mins for rest) and the ones near the top have gravy schedules and great working conditions (perimeter 16 days a month only normally work 12 of those)

Asia has been up for debate for a while seems like most jobs there are for higher time jet cpt's already although they still have some. Ask yourself this though while your 19 leaving Canada and going to another country to fly a big shiny plane may seem like a great idea until your older with a wife and kids perhaps and realize you have a really hard time adjusting to a culture, living in a compound or being away from family and friends isn't all it is cracked up to be. Some people love it and make it work well while others have extremely hard times and wish they never left, you will find out your way as time goes on. Remember this "chase lifestyle not metal".

If you plan on staying in Canada and want to do the big airline thing you might as well learn French it will only help your application to Air Canada, WJ, Transat (almost req'd) or Jazz.

not sure about the situation in the lower mainland but keep an open mind a worked with many guys in MB that were from either BC or southern Ontario so you will most likely have to move somewhere to find that first job.

Medevac pilots tend to be jobs for guys/gals that have min 500MPIC and turbine experience in a scheduled/charter field. The good gigs are hard to come by, the shitty ones are much easier to get. Only additional requirements that you can control is to stay out of trouble any criminal record may mean no medevac flying/ really hard time getting most flying jobs anyway.

+1

[wotai139]

I graduated from this program 4 years ago and I loved it. Although I agree that the ideal route is to get a degree at the best university you can studying what you want (not necessarily aviation) and getting your pilot licensing at a flight school. I can't say for other aviation diplomas but BCIT's was great in that the learning is so structured and credentials guaranteed..(if you pass).

BCIT is known for getting their students "job-ready" and the commercial pilot program was no different. The cost is obviously greater if you go to a college program for your pilot training. However, if you are given an option, the program gives you everything you need to graduate prepared to work. I guess the main difference is the support network. You are among people who have the same dreams and at the same point in their careers as you that you see and speak to day in and day out and it is encouraging.

[Big Pistons Forever]

BCIT is known for getting their students "job-ready" and the commercial pilot program was no different.

I find that an interesting comment because the flying side is taught by your average instructor who has no experience actually flying for a CAR's Part 7 operation and therefore will have no idea of what "job ready" means outside of an FTU, and the academic side seems to be mostly your basic business and foundation academic courses, not that specific to aviation.

I have been asked by lots of people over the years to recommend a college program, but I have been reluctant because I didn't believe that any of the colleges made you any more "job ready" than just doing your training at a decent FTU.

Since you went through it I would be interested in what category of flying job you are in now and what specifically caused you to make the job ready comment.

[wotai139]

Hey Big Piston,

By job ready, I mainly meant that it is designed specifically to graduate students completely and ready and qualified for pilot employment. It is structured so that you graduate with a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), Multi Engine Rating, Instrument Flight Rating, and a Diploma in Technical Studies. Not so different from going to flight school, I know, but you follow a curriculum and finish your training and graduate ready to work.

Apart from courses that you take to prepare you for a pilot career and ground school preparation, the largest credit course (10 credits) is called Employability Skills for Aviation Professionals. This course provides students with the fundamental concepts, behaviours and competencies necessary to maintain employment in the aviation industry. First, students will learn how to become a master student. This foundation will be applied to the fundamentals of business operations and the effect employees have on the success of an aviation organization.

There is also another course called Instructional Skills for Aviators. The focus of the course is on developing the critical skills and knowledge of becoming an effective flight instructor. You do not receive your instructor rating in the program, but the course gives you an introduction to the field of flight instruction.

One more notable course is Aviation Career Planning, taken in your last term of the program before graduation. The course develops an understanding of the critical elements of an effective job search strategy including writing a cover letter and resume. Practical application will include mock interviews.

For people interested in becoming airline pilots, the final course of the program introduced us to all requirements of the ATPL/IATRA licence. It provides student pilots with the knowledge framework that air carriers expect of today's ATPL/IATRA pilot.

Apart from these specific employment skills taught in the courses themselves, the obvious benefit is that you graduate with an aviation diploma in technical studies, which is not necessarily a critical deciding factor when you are trying to be hired, but it does help.