SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknifers interested in flying their own planes may get another opportunity this year.

Steve Watt, operations manager of Border City Aviation, gives a presentation at Adlair Aviation's offices on May 29. The flight school is offering private and recreational pilot courses for a second year. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo

Steve Watt, operations manager of the Border City Aviation flight school in Lloyminster, Alta., was in Yellowknife this past weekend to meet with potential students.

"We're here to promote aviation," he said.

Watt is hoping to offer private and recreational pilot courses for the second year through a satellite school based at Adlair Aviation's base in Yellowknife. The plan is to have one pilot, one instructor and one Cessna 172 aircraft consistently available to students for about four months during the summer and early fall. Watt said this was so most flying could be done during positive weather conditions.

With that timeline in place, potential students were also told that they would have to fly a minimum of four times a week.

Watt said the requested semi-refundable down payment would be $4,000, and would need to be given by June 15. Refunds would only be given if there was insufficient interest to run the program beyond helping some of last year's students finish obtaining their licences.

"I'm not here to rob you," he said. "It's a big investment for us."

In the past, Buffalo Airways has also had an aviation school, but that trained mechanics, not pilots.

During the information session, potential students were strongly advised to get their pilot's medical assessment at two Transport Canada approved physicians in the city. Breakdowns of costs listed the estimated price of a recreational pilot course at $9,235 and a private pilot course at $18,720. Watt said that 90 per cent of students pursue the latter, as it enables pilots to have more passengers, access upgrades to their licences and other benefits.

"Most people who get recreational end up upgrading at some point," he added.

When it came to pontoon endorsements, Watt called it "The Question" due to frequency of inquiries and said he would like to do it in the future.

Watt said Border City had a very high success rate, with Yellowknife being the only place where they didn't finish the courses due to last year's fires and the poor flying conditions. "We're not going to leave anyone high and dry," he said. The operations manager also emphasized that Border City's training was according to standards that would allow a student to bring their log book to any other flight school and finish if need be.

However, Watt admitted that operating in Yellowknife meant a higher cost for student compared to similar programs down south due to extra $1 per litre for fuel, which he called the program's number one expense. The courses also required a strong commitment of time, interest and funds from students. "The rewards are worth it in the end," he said.

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