First name: James
Age: 23 years old
City of origin: Montreal
Education: AEC, CPL (H)
Helicopter: RH22, RH44, R66
Start of training: September 2021
Hello everyone,
My name is James, I’m 23 years old, and I’m from Montreal. I’m writing to you today to tell you about my background and my experience at Hélicraft.
As I write this, I realize that my experience may differ from others’ since I’m from the Montreal area. I didn’t have to move across an ocean to an unfamiliar city. However, what I have in common with my colleagues (from France, Switzerland, Belgium, etc.) is my passion for aviation. I also researched flight schools in Quebec and Canada before ultimately choosing Hélicraft.
Before I started flying, I studied aircraft maintenance at the École Nationale d’Aérotechnique. That’s where I first discovered the world of aviation. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work on B206s, AS350s, BO105s, H120s… during my helicopter training. That’s when my desire to become a pilot really took shape. So I decided to set maintenance aside and pursue a career in flying.
Having studied at St-Hubert Airport for three years, I had plenty of opportunities to see Hélicraft’s helicopters in the sky. So I went there for the first time to take an introductory flight. I fell in love with it right away, and it confirmed that this was the right career choice for me.
Before enrolling in the AEC program, I took a moment to contact the team to get more details about how the program works. They were there to answer my questions and clarify a few things. Since I was from the area, I was also able to visit the school, where I immediately felt its warm and welcoming atmosphere.
When school starts again, the whole Hélicraft team is there to welcome us. We don’t feel out of place. We’re off to a great start!
Personally, I think one of the biggest advantages of the AEC is that we do our training as part of a group of students. I found that extremely motivating. It also creates a supportive atmosphere among us. If we ever get stuck on something in particular, the other students are there to help us. The instructors are also available if we still don’t understand. Sometimes, a small change in how something is explained can completely clear things up.
The instructors are with us throughout the entire training program. They know how to explain the material in a way that’s easy to understand and offer personalized help whenever we run into difficulties. Even though we’re in a group, the training is very personalized and ensures that we’re more than ready to take the Transport Canada exams.
One of the A.E.C.-specific courses that left the biggest impression on me was the first aid and survival course. An evening deep in the forest, in the rain at 10 degrees Celsius with only the bare essentials might sound like a nightmare—and it was—but I’ve never learned so much. It might not have been the most pleasant evening, but it was an evening filled with laughter (and a few choice words) that I’ll remember for a very long time.
Overall, I’m very satisfied with my training at Hélicraft. Of course, my year of study had its ups and downs, especially because of that infamous COVID-19 pandemic, which limited certain interactions, but I still came out of it as a professional pilot, and today I’m starting to make my dream come true!