Getting Close Now...........Immigrating PPL

[Arclite01]

OK

so now I have my visas for immigration (emigration ?) to Canada and I guess we'll be there around July 08 (after a 4 year immigration process). I'm an IT/Telecoms Project Manager by trade but that is by the by........

The main reason for the post is to find out what sort of private strips or farm flying there is in Canada and how you find out about farm strips (in the UK and NZ where I have flown they seem to be kept quiet for planning reasons or because they are strictly private and for owners use only).

The sort of set up I am thinking of is a small strip with some hangarage where I'd like a share in a syndicate taildragger set-up or a strip where I could base my own aeroplane. I'm currently a Cub pilot with about 120 Hours plus about 500 hours gliding and a JAA PPL, plus a US FAA PPL. I'm a comfortable pilot but I want to do a load of hours in the other seat with someone before I go anywhere on my own - I'm not your average hoodlum ! - I'm 42 !!!

Not sure where I'm going to end up when I start work (as I don't have a job yet) but probably it looks like it'll be Ontario somewhere.

So does anyone have any leads on how you find out about strips ? - are there any websites or good contacts ??

Any help much appreciated.

Arc :ok:

[bzh]

http://copanational.org/non-members/index.htm

[Arclite01]

and as a follow up - what are the good websites & publications in Canada for buying aircraft second hand ?? (and reading about GA in general ?)

Can you tell I'm a rookie in Canada aviation :}

cheers

Arc

[angryblackman]

You might want to look at USA websites, they have a much larger selection of aircraft. The ability to transfer Certificates of Airworthiness and Certificates of Registration between the USA (FAA) and Canada's (Transport Canada) is relatively simply.

Some websites in the USA are:
1) Aircraft Shopper Online (ASO)
2) The Controller
3) Indy aero
4) Trade-A-Plane
5) Barron Thomas Aviation
6) Van Bortel Aircraft Inc.
7) Fly n' Buy Aircraft Sales
8) The Plane Exchange

In my opinon 1), 2) and 4) are the best in selection.
There are hundreds of company's that sell airplanes, even E-BAY offers aircraft for sale.
Welcome to Canada

[weekendpilot1946]

Best place to shop is Canadian Plane Trade which is part of the COPA newspaper and available online for members. Barnstormers web site is also good and lots of Canadian planes in there too. I suggest you join COPA when you get here just to get the monthly newspaper. COPA's places to fly lists all sorts of airports and strips in Canada. http://www.copanational.org/PlacesToFly/index.php

Consider carefully if you wish to go with a Basic Ultralight. With an old tail dragger registered as an ultralight, there are zero bureaucratic hassles. The category is pretty generous. You sign your own medical declaration and declare yourself fit :). You are not subject to the mood swings of your aircraft mechanic. It is a very low dollar solution with a few limitations:

Max gross weight 1200 lbs.
Maximum stall speed: 45 mph
Big one: no unlicensed passengers.

check out the Canadian rules here:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/publications/tp14371/menu.htm

My old Taylorcraft fits the basic UL category. I still fly into class D airports without a transponder no problem.

I live in Norfolk county about 1.5 hours from toronto by car. Hanger rent around here is about $100-150/month for a rural small airfield. There are 5 within 20 minutes of my house. If you get away from the Greater Toronto area, you will find Southern Ontario to be very friendly to tail draggers.

[Arclite01]

Thanks Guys I am appreciative of your help.

Norfolk County looks great just can't find any work there that matches my skill ste I'm afraid.....................

Arc

[CaptW5]

http://www.aircraftcanada.com/

[gabhan]

I have just moved to Canada from the UK and have a JAA PPL. I moved to the Vancouver area. I have found one or two grass strips in my local area but haven't flown into them as yet. The strips seem to mainly have ultralight airplanes. No one I have spoken to at the local flying school knows of any grass strip flying - but that might be just the metro-Vancouver area.

In case you didn't know (I didn't) you can get what's called a Foreign License Validation Certificate which entitles you to fly solo in a Canadian aircraft as long as your JAA PPL (and medical) are valid. It's easy and costs $45. I simply drove into Vancouver, went to the Transport Canada office and walked out 10 mins later with it. You can't use this certificate to gain further ratings.

Getting a Canadian PPL is easy too. You simply have to pass a theory exam called PSTAR. I think there might also be some recency requirements (6 landings in the last 6 months or something).

[CaptW5]

Several provincial aviation organizations produce Air Facilities Maps,
such as the BC Aviation Council:
http://www.bcaviation.org/
Alberta Aviation Council:
http://www.aviationalberta.com/
Saskatchewan Aviation Council
http://www.saskaviationcouncil.ca/aboutus.html

These maps contain a large number of private and public airstrips, incl. grasstrips and water aerodromes. The other provinces have probably something similar.

[markfly]

Beware of Barron Thomas Aviation! He took a deposit from us and he now says he can't repay it as he has no money! I have posted this on another thread and have also set up a web site to warn others! http://www.aviationscam.com