Canadian CPL + instructor rating & jobs thereafter
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Joined: Jun 2013
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From: xyz
Canadian CPL + instructor rating & jobs thereafter
Hi everybody,
I have an Australian CPL and am planning to convert it to a Canadian CPL. Thereafter I intend to either apply to a cadet program with an airline (if there is one available) or doing a flight instructor's rating and getting a job.
I'd like to know what my chances are of being hired by a school as an instructor (in Toronto, mainly GTA) and how much I would earn. I am willing to move up North and join a flying school there or even try my luck with Buffalo Airways (Yellowknife) if I get an opportunity. However, I just wanna know what you professionals out there with experience have to say about the aviation job scenario and advise me about my choices.
Thanks!
I have an Australian CPL and am planning to convert it to a Canadian CPL. Thereafter I intend to either apply to a cadet program with an airline (if there is one available) or doing a flight instructor's rating and getting a job.
I'd like to know what my chances are of being hired by a school as an instructor (in Toronto, mainly GTA) and how much I would earn. I am willing to move up North and join a flying school there or even try my luck with Buffalo Airways (Yellowknife) if I get an opportunity. However, I just wanna know what you professionals out there with experience have to say about the aviation job scenario and advise me about my choices.
Thanks!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 226
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From: Canada
Aus CPL Conversion to Canadian
Converting your Aus CPL to a Canadian is not difficult.
Getting an instructor rating is something else. If you have an Australian instructor you will need to do 15 hours air and 15 hours ground, that equates to about 50% of the minimum required if you did it all in Canada.
Then you have costs. If you go to a US flight school, aka mill, you can get an FAA CPL and do the instructor rating in what ever time it takes you to do it. You need to meet their standards and its "different" to Australia and Canada but at the end of the day, you got some valuable training in the US system and the US culture which is very different to Aus and Canada.
After you get your FAA tickets, then go to a flight school anywhere in Canada where they have a record of turning out instructor ratings. Getting a Class One is often a problem.
Get some referrals and follow them up.
With a Valid FAA instructor you will only require the conversion hours of 15 duel and 15 ground and you will need those to do your transport canada ride which is often NOT done by transport.
By comparison to Australia the basic Class IV ride is similar to a basic
Australian class 3 but at a slightly lower standard. A pass in Canada might not be as high a standard in Australia but its similar.
If you don't screw up in Canada you will probably pass in Aus.
The Australian system has not changed much in 50 years, the US is even older. Going back to WW2 Canada and Australia were identical if not meshed together.
It's important to look at the roots of the systems to understand the differences.
At the end of the day, go over the FAA instructor manual, the Canadian Flight Instructor Guide and its all good study material.
If you like instructing, you will have no problem getting a job.. Good instructors are always wanted.
Don't throw your eggs in just at Toronto. Take a look at variety of places.
One place worth mentioning for you is, Harv's Air in Manitoba , check out their on line resources to enable you to sit the exams as soon as you get here.
Ramjet
Getting an instructor rating is something else. If you have an Australian instructor you will need to do 15 hours air and 15 hours ground, that equates to about 50% of the minimum required if you did it all in Canada.
Then you have costs. If you go to a US flight school, aka mill, you can get an FAA CPL and do the instructor rating in what ever time it takes you to do it. You need to meet their standards and its "different" to Australia and Canada but at the end of the day, you got some valuable training in the US system and the US culture which is very different to Aus and Canada.
After you get your FAA tickets, then go to a flight school anywhere in Canada where they have a record of turning out instructor ratings. Getting a Class One is often a problem.
Get some referrals and follow them up.
With a Valid FAA instructor you will only require the conversion hours of 15 duel and 15 ground and you will need those to do your transport canada ride which is often NOT done by transport.
By comparison to Australia the basic Class IV ride is similar to a basic
Australian class 3 but at a slightly lower standard. A pass in Canada might not be as high a standard in Australia but its similar.
If you don't screw up in Canada you will probably pass in Aus.
The Australian system has not changed much in 50 years, the US is even older. Going back to WW2 Canada and Australia were identical if not meshed together.
It's important to look at the roots of the systems to understand the differences.
At the end of the day, go over the FAA instructor manual, the Canadian Flight Instructor Guide and its all good study material.
If you like instructing, you will have no problem getting a job.. Good instructors are always wanted.
Don't throw your eggs in just at Toronto. Take a look at variety of places.
One place worth mentioning for you is, Harv's Air in Manitoba , check out their on line resources to enable you to sit the exams as soon as you get here.
Ramjet
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: xyz
@Ramjet555
Thx a lot for ur answer. I am currently living in Toronto, hence was opting for Canadian CPL + Instructor's Rating & preferably a job here itself. I only have the Aussie CPL, not Instructor's Rating.
I have looked at Harv's school's website, they have good reviews on the internet as well as decent prices. But I'm planning to opt for instructor rating from a school which might guarantee me a job as a Grade 4 instructor after completion of my course.
Since it's a tough world out there for pilots (not to mention the big bucks we spend!), I just wanna be sure that I end up with at least a flying job somewhere.
If everything else fails, I'm thinking I could join Canadian Forces in the future. Is the selection very tough for that?
Thx a lot for ur answer. I am currently living in Toronto, hence was opting for Canadian CPL + Instructor's Rating & preferably a job here itself. I only have the Aussie CPL, not Instructor's Rating.
I have looked at Harv's school's website, they have good reviews on the internet as well as decent prices. But I'm planning to opt for instructor rating from a school which might guarantee me a job as a Grade 4 instructor after completion of my course.
Since it's a tough world out there for pilots (not to mention the big bucks we spend!), I just wanna be sure that I end up with at least a flying job somewhere.
If everything else fails, I'm thinking I could join Canadian Forces in the future. Is the selection very tough for that?
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4
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From: ca
+1 custardpc. If you have the work permit, likely wherever you do your instructor rating will try to hire you on if they can. Something to ask the CFI when you look for a school to train at. I hear Harv's Air hire a good % of the instructors they train...
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 140
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From: UK
Hey genie,
Like custard says the biggest problem will be getting a work permit (unless you're a canadian already).
There's basically 2 ways you can do this as a Pilot:
1. If you're a young gun below the age of 30 (or 35 for some countries) then you can go to Canada on the Working-Holiday Visa for a couple of years and then may'be use this to gain your Permanent Residency. This is the easy way.
2. Do a training course that lasts for at least 8 months and then you get a year at the end of the course to work in Canada. May'be you could then apply for your PR.
Since you're living in Toronto already though you probably know all this anyway.
Also check out avcanada.ca, they sometimes have some jobs on there you could apply for
Like custard says the biggest problem will be getting a work permit (unless you're a canadian already).
There's basically 2 ways you can do this as a Pilot:
1. If you're a young gun below the age of 30 (or 35 for some countries) then you can go to Canada on the Working-Holiday Visa for a couple of years and then may'be use this to gain your Permanent Residency. This is the easy way.
2. Do a training course that lasts for at least 8 months and then you get a year at the end of the course to work in Canada. May'be you could then apply for your PR.
Since you're living in Toronto already though you probably know all this anyway.
Also check out avcanada.ca, they sometimes have some jobs on there you could apply for
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 13
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From: Timbukthree
You must be a Canadian citizen to join the DND/RCAF. The RCAF recently recruited six experienced fighter pilots from the RAF, with the requirement that they become Canadian citizens within four years. (Also note that Australia was looking to recruit U.S. fighter pilots back in 2012.).
You will probably get many more informed responses regarding civilian flying career prospects through the AvCanada pilot's forum. .
You will probably get many more informed responses regarding civilian flying career prospects through the AvCanada pilot's forum. .
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10
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From: xyz
Thank u everybody for ur answers.
I have heard about Harv's Air hiring the instructors it trains. I personally emailed them & confirmed this. However, I'm going to try my luck with flying schools here in Toronto first before I decide to move to Manitoba.
I just have one more question. If anyone out there is an instructor, could you please shed some light on how many hours would I be flying in a year at a moderately busy flying school? Also, is there limited flying or no flying at all during winter?
I have heard about Harv's Air hiring the instructors it trains. I personally emailed them & confirmed this. However, I'm going to try my luck with flying schools here in Toronto first before I decide to move to Manitoba.
I just have one more question. If anyone out there is an instructor, could you please shed some light on how many hours would I be flying in a year at a moderately busy flying school? Also, is there limited flying or no flying at all during winter?
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 13
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From: Timbukthree
Flying-training takes place year-round in the more populous regions of Canada, some regions being more active than others. Recreational flying (Sport Aviation to some) does generally go into a bit of a hibernation during the winter months. There are some great flying days in winter, and if you have ski equipped light single, there are plenty of frozen lakes to explore and ice fish from.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 36
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From: Singapore & Canada
I am a flight instructor in Canada.
But on an average, depending of course on the school you are going into and the number of students they have, you can rake it about 20 hours per month.
And that is bad. And this is basically for schools who have little students. Every school may hire you, but remember, you are pretty much commission based. Unless the school gives you a base pay, then you do not need to worry about $$$.
Average pay as an instructor down here is about $20-$25. So let's say, you rake in 20 hours per month with a pay of $25 per hour, you take home $500.
A lot of people tend to wonder, but this is the hard truth of the industry.
If the school is big, with lots of instructors and students, then politics will set in. The top 20% of the instructors will take a pie of 80% of the students.
That leaves the remaining 80% of the instructors to fight for the remaining students. And these remaining students are normally the type who do not show up, or have issues, or keep cancelling flights and have money issues. Basically the problem kids.
On the side lines, I think one should not really worry too much about the job later on. Do your training, give it your best shot and then speak to the CFI.
But on an average, depending of course on the school you are going into and the number of students they have, you can rake it about 20 hours per month.
And that is bad. And this is basically for schools who have little students. Every school may hire you, but remember, you are pretty much commission based. Unless the school gives you a base pay, then you do not need to worry about $$$.
Average pay as an instructor down here is about $20-$25. So let's say, you rake in 20 hours per month with a pay of $25 per hour, you take home $500.
A lot of people tend to wonder, but this is the hard truth of the industry.
If the school is big, with lots of instructors and students, then politics will set in. The top 20% of the instructors will take a pie of 80% of the students.
That leaves the remaining 80% of the instructors to fight for the remaining students. And these remaining students are normally the type who do not show up, or have issues, or keep cancelling flights and have money issues. Basically the problem kids.
On the side lines, I think one should not really worry too much about the job later on. Do your training, give it your best shot and then speak to the CFI.
