Pilot training bonds in Canadian Aviation

[glideslopealive]

Hello
I am preparing to enter the Canadian aviation market having obtained my PR and converted my ICAO pilot license to TC. I am a captain and fairly experienced with almost 7000hrs TT on turboprops and jet airplanes. As a pilot, I am familiar with training bonds from that part of the world that I lived. However, these training bonds can be controversial. Just before I jump in, I need your comments and advise on which Canadian operators have bonds, the durations, amount, pro-rate etc. I am never opposed to training bonds as they are investments on one by the company. However, the bonds should be reasonable. Specifically, I would like to know the operators/companies with terrible training bonds so that I can stay away from them

[+TSRA]

Hi glideslope alive,

Congrats on getting the process done to work here. Almost every company in Canada flying turboprops and jets has some form of bond, even the airlines (through reduced wages). You'll have more success over on AvCanada as to which bonds are the worst, but I can tell you about what I've seen throughout my career. As far as them being controversial, they are here too, but sometimes it's our fault. When working up north, I met a pilot who came up to fly a Twin Otter. The guy finished his PPC, did the 100 hours of line indoctrination for off-strip work, and then just never reported for duty the next day. Turned out he went back to his old company who told him if he could get the PPC, they'd put him on their Twin. So that's what he did. Screwed the company right as float season was starting. If that happens to an owner more than once, it's easy to see how they come to the conclusion we all should sign bonds. But I digress, here is what I've signed before:

C182/C206 - no bond, but an agreement to see the season through or pay for the training on both types
Navajo - no bond, no agreements
King Air 100 - $25,000, pro-rated, 2 years
DH8 (first company) - $30,000 pro-rated, 2 years.
DH8 (second company) - $45,000, pro-rated, 2 years
BE02 - $30,000, pro-rated, 2 years
DH8 (third company) - no bond, but reduced first-year FO wages (I upgraded within 4 months, so I didn't see the full effect)
B737 - no bond per se, but lower wages first two years.

Of the ridiculous bonds, I've heard of one company in Calgary that requires an $80,000, 2-year, pro-rated bond for a Falcon, but this is where you'll get a better pulse of things over on AvCanada (along with the company names).

[glideslopealive]

Thanks a lot for the info +TSRA

Hi glideslope alive,

Congrats on getting the process done to work here. Almost every company in Canada flying turboprops and jets has some form of bond, even the airlines (through reduced wages). You'll have more success over on AvCanada as to which bonds are the worst, but I can tell you about what I've seen throughout my career. As far as them being controversial, they are here too, but sometimes it's our fault. When working up north, I met a pilot who came up to fly a Twin Otter. The guy finished his PPC, did the 100 hours of line indoctrination for off-strip work, and then just never reported for duty the next day. Turned out he went back to his old company who told him if he could get the PPC, they'd put him on their Twin. So that's what he did. Screwed the company right as float season was starting. If that happens to an owner more than once, it's easy to see how they come to the conclusion we all should sign bonds. But I digress, here is what I've signed before:

C182/C206 - no bond, but an agreement to see the season through or pay for the training on both types
Navajo - no bond, no agreements
King Air 100 - $25,000, pro-rated, 2 years
DH8 (first company) - $30,000 pro-rated, 2 years.
DH8 (second company) - $45,000, pro-rated, 2 years
BE02 - $30,000, pro-rated, 2 years
DH8 (third company) - no bond, but reduced first-year FO wages (I upgraded within 4 months, so I didn't see the full effect)
B737 - no bond per se, but lower wages first two years.

Of the ridiculous bonds, I've heard of one company in Calgary that requires an $80,000, 2-year, pro-rated bond for a Falcon, but this is where you'll get a better pulse of things over on AvCanada (along with the company names).