Pacific Seaplanes is licensed by the Canadian Transportation Agency to offer Transport Canada Approved Seaplane Pilot Training.
Mr. Hanna is not alone however, he has a number of highly skilled pilot affiliates here in BC and around the world when you need training brought to you.
Our seaplane pilot training includes the following categories:
Basic Single Engine Seaplane Rating
Mentoring Programs in advanced single and multi-engine seaplane operations.
Multi Engine seaplane training
Captain Randy Hanna, a veteran industry recognized seaplane pilot with 20,000 hours experience, offers multiple levels of professional instruction.
Seaplane Ratings now $2999
Get your basic single engine seaplane rating and start your career on the step with Pacific Seaplanes!
Contact our training department directly at training@pacificseaplanes.ca
Our basic seaplane rating course operates from our main base located at Kamloops Airport seaplane base (CAH7) where you will fly our Cessna 172 sea plane equipped with EDO 2000 floats. Let Pacific Seaplanes help get your career started.
During your training, you will experience real world operational circumstances, float flying from lakes, river, and high country mountainous operating areas.
You will gain valuable knowledge and confidence in learning to handle a seaplane in all aspects of varied conditions, taxiing, docking, sailing, beaching and ramping. You will learn the three main conditions – recognition for safe take-offs and landings, low-level VMC navigation limits, safe departure route-planning and more.
Minimum prerequisite to commence flying: Valid Canadian Private Pilot License or a Foreign License Validation. (Available through Transport Canada). The 7 Hour Transport Canada Approved Float Rating includes a ground school segment, course materials, use of pilot operating handbook, reference manuals, briefings and Randy’s personalized proprietary training syllabus. This course includes Transport Canada required take-off and landing of the seaplane as sole occupant of the aircraft. Package does not include Transport Canada $30 ‘application for rating’ fee or services of an Authorized Person (AP) if immediate use of the rating is desired. 50% Deposit required to receive confirmed booking date. Balance due on commencement of training.
*Applicants successful completion of seaplane rating based on average aptitude and ability. Pilots shall be current as per 401.05(1) of the Civil Air Regulations. Some students may require additional training time to meet standard
Advanced Seaplane Pilot Training
Once you have acquired your basic seaplane rating, you will have discovered that there are more skills and knowledge required to operate a single engine seaplane, and to operate at the commercial pilot level of performance.
Pacific Seaplanes offers a range of training options for the pilot seeking a higher level of skills through mentoring programs and seaplane time building.
Enquire today about package price seaplane time-building on our Cessna 172 and Twin Engine Seaplanes.
Mentoring Programs
These courses are designed to take float-rated pilots through a program of professional mentorship, where the pilot will learn to operate to local and global commercial single-engine (SE) and multi-engine (ME) seaplane pilot standards, depending on their choice of program. Students are encouraged to progress at their own speed.
Mentoring programs include significant ground briefing and lecture. On completion you will receive a record of the training with an achievement score, on each of the areas covered. This profile will be yours to keep and show prospective companies your demonstrated skill level, signed personally by your mentor.
During our mentoring program, you learn pro operating procedures and performance flying while exercising Crew Resource Management (CRM) techniques.
For those on the twins, learn Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) to prepare you for two-crew operations if you are headed that way. A full introduction to two-crew concepts, pro pre-flight and passenger safety briefings are included in the program and students learn ocean-state assessment skills per class of aircraft, altitude operations, emergency procedures, obstacle clearance planning, safe take-off path planning and gross weight operations in a practical application.
A Canadian Civil Air Regulation (CAR) Part 703 operator PCC is transferable on type, so other operators can acquire a type-approved pilot, without conducting the basic training themselves.
In the case of multi-engine seaplanes, a Pilot Proficiency Check (PPC) can also be performed. Ask us if you have questions about the definitions of the two competence checks.
A competence check document adds great value to a pilot competing with other pilots in the global job market, in gaining employment.
We can offer logistics’ assistance for pilots; visiting with family, or combining vacation plans with float flying training in the most beautiful area in the world to fly floats!.
Why Pacific Seaplanes Mentoring Program?
We specialize in training pilots for most types of commercial seaplane operations where passengers and cargo are typically carried separately and how the seaplane is used in each case.
Our seaplane pilot training includes the following categories:
- Basic Single Engine Seaplane Rating
- Mentoring Programs in advanced single and multi-engine seaplane operations
- Multi Engine seaplane training
If you envision yourself working for a carrier who flys passengers and cargo in air taxi and or commuter category, on a coast, in the ocean, across the mountains, from lakes and rivers and over the sea from Maladives to Croatia, or here in British Columbia, you should talk with a specialist at Pacific Seaplanes.
For pilots with some seaplane experience, you may not need a course. We cater to pilots individual circumstances by assessing their current skills, briefing where incomplete knowledge is determined, then add the necessary training to bring pilots up to the expected commercial level standard of knowledge and skills.
Worried about passing a check ride for a new airline? We can help.
What’s covered in Mentoring Programs?
Our programs typically consist of Part 703/704 aircraft
- Start off with basic review followed by additional modules covering required knowledge.
- Local familiarization; pre-flight, handling, beaching, approaches and ATC familiarization.
- Elementary maintenance procedures.
- Commercial aircraft daily inspections.
- Commercial aircraft defect detection and rectification skills and actions you need to know in commercial operations.
- Survival concepts.
- Range and Endurance operations with floatplanes, fuel stop planning. Wind/Tracks.
- Mountain flight check with performance planning.
- Seaplane operation at altitude.
Multi-engine (ME) Seaplane Training
The same mentoring program is available on our Piper Nomad, and Beech 18 Twins as on Cessna 172 but performed on a more complex aircraft of ‘medium’ weight category. We teach you the differences between weight classes of aircraft, and our aircraft along with Turbine DHC-3 and others, are nearing the maximum for single pilot to manage safely hence quality training is highly recommended.
ME Rating on multi-float aircraft
For those pilots desiring to by-pass a multi-engine rating on wheel equipped aircraft, we can conduct your rating training on our ME seaplane. While it is more economical to acquire your ME rating on a wheel equipped aircraft, we cater to those pilots who require ME/Float training. Please contact our specialists to discuss your requirements. Standards for check ride of pilots ME rating can be found in the Canadian Civil Air Regulations (CARs) online.
Can I get training on my own aircraft?
Pacific Seaplanes also offers professional assistance to pilots requiring initial and or recurrent training on seaplanes and amphibians for personal satisfaction or complying with insurance company and foreign civil aviation authority stipulations. We have multi-country licenced, professional pilot affiliates available in many parts of the world or we can travel to you, when desired. Please enquire with your requirements.