Hello, I'm a first year float pilot with no ifr and am considering getting a multi - IFR ticket sometime after Christmas.

I'm just curious to know which schools offer the best program, nicest a/c, set up... that sort of thing. Someone suggested Edmonton flying club to me, any thoughts?

Thanks

Well it has been about 17 yrs since I went to Pro IFR in YVR but I can tell you that at the time you couldnt have done better!

I went to Pro because they came with a good friend of mines recommendation as well as they trained in actual IFR which was pretty much unheard of at the time. I did my Multi/IFR in Jan/Feb so you know you're gonna get actual IFR time. On my ride with TC in the right seat of TLS, I got the "required visual reference" at 300 feet! On my initial IFR ride! I was actually started to nudge the power up anticipating the missed.

Anyways, John has my vote for for sure!

Cheers,

ETTW

http://www.pacificsky.ca

All the good, none of the bad.

Turbocharged, de/anti-iced, IMC trainer and new sim. Instructors fly IFR operationally every day on top of their instructional duties.

Hey Launch Pad,

Definitely consider Pro at Boundary Bay. Lots of planes and lots of instructors... only thing may be the icing in the winter as their Duchesses aren't deiced. As far as the Edmonton Flying Club goes, they actually sold their two Duchesses to PRO last summer... now they have a new TwinStar. I just recently began my IFR at the club and it's a pretty slick machine. The plane is also anti-iced so you can fly in light icing so you don't have too many "weather" days so to speak.

I'm going to assume you don't have a multi rating yet? Something to think about is doing your initial multi on a "conventional" twin. The twinstar is a neat airplane but before I decided to do my IFR in it I made sure to get my multi on a conventional... that way you have your "procedures" down (as the da42 is FADEC.. feather is a switch). So if you do decide on the EFC get your multi on a Seneca or Duchess first.

Good luck.

Any other questions about the Flying Club feel free to PM.

You won't be dissappointed at PRO, great system, great syllabus, great people. In the end its what works best for you, give the various places your interested in a call (or visit if able) and do whats best for you.

Pro is very short staffed in Vic these days, not sure about boundary bay.

Invertago wrote:Pro is very short staffed in Vic these days, not sure about boundary bay.

I did my training at the Vic flying club and I think the Pro office there has always been pretty minimal, just the one machine and the instructor. Boundary Bay is probably the spot to go then for availability of a/c.

Thanks everyone for your input,
Launch Pad

Perimeter in Winnipeg is great. They fly in known icing and have glycol on sight. You'll come out of there with the proper knowledge you need to fly IFR.

I'd go with Pro in ZBB. John's great.

Pro in CYYJ may be a one plane show but they have an experienced roster of instructors. Graham (Flying Club CFI) is experienced in teaching everything! Jas teaches when he isnt flying the Lear and dont forget about the retired airforce general. There must be over 20,000 hrs of experience there to teach you. I got my monies worth! Landed a good job 2 weeks later! However if you need to get it done pronto try PRO in CZBB as they do have more of everything over there.

itsajob wrote:Pro in CYYJ may be a one plane show but they have an experienced roster of instructors. Graham (Flying Club CFI) is experienced in teaching everything! Jas teaches when he isnt flying the Lear and dont forget about the retired airforce general. There must be over 20,000 hrs of experience there to teach you. I got my monies worth! Landed a good job 2 weeks later! However if you need to get it done pronto try PRO in CZBB as they do have more of everything over there.

Very true, but they are also very busy people so scheduling is difficult at best, plus having one aircraft maintained at Boundary bay means a 50 hour inspection will cause significant interruptions. The instruction is good but it is hard to run the operation with out a full time Pro guy there (not tied to VFC, Lear flying or retired). The big problem of Victoria in general is the lack of an IFR examiner. Actually there is a shortage of examiners on the island in general. I do agree, they amount of combined experience they have is pretty rare in the training world.

Invertago...I hear ya! I fell victim to the inspection game and yes it was hard getting the previously mentioned guys nailed down but I did and it was worth it . They teach cause they still WANT to! There is a full time CFI there as well but I dont know him. The CFI position changes alot at PRO YYJ because John's guys and gals get snapped up by the industry faster than he can replace them. I wish you the best!

I chose the Pro experience when I did my initial a few years back, and John still has my full recommendation. There's a lot more to gain by going out there than just your rating- you'll make some good friends and connections while you're at it. It's a pleasant airport too- on-site restaurant a relaxed operating style (you can walk down the tarmac to the far hangars if you please- try that at the 'peg), and there are plenty of neat types on the field and which visit every now and then- it all just adds a little more character to the place.