Getting Started

Pursuing a Career in Aviation

If flying professionally is your dream, the Pacific Flying Club can help transform that dream into reality.

Learning to fly is exciting and surprisingly easy to learn. While thousands of pilots around the world fly strictly for fun, many choose to fly for a living. Pacific Flying Club graduates are flying for airlines such as Buffalo Airways, Air Canada, West Jet, Sun Wing, Pacific Coastal Airlines, Central Mountain Air, Cathay Pacific and other airlines, companies, and corporations around the world. The Pacific Flying Club will introduce you to the thrill of taking off, and flying towards an exciting new career.

Becoming a Commercial Pilot

1. The first step is to earn a Private Pilot Licence. This requires a minimum of 45 hours of flight training, plus 40 hours of ground school instruction.
2. The next step is to earn a Commercial Pilot Licence. A Private Pilot Licence and Category 1 Medical are prerequisites. The CPL requires a total of 200 hours flight time (including time logged on a PPL), plus 80 hours of Commercial Pilot Ground School

It all starts when you call us at 604-946-0011 and set up an introductory flying lesson. This lesson will give you a good idea on what you can expect. You may even get to try out one of our simulators also.

Then tell us when you want to fly and how frequently, and we arrange personal access to our Online Booking System. Some students like to fly every day, some once or twice a week, or every two weeks. You will be assigned the instructor of your choice, plus an alternate instructor in the event your “regular” instructor is not available when you want to fly. You will always have access to at least two instructors.

You will also want to sign up for Private Pilot Ground School. Most students will purchase a ground school kit for the Private Pilot Licence when they commence ground school which will give you all the basic supplies you’ll need or at least purchase the basic ground school texts to get started. Classes are held every Monday and Wednesday evenings as well as Saturday afternoons at the Club. You can also choose to take our Online Ground School or even opt for both classroom and online instruction. Once you start the Club’s Ground School classes, you may attend as often as you wish. Many pilots come back years later for a refresher at no additional charge.

If planning a career, you will require a Category 1 medical. The Private Pilot Licence requires only a Category 3 medical but we strongly recommend students do a Category 1 medical initially if they are planning a career in aviation. A list of approved civil aviation medical examiners is available online.

Flying, ground school and more flying. Along the way, you’ll do undergo basic testing to meet the requirements for a Private Pilot Licence and, ultimately, a Commercial Pilot Licence. Then you will want to consider the wide range of options available and industry sectors in which to start your flying career. Some graduates start working up north, some with a small cargo or air taxi company, others get a float rating and work in the bush. Some will opt for advanced training and begin their career as a flight instructor. Whatever you decide, you will want to choose a school that can help you establish a network of friends and contacts in the industry. Most pilots will agree, many of their lifelong friends were met when they learned to fly!

Call the Pacific Flying Club at 604-946-0011 and let us show you how you can get started on your way to a career as a professional pilot!