Best Flight School in the Vancouver Area

[skybaron]

Hey folks,

Which flight school would you recommend to undertake ab-intio training in the Van area?
I'm interested in going to a place where instructors actually like what they're doing, and not trying to fast track to west jet.

[ZBBYLW]

If I were you I would give Skyquest in Langley a call, they have some international students which end up booking in a bit of the schedule but as long as you can book a week in advanced its no problem. I am just about to finnish of my instructor rating there and have been REALLY pleased with them. They have spared no expenses.

[E-Flyer]

Michael Peare's operation, Sea Land Air has great instructors and he's a CFI who actually encourages proper flight training. His instructors are great as well; my PPL instructor now instructs for them and she was truly great !


Give them a try and they have new equipment as well.

[MichaelP]

Am I going to get an invoice for that remark?

[E-Flyer]

Am I going to get an invoice for that remark?

Lol, if that's how you want to take abouts the business proposition there's quite a few more invoices I must mail your way

How about we settle it at a belated Christmas gift?

[skybaron]

Thanks for the replies..

I guess skyquest isn't a big fan on websites. www.skyquest.ca
It would of been nice to have a bit more info like rates and aircraft, but, I'll have to walk in to check it out

As for Sealand - well, all looks good, but I really don't fancy conducting my training in Katana's, regardless of updated avionics. Of course I don't imagine anything to be wrong with aircraft or operation - just a preference thing.

Thanks again

[rolowang]

U won't regret with Skyquest. i've been with Montair and I ended up with skyquest, nice instructors, nice CFI. fair rate, i think 152 right now is around 120 something and 172 is 130 something. I'm thinking about doing my instructor rating with skyquest as well. They also got a really nice sim setup not too long ago, so u don't have to spend big bucks on the multi ifr training. I think Langley is a pretty hard runway to land and a lot of poeple are saying if you can land in langley, you can land pretty much anywhere.

[E-Flyer]

Skybaron, whether you're not a fan or are a fan of it, fancy is the way of the future. But by all means, there's nothing wrong with the good old gauges. It gives you a good understanding of flying with older tech and then when you got your license, you can go over to a more advanced airplane

Rolo, I was with montair as well and ended u elsewhere... glad to see I am not the only one.

[MichaelP]

I think Ian does a very good job at Montair.


I won't argue with people on the merits of this 'training' aeroplane and that for flight training. We all have taste.
The important thing is the quality of instruction you get.
The aeroplane is the tool you use in your training.
Do it right and you produce a pilot capable of adapting to anything.

A good instructor is one who knows the merits of different aircraft and can give an unbiased opinion.

Unfortunately many opinions are not based on personal experience but on hearsay and prejudice.

Barney dislikes the Katana, he has expressed it many times on here. He has flown and instructed in the Katana and so I respect his opinion.
My opinion is totally different, I like the Katana. I like the safety afforded by the better visibility, you can see where you are turning... I like the true spin. I love the efficiency.
But I fly the Cessna 152 from time to time and it has it's easy virtues, though I do not like gentle turns in busy airspace!

[E-Flyer]

Ian's the CFI now? hmm then I might have to agree with you - he was a cool guy

[Old Dog Flying]

The "plastic Lawndart", aka Katana spins like a plastic pig! And I love the spin characteristics of the Tomahawk.

Barney

[sportingrifle]

Try to pick an airplane to train in that teaches you to fly the wing, not the engine or avionics. A Cub or Champ would be ideal, the 150 is good, (especially if you learn to actually fly it the way Cessna intended it to be flown, not the dumbed down way so often taught now.) I have no knowledge of the Katana. Langley is a really good place to learn as you will learn to make fairly precise landings right from the start and this skill we become second nature. You will really appreciate this ability if you start flying off paved runways.

Just my $0.02.

[skybaron]

Thanks for all your advice. I'll be hitting the pavement to search out some operations around the area. MichaelP - I like the way you delivered your opinion. "a good instructor should offer an unbiased opinion...." - well said. It's that sort of objective advice that would make someone like myself who never thought of getting into a Katana - actually give it a try.

[E-Flyer]

Thanks for all your advice. I'll be hitting the pavement to search out some operations around the area. MichaelP - I like the way you delivered your opinion. "a good instructor should offer an unbiased opinion...." - well said. It's that sort of objective advice that would make someone like myself who never thought of getting into a Katana - actually give it a try.

Told you he's a great CFI

[Hedley]

merits of this 'training' aeroplane and that for flight training

It really doesn't matter which (nosewheel) aircraft you learn
to fly on. IMHO you develop better stick & rudders skills on
a (less forgiving) tailwheel aircraft, but that's a moot point -
you can't get ab initio training on tailwheel at any FTU in Canada
AFAIK.

The important thing is the quality of instruction

Indeed.

[ZBBYLW]

merits of this 'training' aeroplane and that for flight training

It really doesn't matter which (nosewheel) aircraft you learn
to fly on. IMHO you develop better stick & rudders skills on
a (less forgiving) tailwheel aircraft, but that's a moot point -
you can't get ab initio training on tailwheel at any FTU in Canada
AFAIK.

The important thing is the quality of instruction

Indeed.

Actually I think PRO VFR does ab initio training on their Citabria.

I learned to fly on a 152, but then as soon as I got my license started flying tailwheel aircraft. I started on a Citabria, moved on to a few others till I go a job flying the L-19 (GREAT AIRPLANE!). I would highly suggest everyone give a tailwheel aircraft a chance, you will either love them or hate them.

[MichaelP]

There are two Citabrias on this field now.
Pro's aircraft has one and a tenth very experienced instructors on theirs.
PFC has one as well though I do not know the experience level of the instructor(s) there.

Tailwheel training is something that demands a lot of experience in flying real aeroplanes to teach it right.
The Pro Citabria was the cheapest aeroplane on the fleet to maintain, because the instructional standard was a lot higher.
Anyone can teach in the Cessna 152, and 'anyone' means the standard is much lower and the student is not necessarily taught to look after the aeroplane well.
Learn to land a Cessna 152 well, to keep the control column back when taxying without a strong wind behind, and certainly keep it back for the run-up... Learn to control the throttle and speed relationship to look after the engine, and to do a thousand other little things of care that reduce the cost of maintenance and any aeroplane will survive longer.

Yes you can learn to fly in the Pro Citabria, and Bob is very busy at it. The 10% instructor? Well he has his own school to run, but it's still fun to do a bit in the red aeroplane from time to time.

[ZBBYLW]

There are two Citabrias on this field now.
Pro's aircraft has one and a tenth very experienced instructors on theirs.
PFC has one as well though I do not know the experience level of the instructor(s) there.

Tailwheel training is something that demands a lot of experience in flying real aeroplanes to teach it right.
The Pro Citabria was the cheapest aeroplane on the fleet to maintain, because the instructional standard was a lot higher.
Anyone can teach in the Cessna 152, and 'anyone' means the standard is much lower and the student is not necessarily taught to look after the aeroplane well.
Learn to land a Cessna 152 well, to keep the control column back when taxying without a strong wind behind, and certainly keep it back for the run-up... Learn to control the throttle and speed relationship to look after the engine, and to do a thousand other little things of care that reduce the cost of maintenance and any aeroplane will survive longer.

Yes you can learn to fly in the Pro Citabria, and Bob is very busy at it. The 10% instructor? Well he has his own school to run, but it's still fun to do a bit in the red aeroplane from time to time.

Wow! I did not know PFC got a Citab! Was it a local airplane? Is their insurance ok with aerobatics? I flew C-FFCM quite a bit, and that was a blast. I am hoping to start flying a Super Dacathlon this spring thing. It would be nice to get back to flying a Citab around.

[MichaelP]

It's a brand new 7ECA Citabria at PFC.

It has not moved much since it has been with them.
I don't know what they charge for it.
It is the most restrictive school on the field with the most rules. I would be surprised if they offered aerobatic training, or allowed it.

At the other school I was teaching aerobatics in the Citabria until TC told me off in no uncertain terms because 'aerobatics' was not on the OC.
The CFI placarded the aeroplane against aerobatics.
It would have cost $75 or so to put aerobatics on the OC.

[ZBBYLW]

It's a brand new 7ECA Citabria at PFC.

It has not moved much since it has been with them.
I don't know what they charge for it.
It is the most restrictive school on the field with the most rules. I would be surprised if they offered aerobatic training, or allowed it.

At the other school I was teaching aerobatics in the Citabria until TC told me off in no uncertain terms because 'aerobatics' was not on the OC.
The CFI placarded the aeroplane against aerobatics.
It would have cost $75 or so to put aerobatics on the OC.

That is too bad, I was planning on doing starting to do aerobatics on the "red" plane. Turns out I ended up flying a nicer airplane at an amazing deal. First 10 hours paid for at 120 wet! After that I was paying around 145 for it but still it was a really nice aircraft! The funny thing about PFC is they are the only school around that will rent out their twins, yet they are very restrictive in other ways. It is a hard school to figure out.