Flight School Inquiry

[KiltedPilot]

Take a look at

http://www.coasthelicoptercollege.com
http://www.bchelicopters.com
http://www.chinookhelicopters.com

These are all good schools, with good instructors and reputations. All have mountains and wilderness nearby for training in real world commercial scenarios.

Coast Helicopter College is based at Victoria International Airport (not far from Freedom Kilts!), and the others at Abbotsford International Airport. Both airports have a mix of international commercial traffic and thus provide good training in busy airport operations.

Mostly the US and Canadian training will be very similar. There is one facet in which these Canadian schools differ from many, but by no means all, US schools. In Canada is not common to be trained by lower time instructors, whereas at many US schools this is the norm. Most instructors in Canada are very experienced commercial pilots who train students in the quieter winter/spring period. Thus Canadian schools often run just two main commercial courses per year -- Sep to Dec, and Jan to Apr.

KP

[berserkbishop]

Take a look at

http://www.coasthelicoptercollege.com
http://www.bchelicopters.com
http://www.chinookhelicopters.com

These are all good schools, with good instructors and reputations. All have mountains and wilderness nearby for training in real world commercial scenarios.

Coast Helicopter College is based at Victoria International Airport (not far from Freedom Kilts!), and the others at Abbotsford International Airport. Both airports have a mix of international commercial traffic and thus provide good training in busy airport operations.

Mostly the US and Canadian training will be very similar. There is one facet in which these Canadian schools differ from many, but by no means all, US schools. In Canada is not common to be trained by lower time instructors, whereas at many US schools this is the norm. Most instructors in Canada are very experienced commercial pilots who train students in the quieter winter/spring period. Thus Canadian schools often run just two main commercial courses per year -- Sep to Dec, and Jan to Apr.

KP

Great links. Thanks! I was browsing through there and noticed that several of the schools said that they were eligible for government financial aid. Thats great but how does that work with me being a U.S. resident and all?

BB

[KiltedPilot]

several of the schools said that they were eligible for government financial aid. That's great but how does that work with me being a U.S. resident and all?

Flight training, for commercial purposes, typically qualifies for tax credits. You get that credit, if appropriate, from whatever jurisdiction you end up paying your subsequent taxes to, not where the flight school is.

That training can also qualify for student loans. Again that tends to come from where you currently reside, not where you will do your training.

Finally, in rare cases, the government will contribute towards that training via special schemes. Again, that contribution tends to come from the government where you reside, rather than the jurisdiction of the school. For instance, the oil revenue rich provincial government of Alberta will contribute towards commercial flight training in BC for Alberta residents, but the government of BC does not (beyond normal tax breaks and loans) for its residents.

You might want to check the information pages of US flight schools which might provide hints at the tax breaks, loans, and contribution schemes that exist for US residents.

KP