Flight School - Private Pilot License

*Please note: Flight School is not in service during the Olympic period.
(January 29th to March 24th)

A Private Pilot License gives you the freedom to safely operate small, single-engine aeroplanes under visual conditions during daylight hours. It is the prerequisite for all higher licenses and ratings. Additional qualifications include the ability to operate floatplanes, multi-engine aircraft, fly in instrument conditions, or during the night.

Sea to Sky Air is authorized by Transport Canada to provide training towards a Private Pilot License. This training requires a minimum of 45 hours total flight time, of which 17 hours must be dual (with a certified flight instructor) and 12 hours must be solo (as the sole occupant of the aircraft). The remainder of the hours can be either dual or solo and will be determined upon student skill and progress. Within the minimum 17 hours dual, a student must complete 5 hours of instrument flight time, and 3 hours of cross-country flight time. The solo flight portion will also include 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least one trip of at least 150 nautical miles. Upon satisfactory completion of the flight training, the student will conduct a flight test conducted by a Transport Canada examiner, or a person designated by them.

In addition to the required flight training, there is also an academic requirement of essential knowledge, which is gained through a course of ground school. The ground school component is typically taught in a classroom setting with a group of students and constitutes at least 40 hours of material. Upon satisfactory completion of the ground school, the student will conduct a written exam (60% pass mark) administered by a Transport Canada representative.

You may begin dual flight training at any age, although the minimum age to be issued a Student Pilot Permit (required for solo flight) is 14 years and the minimum age to be issued a Private Pilot License is 17 years. You do not need to begin ground school prior to flight training, or vice-versa. Flight training can begin at any time of the year and is conducted on an individual basis. The ground school course is usually offered a few times a year at our Squamish location.

Prior to receiving the Student Pilot Permit for solo flight, you must have undergone a medical examination with a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner and received at least a category 3 medical certificate from Transport Canada. Below are a few of the designated examiners in the Squamish area:                                                                   

The following cost estimate has been provided to assist those who are interested in pursuing a Private Pilot License and is based on a realistic completion time of 50 hours flight time, rather than the minimum 45 hours required by Transport Canada. Although prices may vary slightly due to individual skill and local conditions, the following is a fairly accurate account of what is to be expected: