Introduction & First Steps

Getting Started

If you are ready to make the commitment to flight training, we have provided the recommended steps below and have more specific details starting with operational hours. *Please note that while Transport Canada requires a minimum of 45 hours of flight time to obtain the Private Pilot Licence, the Canadian average is about 90 hours of flight time to meet the required standard.*

How Can I Be the Most Productive/ Prepare for my Flight Training?

  1. FIRST STEP – Book your Aviation Medical. Click Aviation Medical for a list of examiners You will need a Category 3 medical for your Private Pilot Licence training or a Category 1 for your Commercial Pilot Licence. Please note that you need to have your Canadian Medical Certificate in your possession when you are going to fly solo (flight without instructor). *Please note that Transport Canada is experiencing some delays when issuing the medical certificate.
  2. Or if you wish to obtain your Recreational Pilot Permit, then you only need a Category 4 medical. This declaration form can be completed by you and your family doctor. The original form will need to be emailed to Transport Canada and you will have to wait to receive the medical certificate in the mail before you can fly solo.
  3. Register as an associate with the Brampton Flight Centre. You can register at the Front Desk during our operational hours. We request that you use a valid passport for the photo ID required. Cost for initial associate fee is $210 plus HST.
  4. We will also need a credit card to be left on file or a credit of $300 to be left on your account after paying for the required fees.
  5. If you do not have a Canadian passport, then you will need to pass the Aviation Language Proficiency Demonstration (ALPD). Please submit your ALPD results to our Flight Training Office [email protected]
  6. Purchase ePTR (approx. $10.95 plus tax). This will document your flight training in an electronic Pilot Training Record.
  7. Register for Ground School. Options available are Private Pilot Licence, Commercial Pilot Licence, Instructor Rating.
  8. Aviation Language Proficiency Demonstration (for those that do NOT hold a Canadian Passport)
  9. Attend a minimum of the first 6 classes of the PPL ground school classes
  10. Pass the Radio Licence exam – can be done at your convenience. Cost is $75 plus tax. Pass: 70% or higher on Multiple Choice section AND 70% or higher on Short Answers. Radio Study Guide The Radio Licence is valid for life and is required before going solo.
  11. Pass PSTAR exam (pre-solo multiple choice exam). PSTAR Study Guide Pass: 90% or higher on multiple choice exam. You will have to be issued a Student Pilot Permit (SPP) before you go solo in addition, to having your flight instructor recommend you to go solo. *Make sure you have a valid Passport as this is a document that we can use to issue your document for Student Pilot Permit purposes.

Operational Hours

In order to get started you will have to come in person to register as a Brampton Flying Club member. You will be able to register anytime during Club hours. From the first Monday in April to second week of November our flight school is open 7 days a week from 07:00am to midnight. Weekends from 07:00am to 10:00pm. From second week of November to March 31 our flight school is open 7 days a week from 08:00am to 10:00pm. Weekends from 08:00am to 08:00pm. Occasionally we may close early due to weather, for this reason, it is recommended that you call the front desk at ext 0 to confirm daily hours.

PPL Ground School Start Dates

If you prefer to start with the ground school, we offer a new start date at the beginning of each month. Please note that you may jump into a pre-existing class if you prefer. Ground School start dates are provided below:

Saturday January 6th, 2024
Thursday February 1st, 2024
Thursday March 28th, 2024

Ground school for our Private Pilot Licence runs for 16 weeks, once a week for 3 hours per class. Ground school is offered in the evenings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7-10pm, and on Saturdays from 10am-1pm.

Active members are able to attend classes as many times as needed on any day, without additional cost as long as they have proof of purchase (receipt required) and an active associate status.

Ground school hours will help you to qualify for a tax receipt. For more details visit Tax Receipt Info.

PPL Ground School Tips:

– Private Pilot Ground School is optional for Recreational Pilot Permit students however it is a Transport Canada requirement for the Private Pilot Licence students.
– It is highly recommended that you take the ground school in order however once you pay at Brampton Flight Centre you have the ability to repeat the ground school as many times as you like as long as you have original proof of purchase and as long as you have an active associate status with the Brampton Flight Centre.
– If you choose to take the ground school classes out of order, it is highly recommended that you take PPL #1 first as it gives some oversight as to what to expect and how to proceed.
– It is also highly recommended that you take Navigation and Meteorology classes in order as they are split up into 3 separate classes for each topic and therefore they build up onto each other. For example, it is not recommended that you take Nav #2 before you take Nav #1.

Private Pilot Course Outline with Recommended Readings

Ground School Schedule

Ground-School-Kits-2023-1Download

For information about our Commercial Ground School or Flight Instructor Rating Ground School please contact Julie Marzoli [email protected]

Flight Training

You are able to start at any time, and you are not required to complete the ground school before starting to fly. Instead, we recommend that you do the ground school and flight training simultaneously. You should be able to use the concepts you learn in flight to help you with the ground school and vice-versa.

The cost of the program is approximate as it is based on Transport Canada minimums. Please note that typically students take 70-90 hours to obtain their Private Pilot Licence on a part-time basis. Flight training costs will fluctuate based on individual learning needs. We accept all major credit cards, debit, cheques and cash. We have an online reservation system for customers to make bookings with aircraft and their Flight Instructor at their convenience. Flights are scheduled during daylight hours, seven days a week, based on your availability.

The Private Pilot Licence program is a flexible self paced program so you can decide how often you want to fly and how often you would like to attend ground school. For this reason, the length of the program and the cost will be highly dependent on your consistency of training, your availability, your ability to learn and weather. On average most students tend to take about a year to obtain their Private Pilot Licence if they are doing their training on a part time basis, however please keep in mind that we have had students finish in as little as a few months if they are committed to flying 4-5 times a week. The PPL allows you to carry up to 3 passengers and apply for upgrade ratings (i.e.: Night, Multi Engine, Seaplane, Instrument).

Renters Insurance

It is highly recommend that you obtain insurance for when you are pilot in command of the aircraft. Renters insurance, also called non-owned insurance, is an insurance policy that decrease the deductible that you are responsible for in the event that an aircraft which you do not own but are operating is damaged. For more information about this, please visit our Insurance FAQs page.

Choosing a Flight Instructor

All of our instructors have gone through the necessary training and are recognized and certified to Transport Canada standards. To help select an instructor that fits your needs, it is recommended that you consider your schedule with their availability. To get started, you must have completed the above steps and provide proof. As long as you have met the listed requirements below and need assistance getting set up with an instructor, you can proceed in filling out the form please fill out this form.
– Meeting Flight Instructors at ground school or around the flying club.
– It is recommended that you have one primary instructor and if you fly frequently, you may want to consider having a secondary instructor in the event that your primary instructor is not available. It is not recommended to have more than one secondary instructor.

Introductory Discovery Flight – optional

One option you may want to consider before registering is our Introductory Discovery Flight. The Introductory Discovery Flight is a great way for you to get a taste of what it is like to fly a small aircraft. The flight itself is typically 15 to 20 minutes over the surrounding Niagara Escarpment, and a pre-flight briefing is also provided. This flight will allow the participant to experience the sensation of flying, and the Flight Instructor will be able to answer any questions during and after the flight. The amount of time the participant will actually be able to fly will be their choice, and dependent on their comfort level. This flight can be scheduled during daylight hours, any day of the week. Please contact the Pilot Shop at 905-838-1400 ext. 214 to book your flight.

Location & Directions

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The Brampton-Caledon Airport is close to Toronto, allowing easy access to all of Canada’s 400 series highways.