Cobalt Aviation

Being a pilot by profession is exciting and enjoyable. There is nothing quite like piloting a charter flight to Victoria on a late summer’s afternoon, with the sun low on the horizon, and seeing the San Juan Islands, or flying past Stanley Park and Downtown Vancouver as you pass over the Lion’s Gate Bridge on your return leg after dropping your passengers off at Nanaimo, and then realize that you’re being paid to do this. Instructing provides similar opportunities: sending a student on the first solo, or seeing the grin on a student’s face as they complete their first box-canyon turn in an actual box-canyon.

Often made out to be a financially rewarding career with plenty of opportunity, the reality is somewhat different. Although there are numerous career paths, professional pilots often spend the first years of their career at the low-end of the income scale at—in some cases—remote, or far-off, locations. This being said, just as it is with all careers, with the right attitude and effort, being a professional pilot can be a very rewarding career in many important respects.

The best way to determine if being a professional pilot is the right career for you is to talk with professional pilots; come in to Cobalt Aviation and talk with our flight instructors. Talk with family or friends who are pilots. Get in contact with pilots through visiting websites such as www.avcanada.ca and www.pilotcareercentre.com; ask questions on the forums, or better yet, call/email the recruitment personnel from various companies and let them know that you are considering a career as a pilot and ask what sort of qualifications they are looking for in new hires and ask them if they can provide you with any advice. Doing this will give you a realistic and informed view of the aviation industry.

Once you determine that being a professional pilot is right for you come in and see us and we can get you started with a program to obtain your Commercial Pilot Licence.

Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)

The CPL allows you to fly for hire. A pilot with a CPL can be the Pilot In Command in a commercial service of any single-pilot aeroplane for which the licence is endorsed; as well, the holder of a CPL can act as the co-pilot in a commercial air service of any aeroplane (single-pilot, or multi-crew) for which their licence is endorsed. The CPL also includes the Night and VFR Over the Top Ratings…read more