How to Select a Flying School
“Which school should I go to?” is a question I am often asked. Whether it’s someone who wants to start private pilot training, or someone who wants to complete an instructor rating, my response is often the same. Here are the things that I recommend potential students look for in selecting a flying school.
Fleet
The type of aircraft you fly is not as important as most people think; or at least not for the reasons they think. Exposure to different environments throughout the training program is important for skill development. Examples would include “old fashion steam gauges”, newer “glass cockpits”, mixture controls, constant speed propellers, retractable gear, and so on. Whether it’s high wing or low doesn’t matter. The exposure to different displays and equipment gives the student a broad base for whatever they may fly in the future. With that being said, a newer, nicer airplane is always preferred as you are going to spend a lot of time sitting in that relatively tiny seat.
Maintenance
The maintenance of the fleet is something that should be asked about. While a prospective student is not going to be in a position to evaluate the quality of a maintenance system, they can ask some basic questions. A big one is to inquire about the availability of aircraft maintenance services. Does the flight school have their own Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO), or do they contract out their maintenance? Are those services at the same airport the flight operations are based out of, or do aircraft have to be flown elsewhere? Broken airplanes mean cancelled flights. Whether an AMO or contract, look for a company that has coverage 7 days a week based at the airport you will fly out of.
Instructors
Instructors are rated from Class 4 to Class 1. A Class 1 is considered the “master” level and they may teach a commercial pilot how to become a flight instructor. When that commercial pilot is newly awarded a flight instructor rating, they are considered an “apprentice” level Class 4. Once they have demonstrated enough experience and skill, they graduate to become a Class 3. To become a Class 2, it is necessary to demonstrate an ability to supervise other flight instructors and have the knowledge and skills to take on the role of a Chief Flight Instructor (CFI) who is responsible for the flight school.
All instructors are licenced and qualified, but generally speaking a higher rated instructor will deliver the training more effectively owing to their experience and may save the student some time and money though efficiencies. With that being said, I have worked with some outstanding Class 4 instructors that could run circles around Class 3 and Class 2 instructors.
The flight instructor has a greater effect on the quality, satisfaction, and success of the training program than any other element covered in this article. Prospective students should ALWAYS meet with the CFI (or at some large schools, the Assistant CFI or a dedicated Student Training Manager) to discuss their goals and personality type. The CFI should be looking to find a suitable match when placing you with a flight instructor. Though setting up an appointment time in advance is reasonable, if the CFI or ACFI cannot make the time to meet with a student, it’s often a sign of bigger problems at the school.
Do an introductory flight with the instructor recommended by the CFI, not whomever happens to be there the day you walk in. This is your chance to test drive the instructor, the aircraft, and the school. There is little point in doing a flight with an instructor that takes weekends off, if weekends are the only time you can come in to fly. The instructor should make you feel comfortable, confident, and share information in a manageable way. Their voice should be loud and clear on the aircraft intercom. They should conduct themselves in a professional way and clearly answer your questions. There is nothing wrong with taking an introductory flight at two or three schools with different instructors to get a feel for where you would like to train.
The CFI
If the instructor is the single most important element of your training, the CFI is foundation that holds that instructor up and gives them the necessary resources and guidance to be successful. When you meet with the CFI, you should ask several questions, such as:
What does your instructor supervision system look like? If all you hear back is that students of Class 4 instructors must fly with a supervisor (Class 1 or 2) at least two times, be concerned. That is the regulatory minimum. ALL instructors at a school must be supervised, but how that is done is left up to the individual school. If you receive a response such as you will fly with a supervisor every 10 hours, or 4-5 times during a Private Licence program it indicates the school is more serious about ensuring consistent, quality training that generally results in faster completion times at lower cost (but takes effort to organize). If the CFI goes on to explain how they monitor classroom instructors, mentor their new instructors, etc. that is a great sign that the school is serious about quality.
Can I see the training syllabus you use for my course? The school is required to have one by regulation…. but that can be as simple as opening a Transport Canada document called the “Flight Instructor Guide” and looking at Chapter 2, which is generic for all schools. If the CFI can show you a custom document for the school that runs anywhere from 15-100 pages, that is a sign they are training you with a proper plan in mind. That school has clear completion criteria and guidance for the flight instructors. Once you start training, insist on knowing where you are in the syllabus after each flight so that you know if you are on target for the number of flight hours budgeted for. The syllabus should not be a secret.
Is a Flight Training Device or Simulator a part of the syllabus? Doing some training in this device will not only decrease the program cost, but also expose you to some scenarios that cannot be safely or effectively accomplished in the aircraft. Inquire as to if it is certified by Transport Canada. If not, you can practice in it but cannot credit that time toward your training.
Do your flight instructors incorporate Scenario Based Training and/or Threat and Error Management into the training program? Can you give some examples? The use of SBT helps you learn how to think for yourself in the aircraft and will reduce your training time. TEM has been identified as an important way to assess risk and reduce accidents. These should be incorporated in your training. While these two topics would require an article unto themselves, you can expect to get an in-depth quality answer with concrete examples; or a basic response that you will be able to tell indicates the CFI is unclear on how to effectively use TEM/SBT. To assess the abilities of your potential flight instructor, ask about SBT and TEM following your introductory flight. Their answers should line up with what the CFI had to say.
What professional development opportunities are your instructors given? The instructors should have an opportunity to do proficiency flying every year, paid for by the flight school. When new techniques or air exercises are introduced, they need the opportunity to learn and practice. Does the school send instructors to training programs and conferences outside of their school to learn industry best practices? Is regular refresher training given to the flight instructors?
Do you have a Safety Management System (SMS)? If so, what were the top 3 items from last year that you are looking to improve at this school? Many schools claim to have an SMS. But since it is not regulated by Transport Canada, many systems lack in various areas (statistics are a common one). If the school has a proper safety system, the CFI will know what the data from last year indicated and will be happy to share it. After all, you would expect students be aware so that they can be active participants in the system.
How are students involved in safety programs here? For example, how would I report something I think is a safety concern? Is there a safety newsletter or are there safety meetings for students? This ties into the previous bullet point. There should be a simple way to report safety concerns, and there should be an anonymous option too. Students are on-board every flight, either with an instructor or not, so they should be given the ability to actively participate in the safety system.
Do you use Flight Data Analysis (FDA) software as part of your safety system? Very few schools do this, but it is becoming more common. A school that invests in this software essentially has a basic Flight Data Recorder-type system in each aircraft that can be used to analyze events to improve the school’s policies and procedures. It can also be used to flag trends amongst the fleet so that dangerous company-wide habits can be addressed proactively. FDA is an indicator of a strong safety system.
What is the school policy on pre- and post-flight briefings? Students must receive a short briefing before and after every flight – they are about 5-10 minutes long and are critical for success. Before flight, it ensures that you know what is going to happen, and that you can recall the procedures you will need. If you can’t, or this doesn’t take place, you will be wasting $5 per minute trying to sort it out in the air. After the flight, you clarify what went right, what needs work, and how to move forward. Confirm that the flight instructor gets paid their hourly wage to do these briefings. Some schools still don’t pay their instructors for teaching outside of the aircraft. When this is the case, you can expect short or omitted briefings - which will cost you lots in the long run through extra flying. If quality briefings don’t happen, or the instructor is not compensated, run, don’t walk to find another school.
Cost
Truth be told, you are going to be paying the same almost everywhere (at least in the same market). The mark-up on aircraft rental fees is about 10% and instructor rates are similar at most schools to remain competitive. By the end of training, school A, B, or C are going to be within 5% of each other (aside from college/university programs where you are also paying for a degree/diploma). The bigger thing to look for is an honest estimate of cost. While most people can finish a Private-Commercial-Multi Engine-Instrument program in the minimum 200 flight hours, the time of a stand-alone Private Pilot Licence (PPL) can vary widely. The legal minimum experience is a flight time of 45 hours… however the national AVERAGE is 71 hours. A school that keeps talking about taking 45 hours to complete their program is trying to hook you. A school that gives you an honest estimate of the cost based on what it really takes people would be the company I would prefer to deal with. Remember, a 71-flight hour PPL will run you about $20,000 in southern Ontario – don’t let the promise of a $12,000 package fool you. The biggest thing you can do to keep cost under control is to follow the tips above to find the right school, with the right instructor, and a quality syllabus. These things will keep your training time as efficient as possible.
Job Prospects
For students looking to join the ranks of commercial pilots, this is an important question as well. Keep in mind that every flight school in Canada has at least one graduate at Air Canada, WestJet, Transat, Sunwing, etc. Don’t let that sway you. Look for a school that can offer solid links such as recruitment days, mentor programs, cadet arrangements, and/or tangible links to air carriers (including Air Taxi operators in Canada’s north). Ask the school what the in-industry employment rate of their graduates is within 6 months of completing the program. A school that cares about ensuring you have a job will have this type of data available.
Employment
This one applies to those who are looking to complete a flight instructor rating. Flight schools tend to hire instructors that they have trained for one simple reason: it is easier. The candidate already knows the systems that school uses and has completed a 50+ hour job interview. Hiring outside instructors takes more time and effort on behalf of the CFI. If the candidate does not yet have any experience as an instructor, they are highly unlikely to be recruited. Whereas an experienced Class 1 or 2 may be in high demand. I suggest looking for a school where there is a good shot at employment because the school is busy and instructors are progressing through their aviation careers (though watch out for schools with high turnover due to poor working conditions). What about a school that guarantees you a job when you finish your instructor rating? My opinion is to avoid such an operator. The fact that they are willing to offer a job to someone that does not even hold the required qualifications yet is a sure sign they are more interested in filling a position that can make them money, than they are in providing quality instruction by outstanding instructors. Additionally, these flight schools tend to be over-staffed; resulting in an instructor’s inability to maintain a full-time schedule.
Conclusion
If at any point during your training, your concerns are not being adequately addressed, or you believe the school is not the right fit for you, the good news is that it is easy to transfer. All the training you do is at its most basic, approved by Transport Canada in accordance with their basic syllabus and guidance material. You retain credit for everything you have accomplished when you opt to transfer to another school. Even the records of your training are kept in an industry standard format. With that being said, most flight schools and CFIs are there to make sure you have the best experience possible, as is your flight instructor!