Flight Career

[sLippd]

Hello avCanada forums my name is Artur Mielniczek. My forum name is sLippd. I am 16 years old and have wanted to become a commercial pilot since I was 13. I play FSX and am learning as a head start. I know ILS landings but not that good yet with VFR. I don't know if playing this game will help me in any way but its good for practise. I know that there is a lot of posts like this and I have done some re-search but couldn't really decide. I am on my way to Grade 11 and I want to have a career in flying (commercial). I want to know what are good options that will guide me to become a commercial pilot. I live in Canada, Ontario so I guess mentioning schools here would be best. I was thinking that I would attend school (college or university) and a flight school so I could get a degree in case I do not pass my medical and flight school that will teach me to be a commercial pilot. I was also thinking about the Air Force since I also wanted to serve my country at one point in my life so maybe this is a good way too. I would love feedback on what options would be best for flight school, choosing between AF and college/flight school, etc. Thanks guys and hope to get some good feedback.

Sincerely,

Artur Mielniczek

[sLippd]

Can someone please give me some advice.

[Shiny Side Up]

Since you're still in school, my best advice would be to shoot for good grades there. Work on your reading and writing ability, your math and your study habits. Forget about flying the ILS on FSX, its not getting you ahead of the game. Start saving your money or wondering about where you can get student funding from. Good school marks make this easier to get, or get more of it. If Mom and Dad ain't going to foot the bill for your dream, start thinking about getting a job to fund it yourself. Now would be a good time to show your parents what you want to do.

Lastly, if you're looking for advice on schools, check that big link at the top of Flight Training page, then ask a more informed question with specifics about a school or plan of training. I hear the kids these days are good with the Google.

[sLippd]

Since you're still in school, my best advice would be to shoot for good grades there. Work on your reading and writing ability, your math and your study habits. Forget about flying the ILS on FSX, its not getting you ahead of the game. Start saving your money or wondering about where you can get student funding from. Good school marks make this easier to get, or get more of it. If Mom and Dad ain't going to foot the bill for your dream, start thinking about getting a job to fund it yourself. Now would be a good time to show your parents what you want to do.

Lastly, if you're looking for advice on schools, check that big link at the top of Flight Training page, then ask a more informed question with specifics about a school or plan of training. I hear the kids these days are good with the Google.

I see what you mean what would you say is approx money required to get to commercial. I have a job and will ask for more shifts because I see that this is going to be costing a lot. I am just using FSX to learn I know ILS but people said I should start learning VFR so that is what I am doing now. I am excellent a math and physics is near the same so I think I can do better. I can work on my reading and writing and will try a great amount to get where I want to be. I will check what you recommended and thank you, I will see what I can do.

[ILSfan07]

I am just using FSX to learn I know ILS but people said I should start learning VFR so that is what I am doing now. I am excellent a math and physics is near the same so I think I can do better.

I loved flight simulator as a kid, it's a fun toy but hardly an effective training aid. For basic VFR flying, it may actually be hurting you by using the program because you're likely going to be very easily distracted by the shiny instrument panel in front of you. My first instructor has to un-train my habits of looking at the instruments. One of the most important principles in VFR flying is to fly by your attitudes outside the window as opposed to performance flying looking at your instruments. The only way to do this is by going up in a real airplane where you can see over the nose and look outside.

Find a flying school near you and ask for a familiarization or discovery flight. They're cheap and short, but give you a good idea of what flying in a small airplane is like. Also before you pay one cent more into flight training, get a class one aviation medical (if you plan on doing flying for a job) to make sure you're medically fit to fly. Costs for a commercial license has lots of variables, depending on how/where you do it and what other licenses you get along the way. (multi, IFR, etc. are all options) Ballpark for somewhere between $40,000 and $70,000... maybe even more if you choose to do a 4 year degree in addition to your pilot licenses. Start a financial plan for how you're going to come up with this money, and keep your parents in the loop. If you're lucky they might help you out.

[SuperchargedRS]

You might be able to start working on your private, look into local glider clubs, if you get your private in a glider it may save you some considerable money and teach you the fundamental stick and rudder skills that many people miss out on flying 172s.

Also dont bother with playing with approaches (ILS) right now, your likely to set yourself further back learning bad habits now. If you want to try to get a head start go buy "From the Ground Up" and read it all the way through.

http://www.amazon.ca/Ground-Up-Sandy-F- ... 1560274522

[B-rad]

All excellent responses. I'm proud to read this kind of advice after not being around here for a while. now can we start the jokes about knee pads and shiny glasses??

[sLippd]

I am going to check out first my medical, there is no point to persue a career in aviation if I am not qualified to fly them. I see what you guys are saying and thanks, I will start looking into some flying schools and colleges/universities and tell you guys what I come up with.

[zed]

I would suggest... You go to your nearest flying club/school centre and find a pilot to talk to.

Tell them up front you are not ready to start flying, but would like to know about flying. Have them answer all your basic questions. You will get more answers, much faster then by waiting for someone to maybe give you an answer to the question you haven't clearly asked for in this forum.

When you have more specific questions that you don't think the flying school/club were able to fully answer, research them. Google. Or use this site's search function. If you still can't find an answer then go ahead and ask. There are a lot of people willing to help, but most expect that you expend an effort. If this is a dream, then work for it and do the legwork to research how to acheive it.

To help you get started, here are some quick sites I found without any difficulty. Are these the best sites? No clue. Will it answer all your questions? Nope, will probably create more. But it will begin to fill in the big blanks of knowledge you have and give you the chance to ask more serious questions.

http://www.copanational.org/files/ATAC% ... ochure.pdf
http://www.pilotcareercentre.com/PilotsLifeHome.aspx
http://www.airfun.org/bap/index.html
http://thetravelersnotebook.com/travel- ... ush-pilot/
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 702AA7COQH
http://www.copanational.org/LTFGetStarted.cfm
http://www.copanational.org/LTFCertifiedAircraft.cfm
http://www.harvsair.com/site/informatio ... o-fly.html
http://www.canadian-universities.net/Ca ... ining.html

and this site...
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=63878
viewtopic.php?f=76&t=41813
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=56102
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=1483
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=36739
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38515
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53024

So after all this, I suggest you use your energy to show your parents that you're serious and get yourself smart on flying. Most of it doesn't take anything except effort on your part to get the ball rolling. The big difference about living at home and not, is that you must start to make the decisions about your life, yourself. Becoming a pilot is a big decision, but no one can advise you if its right for you. Or tell you that you need to do x, y, and z to acheive it, beware of the advice if they are also selling you x, y and z. There are many different routes for any aviation goals you set. Get smart, and good luck.

[supertrooper]

Personally, check out the entrance courses and marks required for these 3 colleges and maintain the average and courses required to get in.
Confederation College: Flight Program
Sault College: Flight Program
Seneca College: Flight program

Your flight training is covered by the government and you only pay your tuition which is only like $8,000 for the 2 years. You come out with all your ratings and can get your first instructor job and not be in debt.

[fingersmac]

The subsidized colleges are a little more expensive than that but they all offer flight training paid for by the Ontario government.

Confederation College is about $10K
http://www.confederationc.on.ca/node/131

Sault College is about $15K
http://www.saultcollege.ca/Programs/Pro ... groupc=AVI

Seneca College is about $40K
http://www.senecac.on.ca/fulltime/FPR.html

I agree with supertrooper, tailor your grades and classes to the entry requirements of the subsidized colleges. At least you'll have that option available. You may even qualify for student loans through OSAP and/or bursaries/grants/scholarships.

[wotai139]

This site seems to have the most updated and detailed guide on pilot licensing and pilot careers.
http://pilotincanada.com