Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs PFC

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EagleEye
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Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs PFC

Post by EagleEye »

Hi all,

I am looking to pursue a career as a pilot and am currently deciding what flight school to choose around Vancouver. I need some help clarifying whether choosing a college program like BCIT would give me an advantage in the future when looking for jobs with an airline over just any private flight school. From what I've heard, BCIT might have some networking opportunities that would assist in this way. Moreover, BCIT's portion of flying is done through a contract they have with Pacific Flying Club - the flight school alternative I am considering (I have taken my familiarization flight with an instructor I liked). Another point I should mention is that I don't know how much having a diploma from a flight college would be of benefit in the future. From my research I've learned having a post secondary education is an asset when applying to airlines, but since I have a BSc in Psychology, would a diploma still provide more of a benefit?

Thanks for any help!
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BuckNasty
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by BuckNasty »

If you already have a BSc I'd say skip the diploma and go straight to flight training, that's already going to be expensive enough. I doubt a diploma on top of a degree will give you much of an advantage in getting hired.
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EagleEye
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by EagleEye »

Thanks for the comment BuckNasty. What's your opinion on the networking aspect?
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BuckNasty
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by BuckNasty »

I guess there could be better networking in a college program but it's no guarantee. And even if it were would it be worth the extra $10-15 grand on top of flying costs, and the extra 6-12 months of study?

If you didn't have a degree already I'd say go for the diploma but from my understanding (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) Air Canada and Westjet don't care too much what your degree is, they just wan't some kind of proof that you're a capable learner.
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200hr Wonder
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by 200hr Wonder »

EagleEye, you have a BSc, so just do the flying. If you end up at PFC, you will meet and get to know pretty well all the current crop of BCIT students anyway. Back when I was there it was not so much networking, I ended up with my first gig out of flight school over on Vancouver Island that came by way of working the south terminal in YVR. The extra cash is not worth it, if I where in your shoes.
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altiplano
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by altiplano »

Unless you have time to waste, go get your licences done as fast as you can and get into this industry. A diploma offers you no advantage.

Seriously. You can get it done by the end of the year and be looking for a job. That's worth more than any networking promise BCIT might offer which is BS anyway..
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Prairie Highway
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by Prairie Highway »

I'm going to have to go ahead and agree with the Others. You already have completed a degree, having an aviation diploma isn't going to enough value to justify the cost and time required. If airlines is the path you're looking to go, they're really just looking for a post-secondary education, and having the degree and the diploma is probably overkill. Find the school you feel most comfortable at, me get to it!
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EagleEye
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by EagleEye »

Thanks guys, your help is very much appreciated!
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PropToFeather
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by PropToFeather »

Adding to what everyone's said, call the local schools and see if you can make an appointment with someone about structuring an intensive training regimen for you. What you want is: PPL, Night, CPL as a bare minimum, and IFR Group 1 and/or Float rating (depending on where you'd like to go after training). If you're able to - and this is entirely up to you! - tell them you would like to make training as full-time an affair as possible. (Scheduling your) flying to go up at least once a day, 7 days a week will make your training go as fast or faster than most college programs. Any school should be able to spare either an instructor, or, if they really want your business, an assistant chief flight instructor, to go over a realistic training plan for you.

Word of warning: if you do decide to to go the intensive route, the first three months will be an almost literal fire hose of brand new information. Don't be discouraged, but, if it does get too much, going on your own instead of through a college gives you the option to slow your training down to a pace you're comfortable with.
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EagleEye
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by EagleEye »

So I attended an information session at BCIT, and a slide was shown including the number of hired employees by Air Canada between 2010-2014 according to respective education/training. Out of approximately 480 hired members, only 60 or so included people with a bachelor's degree without an aviation diploma, while nearly half (about 230) were individuals with an aviation diploma. I was heavily leaning towards choosing the private route based on the comments on this thread, but seeing such a significant difference in these numbers has me second guessing. I would love to hear your guys' take on this.
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PropToFeather
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by PropToFeather »

Just remember, every single school will try to sell you on how their way is the best. No matter what they're teaching.

My take on it is... those numbers (without further context) are somewhat meaningless. Consider this: from those numbers, more than 1/2 of the people hired didn't have an aviation degree (250/480), and over 1/3 either didn't have a degree at all, or had a higher-than-bachelor's degree, or a non-aviation diploma (190/480). Given how training is done (and is marketed) in Canada, and my personal experience with meeting other pilots, I'm actually kind of surprised that the college numbers are that low - my personal expectation would have been 65-70% from that pool.

Considering that (from what I hear and read) a degree/diploma is only part of the criteria being looked at - the other parts being company fit, personality, piloting skill, amount of hours, etc. - I still maintain that doing your training as quick as you can, and then getting going with the job search as fast as you can will get you a paid flying job way faster than anyone that would be in the same class as you in a college. You already have a degree, you've checked that box on the application, now go and get the other ones done!

PS: While you're checking boxes, don't forget to enjoy the experience and the views!
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lazyeight
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by lazyeight »

EagleEye wrote:So I attended an information session at BCIT, and a slide was shown including the number of hired employees by Air Canada between 2010-2014 according to respective education/training. Out of approximately 480 hired members, only 60 or so included people with a bachelor's degree without an aviation diploma, while nearly half (about 230) were individuals with an aviation diploma. I was heavily leaning towards choosing the private route based on the comments on this thread, but seeing such a significant difference in these numbers has me second guessing. I would love to hear your guys' take on this.

I'd say the overall majority of pilots I've worked and flown with did not have a diploma or degree. Networking is more valuable than a diploma and I know a few CP's who scoff at the whole concept and consider it as valuable as a basket weaving degree. You'd get binned if you had a "aviation diploma." If you learn better with a structure around you, then go for it. If you can keep yourself motivated and want to get it done in half the time, go private.
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PropToFeather
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by PropToFeather »

@lazyeight - You can go private, get done in half the time, and still have structure... just got to actually sit down with an ACFI/CFI who knows all the ratings and is capable of building a program for you. Sure, it's more informal this way, but it gets the job done!
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lazyeight
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs

Post by lazyeight »

Very true. All in all, privately you'll be done faster and get working quicker. A year can make a big difference, and at this rate (OP) you likely wouldn't start BCIT until next spring. You could be DONE by then.
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Em4fab4
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Re: Choosing a flight school in the Vancouver area - BCIT vs PFC

Post by Em4fab4 »

EagleEye, which route did you go? Are you a pilot now? My teenage son (15 yrs d) wants a career in aviation and hopes to get a pilot's license without going through cadets/the military. We haven't got the money to fast-track him through a private program, unless we are able to use his RESP for that purpose, but he wants to chip away for now, picking up hours whenever we can afford it. Would love to get an update from you.
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