Pilot Training and Flight School in Canada

My name is Aurelio Garcia Munguia, I arrived at Island Coastal Aviation at the beginning of March 2015, and my dream was always to become a pilot, unfortunately in Mexico I could not finish because of various problems.This gave me the opportunity to travel to such a beautiful country as it is Canada, full of friendly and professional people. I finished my private and commercial license in 8 months with the support of all members of the school who helped me in every question that I had with a smile, always seeking my success. At Island Coastal Aviation I achieved fully my dream of flying and won a family in the process.

Since I was a kid I wanted to become a CL-215 waterbomber pilot and now I still want more then ever to fly the big yellow ducks at the end of my career. Thanks to Tom and Island Coastal Aviation, I get to be one step closer to my dream and with all I have learned with Tom besides the floats, I will probably still be alive when the time comes !

Not only will you learn the fine art of reading the water, weather and the infamous ”AIRSPEED-BALL-POWER” but you will also find a dedicated team and mentor wich will correct your minor pilot ”deficiencies” and improve your overall flying skills while flying at 500′ in the BREATHTAKING rockies scenery.

I have been looking and asking around for months for the best ”float school” in Canada and Island Coastal Aviation kept popping up so I called! When Tom picked up and took the time to really answer all my questions, the chemistry was immediate!

Once there, Tom and Kristene will make you feel welcome and at home with familly right from the start and until you reach YOUR goal so SEARCH NO MORE, your float rating is waiting for you in beautiful B.C. with Island Coastal Aviation !!!

After having completed the 50 Hour Professional Seaplane Mountain Bush Pilot Course I would highly recommend Island Coastal Aviation .Tom and his team were extremely knowledgeable and provided a through and much enjoyable training experience. Tom is very enthusiastic in sharing his years of experience. Not only did I achieve my certification but also had the opportunity to fly in some of Canada’s most beautiful lakes, rivers and coastline. Having travelled from Canada’s east coast I was immediately made to feel at home. Tom and his staff were very accommodating in every aspect. Thank you for the great experience.

Growing up on the East Coast, I didn’t have many experiences with float planes, or even aviation in general. After completing my training, I decided I wanted to become a bush pilot, and more than anything, I wanted to fly floats. The freedom and adventure that’s associated is unparalleled. When trying to narrow down where to do my Seaplane Endorsement, my search led me to a number of companies on the West Coast. After reading many of the students’ testimonials, I knew that Tom would be a perfect instructor.

As soon as I arrived, I felt like family. Tom made sure to include an extensive amount of information in a small amount of time, leaving me feeling comfortable at the helm. He even went as far as to recommend possible employment opportunities that would be well suited to my abilities.

The cross-country journey was well worth it! I had a lot of fun and learned a great deal from these wonderful people. To anyone who is still considering where to train, the answer is simple: Island Coastal Aviation.

If you read it, got for it!!! Flying with Tom was a great experience. You will learn a lot on the weather, floatplane and how does it work. And i will always remember 3 words from Tom : Speed Ball Power. Really enjoy!!!

When I arrived at the airport I knew I was in the right place. I used to ask the other students how was their first flight on floats but they couldn’t find the words to describe it. Now I understand why, I think there aren`t enough words to explain how do you feel when you take off and land on water for the first time of your life.It´s a unique experience plus the orography and weather make Pitt Meadows the best place to do it. Tom shows you, every second you spend with him, his passion for aviation and his professionalism. And Kristene cares about you and guides you since the very first second you meet her. I would recommend this experience in Island Coastal Aviation to everyone who wants to improve their flying skills and know whats real flying!

I had booked with another flying school, however they had plane availability issues and couldn’t fulfill my booking. Tom kindly fitted me in for an hour at the end of the week.  Clearly a man of great experience who patiently showed a novice float pilot the basics. I’d love to come back for the full course one day

I originally called Tom on very short notice after a cancellation from another flight school and without any hesitation Tom booked me in for lessons right away. I was thrilled as I was only in town for a few days longer and really wanted to do the float rating in BC.

Right away Tom and Kristene made me feel welcome and right at home. We talked through my goals for the float rating and were quickly on the water and up in the air. Coming from a background in professional sports coaching, it was clear very quickly that Tom not only had a wealth of aviation experience, but also knew how to effectively teach it. Tom challenged me with different topics while never being flexible on preaching precision within my flying. Tom’s teaching made it easy to deal with the mountains, rivers, and other elements of float flying in BC.

I can easily say that Tom is one of the most effective educators that I have met. I look forward to flying with him again in the future.