A locally-based flight school has partnered with a Lower Mainland college to offer a new professional pilot training program.
Professional Flight Centre, which has been offering flight training for almost 30 years, recently partnered with Douglas College to create an Associate of Arts for Future Professional Pilots program.
The academic classes are taught at the college campus, while flight training takes place at Professional Flight Centre's headquarters near the Boundary Bay Airport.
Owners John and Blythe Montgomery recently proudly showed off their operation, which is one of Canada's largest and most respected flight training institutions. The operation includes 22 aircraft, two full motion flight simulators and a fully-equipped maintenance facility.
The full-time course also allows students to transfer to Bachelor of Arts programs at other institutions, including SFU, UBC and UVic.
John Montgomery, who has almost 40 years of aviation experience under his belt, said as baby boomers retire in large numbers, an increase in the number of planes being built has led to an increased demand for new pilots.
Airlines hire pilots with Airline Transport Pilot licenses and degrees. Associate of arts degrees teach many transferable skills such as critical thinking and communications, he said. Completing the Associate of Arts For Professional Pilots program will greatly increase the employability of pilots who have completed a professional flight training program.
Professional Flight Centre is holding a series of open houses later this month for anyone interested in the program or flight training.
The sessions will include a tour of the school, an introduction to the flight simulator and a sample of the private pilot ground school, as well as an opportunity to ask questions. Sessions are planned for Saturday, March 22 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., and Wednesday, March 19 and 26 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Professional Flight Centre is located at 6-4340 King St., Ladner.
For more information call 604-952-4635 or visit www.proifr.com.
