Buttonville

[FreedomTC]

Hi,

I am seriously thinking of getting a pilots license. Question is, due to my proximity to Buttonville Airport, I am wondering if anyone knows how good the school is.

Thanks in advance for your response.

[fly-drink-chicks-music]

i heard busy, booking in month advance for flights.

[flyingdan]

I did Ground School at Buttonville with Toronto Airways. The instructors were very friendly and knew their stuff, however I found the content to be a bit disorganized. That's just me though.

In terms of flying hours, I signed up for an instructor at the same time as I signed up for Ground School (early January). I got a call at the end of May telling me they've got someone for me now. Granted there were circumstances that kept me from really pushing them to give me an instructor but it was still quite a wait.

Also, they were quite expensive. Dual hours ran somehwere in the mid to high $200's while solo hours I believe were somehwere around 200. I'm training out of CYHM now, and I pay under $200 for dual hours and it will be even less for solo. In terms of ground school I believe the prices are about equal across the board.

Just a note about Toronto Airways planes: for some reason you have to get a specific PTT switch customized for their planes. Not sure what they did to their radios but just something to keep in mind. It's sold at the airport so it's not a big deal, but I don't believe you'll be able to use it in any other planes but theirs.

[200hr Wonder]

Uh are the PTT switches not attached to the plane?

[C-GPFG]

No, they kept walking away.

The modified PTT's work in non-TAL aircraft.

[200hr Wonder]

Boy I really don't get it...

[Hedley]

you have to get a specific PTT switch customized for their planes

Er, no. With ANY external PTT, in order to make the intercom
work (the radio will work just fine) you have to modify the
PTT from a double-pole single-throw switch, to a single-pole
single-throw switch, and wire the audio through.

You leave the switch on the mike key. But if you don't
do the mod, the audio from the mike does not get through
for the intercom.

I have done a LOT of these PTT mods. Years ago, you used
to be able to buy "two kinds" of PTT, one single-pole, one
double-pole.

[niss]

Clear as mud.