Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Am I too young or too old to fly?
A. You can start flying at anytime, as long as you can comfortably reach the aircraft controls. There is no minimum age requirement to start taking flying lessons, however you must be at least 14 years old to obtain a Student Pilot Permit which allows you to fly without an instructor on board (solo).
Student Pilot Permit – you must be at least 14 years old
Recreational Pilot Permit – you must be at least 16 years old
Private Pilot Licence – you must be at least 17 years old
Commercial Pilot Licence – you must be at least 18 years old
Q. Do I need to pass a fitness test? What if I wear glasses?
A. You will need to pass a medical before you can be issued a Student Pilot Permit. However we recommend that you obtain verbal confirmation that you qualify for an aviation doctor before registering. The licence or rating that you wish to pursue will determine what type of medical you will need. Pilots can wear glasses or contact lenses as long as their vision is within the standards set out by Transport Canada. Please check with your aviation doctor for the requirements.
Types of Medicals:
Category 1 Medical – If you wish to become a Commercial Pilot, you will need a Category 1 medical. This is issued by a CAME Doctor (Canadian Aviation Medical Examiner).
Category 3 Medical – Required for the Private Pilot Licence, this medical exam must be conducted by a CAME Doctor just like the Category 1 medical.
Category 4 Medical – This is a medical declaration that you fill out and have your family physician sign. Once it is completed, you mail it to Transport Canada, and they will issue you your medical certificate.
The medical certificates are not valid for life, but must be renewed periodically by visiting an aviation doctor, or your family physician. How long your medical is valid for depends on the medical category as well as your age. Any questions regarding the medical requirements should be directed to a CAME doctor, or you can visit www.tc.gc.ca
Q. Do I need any special courses or skills?
A. Everything that you will need to know in order to obtain your licence will be taught here at the Club. If you are still in school and you are thinking about a career in aviation, then you may want to consider subjects that concentrate on math and physics. There is no course pre-requisite to becoming a pilot if you choose to fly for fun or in our self paced Commercial Program however we do have certain specifications for our Degree and Diploma programs. Please check out the specifications for these programs in the Career section of our website.
Q. How long does it take to complete a licence?
A. The answer to that question largely depends on you. Some people have completed their PPL in as little as two months, while others take a few years. The more regularly you fly, and the more prepared you are for your lessons, the faster you will be able to complete your licence. To ensure that your dual flight training is most effective, you should schedule 0.5 hours for your Preparatory ground briefing before each new flight lesson.
Q. How often and when do the PPL ground schools run?
A. A new Private Pilot Ground School Session starts once every month. Classes are 3 hours long and run once a week for 16 weeks. Classes are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm, or on Saturdays from 10:00am until 1:00pm. You can attend the ground school classes as many times as needed, as long as you are a member of the Brampton Flying Club and you have paid for the ground school. You are welcome to attend any of the classes as often as you like, even after you have completed your licence (receipt of purchase may be required).
Q. When can I start flying? Can I fly while I am still taking the ground school?
A. You can start flying at any time. We highly recommend that you have the appropriate medical conducted before you start investing a great deal of time and money into flying. This is to avoid any disappointment in the event you aren’t able to pass the medical exam. Some students prefer to complete all of the ground school prior to starting any of the flying, while others prefer to do both at the same time. Some of the classes will be easier to understand and follow if you have been in the aircraft a few times, but it is not necessary.
Q. How many hours of flight training do I need?
A. The minimum requirements are as follows:
Recreational Pilot Permit
15 Hours Dual, 10 Hours Solo
25 Hours Total
Private Pilot Licence
25 Hours Dual, 20 Hours Solo
45 Hours
Commercial Pilot Licence
35 Dual, 30 Solo, 100 P.I.C.
200 Hours Total
If you want to get your Commercial Pilot Licence, you must first start with your Private Pilot Licence. Factor in at least 5 to 10 hours of mandatory Preparatory Ground Briefing for each licence, rating or permit.
Q. What materials and books will I need?
A. The most important books you will need are the Flight Training Manual, From the Ground Up, a Pilot Operating Handbook and the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). We package a ground school kit with these items, as well as all of the maps and flight planning tools that you will need. Ground School Kits are available to purchase at our Humphreys Pilot Shop. Our pilot shop is generally open 7 days a week from 10am to 7pm however please call ahead 905-838-1400 ext 214.
Q. How do I choose a Flight Instructor?
A. As a new student, you are not assigned a Flight Instructor. You may want to sit in a few ground school classes and meet with a few different instructors before deciding. You can ask other students and staff who they might recommend for your flight training. You can also contact the Flight Training office to discuss your specific concerns, schedule and training needs to help you decide. Please also check out Meet our Flight Instructors for personal synopsis.
Q. Is flight-training tax deductible?
A. Training for your Private Pilot Licence, Commercial Pilot Licence and additional ratings can be claimed if you are considered a qualifying student. The tuition and portions of the flight training are tax deductible, however Club membership fees and textbooks are not. For more information about the definition of a qualifying student, please visit our Tax Receipts page https://www.bramptonflightcentre.com/career/self-paced-commercial-programs/.
Q. Can I obtain a refund for the membership and ground school fees?
A. Generally the membership and ground school fees are non-refundable. However, an exception may be made to those that are unable to obtain the Canadian Category 4 Aviation Medical. Before a refund can be issued we would need documentation from an aviation doctor to support your ineligibility within two weeks of your registration date.
For more information, please contact:
The Flight Training Office
Brampton Flight Centre
905-838-1400 ext. 228
[email protected]
Scott Chayko
Chief Flight Instructor
905-838-1400 ext. 300
[email protected]
Julie Marzoli
Ground School Coordinator
905-838-1400 ext. 290
[email protected]