Frequently Asked Questions

Is the School Accredited? What is the DLI Number?

Coastal Pacific Aviation is a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), and we are in excellent standing with the Private Institutions Training Branch of British Columbia (PTIB).

Our DLI number is O19377035282.

Does the School Offer Accommodations for Students?

We do not offer accommodations for students at this time. There are, however, plenty of local accommodations for students around Abbotsford. You can find them online using local classifieds such as Craigslist or Kjiji, over Facebook, or in local newspapers. Please press on these links to browse the options that are available.

Is an IELTS Exam or Proof of English Proficiency Required for Admission?

We do not require IELTS exam results of Proof of English Proficiency for Admission.

However, students whose first language is not English, or did not graduate from an English-based high-school or university must successfully pass the Transport Canada Aviation Language Proficiency Test prior to applying for their Private Pilot Licence. Aviation English is the international language of civil aviation.

Does the School Offer Jobs to Students?

Coastal Pacific Aviation prides itself on its efforts to help students get involved and work at the school. Job offers may be available to students throughout their training, in administrative capacities. Contact the DFO for further information.

Following the completion of the Instructor Rating Program, job offers may be available. Preferential hiring will be given to CPA graduates. However, we cannot guarantee a job offer at the end of your Instructor Rating program, because it depends on the position availability at the time, and on student work ethic and performance in the course.

Will all of my Flight Hours Count Towards My License? How Does Time-Building Work?

The way that licensing in Canada works is that you first earn your PPL which requires 45 hours of flying time, including 17 hours dual flying with an instructor and 12 hours of solo flying.

Next, you will earn your CPL. This license requires you to have a total of 200 flight hours (which will include the hours from your PPL) - these 200 hours must consist of 35 hours of dual instruction, 30 hours solo practice, and 100 hours of pilot-in-command time. These 100 hours can be made up however you want. It is called time-building. Most people rent aircrafts and fly with friends or family, or practice alone. How you earn these 100 hours is up to you.

All the subsequent ratings you earn will have time minimums - for multi-engine, a total of 7 dual hours are needed, for multi-engine IRF, 10 hours - etc.

Air Canada, for example, requires you to have 2000 hours of flight time before they will hire you - so only about 300 to 400 of these hours will actually be earned in training. The rest, individuals must choose how to earn themselves.

For time-building, many students choose to earn an instructor rating, so that they can build up pilot-in-command hours while making money doing it. Some people choose to fly bush planes, or other paid flight opportunities - aerial photography, air cadets, etc - all with the goal of eventually accumulating enough time to be considered by an airline.

Timebuilding

Can I get a Transport Canada Medical Certificate While Outside of Canada?

Yes. Here is a link to a search database where you can find certified Transport Canada medical examiners around the world: http://www.class2medicalsaviations.com If there is no TC Medical Examiner in your area then don’t worry, as you can still apply for a medical certificate when you come to Canada.

Where Can I Get an Aviation Medical Examination Done and What is the Cost?

Here is a link to a search engine where you can find local TC Certified Medical Examiners.

https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/came-meac/l.aspx?lang=eng

In Abbotsford, the two certified Medical Examiners for TC are Dr. G Hart and Dr. H Street, working out of Abbotsford Village Medical Clinic. Their phone number is 604-504-7145.

You can expect to pay around $80 for an aviation medical exam, plus the costs of any additional testing you are sent for.

How Long Of a Wait Should I Expect to Get my Medical Clearance? Is There Anything I Can Do to Make it go Faster?

Students should expect a wait of at least a month or two when applying for their medical certificate from Transport Canada, after their initial doctor's appointment. In many cases, the wait can go longer, especially if there are any complications. There are students with exceptional circumstances who have had to wait as long as 18 months for medical clearance certificates. If you are waiting for a long time - do not give up. You will get your medical certificate.

Here are some contacts for Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medicine:

Civil Aviation Medicine Pacific Region
820-800 Burrard St, Vancouver BC V6Z 2J8

Email: TC.PACCivilAviationMedicine-MedecineAviationCivile.TC@tc.gc.ca
Toll-free: 1-800-305-2059
Local: 604-666-5601

Civil Aviation Medicine Headquarters

617-330 Sparks St, Ottawa ON K1A 0N5

Email: NCRCivAvMedicineInquiries-EnquetesMedecineAeroCivRCN@tc.gc.ca
Toll-free: 1-800-305-2059
Local: 613-990-1311

If you are experiencing a long delay and need information, feel free to contact them and ask for updates.

In order to minimize the time it takes to get medically cleared to do your first solo flight, some students choose to get a Class 3 or 4 medical certificate first and then later upgrade it to a Class 1. Since Class 1 medical certificates (Commercial) require stricter and more extensive testing and consideration, than Class 4 (Recreational) or Class 3 (Private), it takes more time to obtain. If you get your Class 3 or 4, you will be able to solo sooner. You will still require a medical license pertinent to the license you are working towards, but if you get a lesser medical certificate and then apply for an upgrade immediately after receiving it, you will likely get to solo sooner.

Will I be Able to Work for Airlines After my Course at CPA?

Many of our past students have gone on to work for airlines after their graduation. We cannot guarantee you a job at an airline, but we can guarantee that you will be graduating from a school that is recognized by and has produced pilots for prominent airlines such as Air Canada, and West Jet.

Are there any Scholarships Available?

At this time, there are no scholarships available directly through the school. However, we strongly urge students to research information regarding bursaries, scholarships and awards. There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available to aviation students through various organizations.

Here are some resources for finding scholarships:

Another path available to help with financing is Student Loans. All of our courses except for PPL are eligible to be paid for by student loans. You can find more out about this by visiting the StudentAidBC Website: https://studentaidbc.ca/

Can I Take Out Student Loans?

What is the Difference between the IATPL and the Accelerated Professional Pilot Program??

IATPL vs APPP

When new pilots want to work for airlines, they need to write an airline transport pilot exam called ATPL exam. A prerequisite to write this exam is having completed airline transport pilot ground school courses and have a minimum 750 hours of flight.

Both the Accelerated Professional Pilot Program and the IATPL Program enable students to earn their PPL, CPL, Multi-Engine Rating, Instructor Rating, and IFR Rating in approximately 250 hours of flying.
However, the IATPL program also includes additional ground training courses including a multi-crew course, some additional ATPL ground school classes, and ends in writing the Transport Canada Airline Transport Exams. Then after writing the ATPL exam at 250 hours, you have 5 years to get to 1500 hours to get a full ATPL. But no matter when you write the exam, you will still require 1500 hours to get the license.

The advantage of this is that students who successfully complete the program get all of their schooling done with all at once, instead of coming back and studying Airline Transport after gaining 750 flight hours.
A disadvantage is that you have only 5 years to gain your 1500 flight hours, or else you will need to re-take ATPL ground school and re-write the exam. Another disadvantage is that you will have had 5 years in between learning the course material and having to apply it, so students can tend to be rusty on things that they learned. A further obstacle for many people is that all of the funds for this course are due up front due to the intensive nature of the course. Part-time work is not an option because the program is so intensive.

In terms of which program airlines prefer, there is absolutely no preference when it comes to hiring. Students in both programs have always been equally as likely to get hired by an airline, and ultimately, it ends up coming down to other things, like flight hours, community involvement, past employment, and academic qualifications, just like with other hiring situations. Many hiring departments at airlines are not even aware of the difference between an integrated and modular program. In the end the license looks the same.