For the aviation enthusiast interested in local flying, the Recreational Pilot Permit may be for you. After you receive your Recreational Pilot Permit, you are able to fly anywhere in Canada during daylight hours and you can take along 1 passenger. The Recreational Permit allows you to fly any aeroplane designed to be flown by one pilot with a seating capacity of up to 4. This includes most general aviation airplanes that you would see at a small municipal airport. Depending on how often you are able to fly, the Recreational Pilot Permit could be completed in as little as 10 months or as long as a couple of years. There is no time limit to complete this permit and we will work around your schedule.

On average, a student will do about 50 hours of flying to get their Recreational Permit. However, depending on a students personal abilities and how often they are able to fly.  Transport Canada sets the minimum time at 25 hours, however this is not likely a realistic goal.

There is no age limit to start training but you must be 14 years old to fly solo and 16 years old to receive the Recreational Permit. The ground school course we provide meets the standards of the Private Pilot Licence and therefore can be used later to upgrade your licence. The ground school course is aproximately 60 hours long, spread out over several weeks and includes topics such as air law, theory of flight, airframes, instruments, radio procedures, flight operations, licensing, meteorology, navigation, etc.

The Recreational Pilot Permit does limit you to 1 passenger only, and does not allow you to add additional ratings like the ability to fly at night or in clouds, which is why it is common for students who start out on this route to transition to a Private Pilot Licence along the way.

For information give us a call at (519) 372-1259 and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.