Aircraft hire in the Toronto / Oshawa area

[derekl29]

I originally posted in Private flying but had no response...

I'm a UK based PPL, about 90 hours in total. I'll be in Canada for a week in May, near Oshawa / Toronto and I'm keen to get a little bit of flying in.

In previous years I've hired aircraft and instructor for an hour and flown out of both Barrie and Buttonville.

Does anyone have any tips on where else I could hire from? I don't mind driving an hour or two out to get there. I may get the Transport Canada FLVC so I could fly on my own licence after a check out but given I'm only there for a week it's questionable whether it's worth it.

Alternatively, if anyone has a spare right hand seat and wants to take me up for an hour or two ill happily pay my way.

Most of my experience is Pa28 / Pa38 with a tiny bit of Ce172 but something different always adds to the fun.

[3holelover]

Hello Derek,
Markham Airport (east side of hwy 48 just north of the town of Markham)
Oshawa Airport used to have a flying school... not sure if they still do...
Peterborough Airport (about an hour northeast of Oshawa)
Lindsay Airport (45 minutes north of Oshawa)

All worth looking into. It's been a long time since I've known whether these places still rent airplanes, but they all once did. Try phoning them once you're here.

[derekl29]

Thanks, these are all good suggestions.
I think its Toronto Airways that are based at Oshawa (and also at Buttonville) - I've hired from them once before at Buttonville.
I did try both emailing and calling Kawartha Lakes Flight Centre at Lindsay last year when I was there but I didnt get a response.
I`m going to give Peterborough a try this year

[rotornut]

You might try Brampton Flying Club but I've heard some unfavourable things about them lately.

[YXD172]

In Oshawa there's also Canadian Flight Academy, with Cessnas and Pipers.

Kawartha Lakes Flight Centre in Lindsay shut down last year unfortunately, there's a new school moving in there but I don't think it's open yet.

In Peterborough there's W.M. Aeroflight - a great school, I'm doing my CPL there now. Good instructors and good prices for the 172 or 152.

I think there are a couple of schools on Toronto Island as well, it could be fun out of CYTZ - but a fair bit more expensive.

[LR_35driver]

If you can get up to Parry Sound (around 2 hours drive from Oshawa) check out Georgian Bay Airways. You can go up in a 180 on floats and see some really nice country. You can also go for lunch at Henry's Fish Restaurant which is on an island only acessable by floats or boat and all of the fish is caught locally.

Air Tours (http://www.georgianbayairways.com/air-tours-mainmenu-27)

Cheers

[derekl29]

Thanks for all the replies everyone:

I've emailed Canadian Flight Academy and Durham flight centre, both at Oshawa and also WM Aero at Peterborough to confirm rates and see how easy it is to get a check out.

I'm still awaiting a response from WM Aero, but they could be worth a second look, i like what I see about them on the web.

I've also emailed Kawartha Lakes to see if there's anything going on up there, I'd guessed the old flight school had closed when I failed to contact them last year when I was over.

Thanks for the tip about Georgian Bay AW, floatplanes are tempting, I knew there was a floatplane school at Orillia but didn't know about the one at Parry Sound, the float rating is something I might think about doing next year when I have some more time. Dinner at Henry's could be on the cards though!