CFA SPECIFIC

What are the hours of operation?
The hours of operation are as follows:

Monday to Sunday:
All year round: 6:00am - 10:00pm. [Note: These are the hours in which flights are avaliable to take place.]

Office Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

What age do I have to be to start flight training?
Well, you can really start flight training at any age. However, there are minimum age requirements to obtain a permit or licence.

Solo flight (Student Pilot Permit) - 14
Recreational Pilot Permit – 16
Private Pilot Licence – 17
Commercial Pilot Licence – 18
Airline Transport Licence – 21

What is a ‘Discovery Flight’?
A Discovery Flight is an introduction to your flight training. It allows you to go flying with an instructor; take the controls of the aircraft and experience flying first hand. Generally, the flight is approximately 30 minutes in the air along with a 30-minute introduction to the aircraft on the ground. If you decide to continue with your training toward a pilot licence or permit, these 30 minutes of flight time will be recorded in your PTR (pilot training record) and will count towards your training.

What type of licence best suits me?
There are two options for a new pilot; the Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP) or the Private Pilot Licence (PPL).

The RPP is the fastest and least expensive way to get into the air. It is designed for the individuals looking to fly locally in good weather, and primarily by themselves. The permit can be obtained with fewer hours than a PPL and the medical requirements are less stringent. All of your hours obtained for the RPP, can be counted towards a PPL if you choose to upgrade in the future. There are some restrictions with the RPP.

These restrictions include:
Day visual flight rules (VFR) flight only.
Maximum of one passenger.
Maximum of a four-seat aircraft.
Flight in Canadian airspace only.
No ratings can be added other than a float rating.

The PPL is the first licence you can obtain as a new pilot and it is one step up above the RPP. The PPL is geared towards a pilot who wishes to fly locally as well as travel for pleasure or business, add ratings, fly more advanced aircraft, and it is the first step in a new aviation career. The licence requires more training focused on instruments and navigation. With regards to a medical examination, you will be required to see an authorized Canadian Aviation Medical examiner.

The ratings you can add are:
Float
Night
IFR (Instrument Flight Rules)
VFR Over-the-top
Multi-engine
Type ratings (i.e. high performance aircraft)

What is the difference between a licence and a permit?
A licence is recognized around the world. A permit will only be recognized in the country that it was issued

What is Ground School, and do I require it?
Ground school is in class instruction that covers theory and practical knowledge required to obtain a licence. Ground school is required for all students wishing to obtain a Private Pilot licence. It is not a Transport Canada requirement for the Recreational Pilot Permit, however, most students find it beneficial and we strongly recommend it.

Subjects covered in Ground school:
Airlaw
Meteorology
Navigation
General Knowledge (Theory, licencing, engines, instruments, radio theory, etc.)

Do I have to do Ground school before I start flight training?
The answer is no. You could do all of your flight training first or ground school first. The only restriction is that you are required a minimum 10 hours flight time before you write the Transport Canada written exam. It is ideal if you can do your flight training and the ground school concurrently. This way it is possible to apply knowledge from both areas to the other as you proceed.

How long will the Ground school take to complete and when does it run?
The ground school runs for 16 weeks one night per week from 1900-2200 (7-10pm).

TRAINING

I wear glasses. Can I still pass the medical exam?
Yes, you can. Transport Canada requires that you are able to see with 20/30 vision with or without the help of corrective lenses.

Where can I get information on what the medical exam encompasses?
You can call your local Medical examiner. To obtain a list of examiners please contact us. Otherwise, you can receive this information from the Transport Canada website.

Note: For a PPL a category 3 medical is required. For a RPP a category 3 or 4 is required.

Is financing available for flight training?
Unfortunately, government financing such as OSAP is not available for flight training. However, most financial institutions will provide a line of credit for training towards a commercial licence.

How can I pay for my flight training?
Payments can be made on a “pay as you fly” program or by placing money on account.
We accept these standard forms of payment: Cash, Cheque, Interac, Visa, and MasterCard. Sorry, no American Express.

How long will it take me to get a permit or licence?
This is a difficult question, since it varies from student to student. First of all, it depends on the availability of the student; for example, if you can only fly once a week it will be difficult to retain all the learned materials for the next lesson. Also, weather plays a large factor and it is likely that one in three flights will be cancelled due to weather. Ideally, two to three flights a week is best. That way you cover yourself for weather dates and any complications with schedules. So, to answer the question, a licence or permit can be completed in as little as three months or could take a year.

Is my flight training tax deductible?
Yes and no. If your intention is to become a commercial pilot, you are able to write off the GST. If, however, you are training towards a PPL or RPP only, the GST is not tax deductible.

How much will I spend while training for my licenses?
Please see the training information via the menu on the left.

Are there membership fees that I have to pay?
No, unlike many other flight schools we do not have annual membership fees. Although we try to maintain a club like atmosphere in our school, we also attempt to keep our customer’s cost as low as possible.

RENTALS

Can I rent your aircraft once I have my licence?
Yes. Once you have your licence or permit you may rent the aircraft, as long you stay current.

Can I rent the aircraft and go on extended cross-countries?
Yes. If booked in advance there would not be a problem with taking the aircraft. The only issue is that one of the aircraft must be in Carp for flight training.

Am I responsible for fuel when I rent the aircraft?
The fuel is included in the price of the aircraft rental. If for example you are on a cross-country and need fuel, you can purchase the fuel and you will be reimbursed for the fuel at CFA’s fuel price.