News & Media

Students from all over the world have come to our facility to train and it is clear to see why. With the Canadian Licence being one of the world’s most widely recognized, and Canadian flight training standards ranked amongst the highest globally, it is no wonder that students from ​Europe, India, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan, China, Brazil, and Dubai travel here. International Students can learn with experienced flight instructors with solid aviation backgrounds and take advantage of the huge demand for helicopter pilot positions throughout the country. 

Training in Canada offers many great opportunities including eligibility for Post Graduate Work Permits and competitive all-inclusive flight training rates. An added bonus? Canada boasts challenging weather with fall and winter operations preparing students for all sorts of work environments. If you are an International Student and unsure if training in Canada is right for you, then you need to read on. Our student coordinator, Mackenzie Wilson, has outlined the steps you can take to get your licence, and answered the questions that she gets asked the most by students looking to get their international licence.   

You’ve followed your inspiration, you’ve done the research, you’ve decided to apply, now you just need to find a way to pay for your program. What’s the first step? A common misconception is that helicopter students are millionaires or come from wealthy backgrounds, as this is the only way someone could afford the program. We are here to dispel those myths and to provide you with a handy guide to help you navigate your path towards funding your aviation education.

The first solo long-cross is often a defining moment on your path to becoming a professional helicopter pilot. It instills a level of confidence, realism, and pressure; a solid reminder that you have ended up exactly where you were hoping to be…flying! When you embark on learning something new, there are always “firsts” along the way that get you one step closer to achieving your goal. The first “long-cross” – a student’s first time flying a “cross country” trip landing at different airports than where training happens – is a highly anticipated flight that is incredibly rewarding and often also nerve-wracking. To help prepare you for your first trip, we have gathered stories from 3 pilots on their first solo long-cross. Here what they have to say on their first experience and how they felt both before and after! 

The helicopter industry is already hugely desirable given it’s excitement and thrill. With opportunity abound, adventure-seeking women who are drawn to aviation need to know and understand that not only CAN they be pilots… they SHOULD be pilots. In this article, Helicopters Canada Pilot & Student Coordinator Mackenzie Wilson examines the current state of the aviation nation, how the industry is stepping in, working to increase those numbers and even out the playing field (or, air space, if you will).

You are probably reading this article because a part of you has always wanted to be a pilot but just never knew how to go about it. And now, you feel like you have waited too long to get your licence and you are worried that you missed your chance and that your age might work against you. But guess what? You didn’t miss the boat….you were just waiting for the chopper. Now is your time. Age ain’t nothing but a number and we are here to dispel 3 misconceptions about starting a second career in aviation and why it’s never too late to become a helicopter pilot. We’ve also thrown in a few tips to get you started.

You know what they say, location, location, location. When getting your helicopter licence in Ontario, nothing tops Nipissing. Known as the “Gateway to the North”, a huge amount of traffic passes through the area, opening doors to meeting people with diverse backgrounds and experience. The helicopter industry is small and networking is key as you build relationships with potential clients, future employers, mentors, and partners. From people to places, we have come up with 4 ways that North Bay and the Nipissing district offer Helicopters Canada students a dynamic, exciting, and safe environment to prepare you for the world of aviation. 

There are many steps on a student’s journey to becoming a helicopter pilot. It all begins with a moment of inspiration. From imagining oneself in the world of aviation to having a career in flying a helicopter, the hopeful and exhilarating feeling is second to none. The next step is learning how to fly and as a flight school, it is our job to encourage the third step: bridging the gap between a new pilot and an employed one. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you may be moving through one of these steps yourself! One of the many wonderful things about the working world of helicopters is the options are endless – there is something for everyone, at every stage and skill level. To help you on your journey, we’ve come up with a list of options to explore when you are ready to take flight.