Become a pilot and expert

The A.E.C. program is more comprehensive—915 hours of training—and includes the CPL program—80 hours of training.

With A.E.C., in addition to obtaining your CPL-H commercial pilot license, you will completeeight training modules on flight operations. These will allow you to acquire new knowledge and prepare you for the realities of your future profession.

That's why Helicraft's A.E.C. program is the most advanced and demanding professional pilot training program in Canada.

Professional pilot training in Canada is open to everyone. The only legal requirements are that you must be 18 years of age and obtain Transport Canada's Class 1 Medical Certificate before beginning training. 

The list of approved doctors is available here: List of doctors

The first thing to do is to obtain your aeronautical medical certificate.
To do this, you must make an appointment with an approved doctor. The list of these doctors is available here.

Once you have obtained the certificate, you will be able to raise the necessary funds for the training.
For Canadian citizens and permanent residents, financing solutions in the form of student loans are available in partnership with Caisse Desjardins. To take advantage of this, download the Desjardins information brochure.

The A.E.C. training program requires a minimum educational level equivalent to Secondary 5 (baccalaureate in France). Candidates who do not meet this criterion will not be eligible for the A.E.C. training program, but remain eligible for the traditional CPL-H training program.

Before starting your training, if you have never flown in a helicopter before, we recommend that youtake an introductory flight. This will allow you to discover the sensations of flying and how comfortable you feel on board. What's more, this flight can be credited towards your training: there is no additional cost, as the amount will be deducted from your training fee.

To fly a helicopter in Europe, you will need to convert your Canadian license to a European license (CPL-H EASA).

You can plan this conversion once you have accumulated a total of 185 flight hours.

Find all the information on this subject in our blog post by clicking here.

Prices for the professional helicopter pilot program start at $114,650 for A.E.C. training at Hélicraft.

Find all the information you need on our page dedicated to training prices. 

The job of a pilot is very specific, due to its technical nature and the pace of work it requires.

What qualities are needed to become a helicopter pilot? While no specific qualities are required to begin training, certain traits will help you perform well in your future career. 

We have also written a blog post dedicated to this topic.

In Canada, yes !  

The requirements of the Category 1 Medical Certificate (required before the start of training) allow pilots with myopia to fly with corrective equipment (contact lenses or glasses) that corrects their vision to 20/20. 

In the case of a colorblind candidate, they will only be permitted to fly aircraft during daylight hours. 

He will therefore not be able to obtain his night flying qualification and, consequently, any qualification or diploma requiring night flying. 

Yes, as long as your vision correction allows you to achieve 20/20 vision, it is possible to become a pilot.

Some of our flight instructors wear glasses themselves during their flights.

In some cases, the doctor responsible for your medical examination may require you to always have two pairs of glasses with you during flights.

Theoretical courses and training flights take place Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

As summer days are longer, it will sometimes be possible to schedule flights between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The schedule is adjusted according to the weather and equipment maintenance, so it is necessary to remain flexible.

Below is an example of a typical week of studies at Hélicraft:

Yes!

The CPL-H commercial pilot license is awarded on an individual basis: you will have a dedicated instructor and can therefore schedule your training flights and theory lessons whenever you want (during the school's opening hours).

On the other hand, the professional helicopter pilot program (A.E.C. EWA.1E) is an integrated training program: theoretical courses are taught in groups at fixed times. To join this program, you must be available full-time for the 12 months of training.

Please note that international students can only enroll in the professional helicopter pilot program (A.E.C. EWA.1E), as only this program makes them eligible for a student visa.

95% of the courses in Hélicraft's professional helicopter pilot program (A.E.C. EWA.1E) are taught in French. Only the "English for Aviation" course is taught in English.

It is therefore necessary to have a basic knowledge of English in order to feel comfortable during training and, even more so, in your future career as a helicopter pilot.

Please note that Transport Canada offers the theoretical and practical exams for the commercial pilot license (CPL-H) in French or English, depending on the student's choice.