Conversation with one of our students, Alexander Chizikov, about getting his Pilot’s License.

Alex, please tell us how it all started for you here at PFC?

I began my education just around two years ago. I had my private pilot license when applying to the program and could transition that license into the program itself. Over the past two years, I have acquired my commercial pilot’s license, and my multi-engine rating and I’m currently going through my instrument rating with the BCIT program as well. I have been introduced to the multi-crew course, which consists of five simulators, where we are now.

In this program, you are learning various aspects of aviation theory and practical flying with the Pacific Flying Club. This is where all the training happens. And this is where all the planes are located.

While with BCIT, you go through the theoretical aspects of external courses, for example, airport operations, crew Resources Management, Safety operations, and being a good reliable and safe pilot.

Those courses are usually taught at the BCIT campus in Richmond, and all the flying courses are combined, sometimes in one day, sometimes you fly at PFC, and then you go to BCIT for some external courses.

That is usually combined within the two years after the program in four separate terms. Usually, terms one, two and three are heavily focused on both aspects, and the fourth term is a nice bow-and-tie wrap-up of the BCIT course and the PFC course.

What types of planes have you flown?

While within the program, you are introduced to three types of planes, the Cessna 152, the Cessna 172 and the Piper Seneca 1. The 152 is usually included in a private and commercial pilot package of the program. In it, you fly a seat 152. And this is usually used for training purposes flying out to the local east where you do various maneuvers and practices. Up in the local east, you take the plane for some upper and lower air work up air work usually consists of various steep turns, slow flight, stall maneuvers, spins, and spiral dives.

Low air usually consists of going on precautionary landings and simulated forced approaches. And it also includes circuits back and boundary Bay and sometimes Pit Meadows.

And then you have the 172, usually used for longer cross-country runs — anything from three to five to eight hours. We typically take 172 because it has higher endurance. You can also take it out for practicing purposes to the local east. However, that depends, as it is the bigger plane, it has a bit higher restrictions on it, and it’s a four-seater plane as well.

I like the 152 above the 172. I do you have my bias towards it. And then we have the Piper Seneca ones. Those are light twin-engine planes, and they are really fun to fly usually get to fly them during the multi-rating and the instrument rating.

Usually, we fly them out to the south to Orcas Island. If we’re practicing or doing instrument flights, we fly out to Abbotsford, Bellingham, and Victoria. We make simulated approaches in them. It’s really fun. It gets a bit complex in those. However, it takes a couple of flights before you become quite familiar with them. They are pleasant to fly as long as you understand how to fly them and their associated risks.