OAS vs. Air Richelieu

[kevnguyen]

I am looking to do the IATPL program in Canada and I am debating between OAS and Air Richelieu. Any info on these two schools would be greatly appreciated. Eg. how the instructors are, how supportive the staff is...thank you!

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[surveytheworld]

I'll send you a PM.

[Ramjet555]

Over the years, OAS have coincidentally had a large number of posts asking questions to
bring attention to the name. Their web site has not been updated in years, is missing expected
information, but they are not the only flight school in Canada to have horrible web sites and
a lack of understanding of what students expect to see on a web site.

Air Richelieu services a very different market
of french speaking students and staff. They attract a lot of French nationals who are also given
employment at the end of their training. If French is your second language or not one of
your languages you probably won't feel comfortable there.

[AlphaVictorFoxtrot]

I would say it entirely depends if you're a French or English speaker. And also whether you live near Montreal or Ottawa.

Also, if you're being led to the ATPL programs by their promise of airline career, keep in mind that those programs don't include the cost of the instructor rating, which yoully need after you finish to keep on that career track to Georgian, Jazz, or Porter

[Lukey]

I would recommend OAS (Ottawa Aviation Services). If you choose Air Richelieu, you will be flying at St. Hubert airport (all light traffic). In Ottawa, yes there's the North field, but you can also mix with the big boys (commercial flights) So you would get to experience wake turbulence separation. Both Ottawa clubs have a very good reputation of producing a lot of pilots that get hired by airlines.

[lyfabvclds]

yep yep had basically the same question peeps ! there ain't much info about OAS floating around in the forum . Anybody with some experiences with OAS looking to share ? thanks ! cheers.

[surveytheworld]

OAS graduated their 2017 iATPL class (class of two (2) pilots) nearly 6 months past when they were supposed to graduate. This was due to their one (one and only) twin that was always broken (once for 3-4 months) and a sim that broke a bunch too. Things break, yes... but they have no backups. These 2 kids were held up entering the work force for a very long time, never mind the extra costs associated. Because of the iATPL program rules, pilots have to finish on the school’s twin, no one else’s, so they’ve got you....Also, if you go, don’t put money on account.

Choose a school with lots of airplanes planes and lots of instructors. English or French doesn’t matter as long as you ensure they offer ground and flight training in your language of choice. (They speak English in Montreal too, and when I walked into Air Richelieu to write an exam a few years ago, being only English didn’t matter.) Where you learn to fly really doesn’t matter on the resume. The iATPL really doesn’t matter. Just get the licenses so you can get that first job ASAP before the music stops.