Hi everybody,

New member here. I am half way through my private pilots license and on my last year of high school. Next year i am looking to move out and get my commercial and my float plane rating and hopefully become a float plane/ bush pilot. I am looking at various schools in B.C. particularly Air Hart in Kelowna. However I don't have many aviation connections and was wondering what are the better schools in western canada? Also I am from Calgary, Alberta.

could a moderator possibly move this to the bush and specialty air service so that It gets some responses.

Just a suggestion.. but if you want to go east instead, confederation college has a great program that will take you right to your commercial licence with a float endorsement (24 hours on a 180).

FORT LANGLEY AIR! FORT LANGLEY AIR! FORT LANGLEY AIR!!!

http://www.fortlangleyair.com/

Off the top of my head:
Oceanair, Pat Bay Air, Island Air, Ft. Langley, Air Hart, Floatsafety, Pacific Rim Aviation Academy.

Pacific Sky by spring? Stay tuned...

I'd definitely have to say I'd choose one on the Island .

people people...ive seen recomendations to floatsafety throughout avcanada for a while...they've been closed down for about a year now! the plane has been sold to someone (that someone may be starting a float school at pitt meadows, but thats rumour)

anyways...I did my float training at fort langley. instructors have changed, and the cheif pilot has passed away since (nov 2007, i believe) so i dont think im in a position to say its great. However, the aircraft was nice, C-180...the price is fair considering all the other schools around BC. i think its 225/hr solo and 270/hr with instructor.
my bad experience with Ft Langely was this: I emailed them in february(07) about doing my float rating during the july long weekend, so I could plan to get it all done (its over an hour commute so I wanted to cut down the amount of travel, and I wanted to do it all at once to keep it fresh) they said, sure that can be done! well the long weekend came and i was told that doing it in a weekend wouldnt be advantagous and i should train over a period of several weekends...the plane went in for maintenance that monday, and the plane was booked most of the sat and sun!! i had 3 hours of flying that whole weekend! and i gave them TONS of notice.

Ive heard very good things about pacific rim. I talked to the owner there, and he seems like a very nice man. I may do more training with them. they fly a 172, so you dont get that constant speed time..but I think its a little cheaper. Ive heard of people doing their whole rating in 1 day!

artids, are you recommending ALL of those flight schools, or are you just giving options?

Ive heard of people doing their whole rating in 1 day!

And this is a good thing? 7 hours of flying and ground school too?
Seems like a lot to take in, do and fly if it is all brand new to you.

Just giving options.

One day is ridiculous, but so is several weekends. Think three days for the basic rating.

cessnafloatflyer wrote:

Ive heard of people doing their whole rating in 1 day!

And this is a good thing? 7 hours of flying and ground school too?
Seems like a lot to take in, do and fly if it is all brand new to you.

its not a great thing..unless the candidate is well rested and has the ability to do that training. Also its important that in that one day you see some choppy water, smooth water and glassy water. If you have all the elements in the training...the difference isnt going to be great between a day or 4. With that said its more reasonable to do it in 2-3 days.
but i mean..7 hours, its not enough in my opinion anyway...15-20 should be more like it, much like a night rating.

cubonfloats wrote:my bad experience with Ft Langely was this: I emailed them in february(07) about doing my float rating during the july long weekend, so I could plan to get it all done (its over an hour commute so I wanted to cut down the amount of travel, and I wanted to do it all at once to keep it fresh) they said, sure that can be done! well the long weekend came and i was told that doing it in a weekend wouldnt be advantagous and i should train over a period of several weekends...the plane went in for maintenance that monday, and the plane was booked most of the sat and sun!! i had 3 hours of flying that whole weekend! and i gave them TONS of notice.

And on the flip side, I did mine in two days, the only two days I had off on the mainland, with less than a weeks notice!

Both cases are neither the exception nor the rule.

I'm also from Calgary. I did my float rating at Air Hart Aviation and would recommend it to anyone. They really know how to teach floats and are set up in one of the most ideal areas that I can possibly think of to do so.

L1011 wrote:FORT LANGLEY AIR! FORT LANGLEY AIR! FORT LANGLEY AIR!!!

http://www.fortlangleyair.com/

I agree. Spent a summer with them. Rivers, Ocean, Lakes all within 10 minutes. David Hamel was awesome, too bad he passed away.

bamf wrote:Hi everybody,

and hopefully become a float plane/ bush pilot.

That one sentence there pretty much settles it. If you want to be a bush pilot and fly float planes then your best bet is to go to Air-Hart and do your whole commercial licence with them all on floats.

Air-Hart is the only flying school in all of Canada that I know of that offers Private and Commercial Licence training on float planes.

Yes you could do your commercial a bit cheaper by getting it first on wheels and then doing a 7hr course. But 7hrs is nothing and no one is going to give you a float flying job with 7hrs. 50hrs and a year or two on the docs maybe. But if you do your entire training on Floats that will really opens up the doors.

Bobby868 wrote:

bamf wrote:Hi everybody,

and hopefully become a float plane/ bush pilot.

That one sentence there pretty much settles it. If you want to be a bush pilot and fly float planes then your best bet is to go to Air-Hart and do your whole commercial licence with them all on floats.

Air-Hart is the only flying school in all of Canada that I know of that offers Private and Commercial Licence training on float planes.

Yes you could do your commercial a bit cheaper by getting it first on wheels and then doing a 7hr course. But 7hrs is nothing and no one is going to give you a float flying job with 7hrs. 50hrs and a year or two on the docs maybe. But if you do your entire training on Floats that will really opens up the doors.

so true it makes me queesy. where was this advice when i first started

I called Air-Hart yesterday and they were really helpful. All I need to finish of here in calgary is complete my private license and then I will have to do the 80 hour commercial ground school as Air-Hart doesn't offer it. Thank you to everybody for their advice. I can't wait for next summer.

Sea to Sky Air in Squamish offers float ratings, as well as PPL and CPL training on floats.

I don't think they really advertise, but I trained there after a friend told me about them. Awesome outfit. Best rates I ever found. Great instruction.

Spending a winter training out of Squamish gives you awesome experience!

I think their website is www.seatoskyair.ca

Good luck!

Ocean Air Floatplanes at Pat Bay in Victoria... HANDS DOWN! Dave's got an amazing reputation and his C-180 is impecably maintained and a treat to fly.