Alex Schoch's Testimony
After flying on Hughes 300 for a couple of hours, as I was finishing my commercial studies in Genève, it clicked… I would fly in helicopters and make it my profession.
It all went very fast! The choice of the school came naturally; the first meetings with Helicraft’s employees were friendly and precise.
I arrived in St-Hubert in September 2006 with a student Visa in hand.
I finished my training on Hughes
The ground school instructors were attentive, answered all of our questions and knew how to put the good pressure at the right moment. Everything went perfectly well.
Shortly after, I left for the
I went back to Genève to wait for my working visa. I received it in January 2008.
In February 2008, I went back to Helicraft to propose my services. The chief pilot gave me my first chance by making me convey a
The following months, I was assigned on various contracts with Bell 206 Ranger, Bell 206 Long Ranger and Hughes 300. During the summer, Helicraft offered me the opportunity to pilot an AS350. I passed my qualification and a few contracts followed on that machine. I now have the possibility to fly every type of helicopter in Helicraft’s fleet.
Today, I look at my future with a lot of enthusiasm! And my passion becomes gradually a reality.
Carl Major’s Testimonial
On January 1st 2007, my world falls apart. The plant where I work for the last 12 years decides to lay off 800 employees at once and I am part of the lot.
I’d like to go back to school but I don’t know in witch domain to reorient my career.
One day, someone asks me what my dream as a child was. Suddenly it clicks; I then decide to pursue my professional helicopter training.
Benefiting of the support of my spouse, I start searching for the right school. I visit the different schools and then arrive to Helicraft in September 2007. I ask a lot of questions, because I am anxious to go back to school after all these years. Quickly I perceive the seriousness of the training, the maturity of the instructors and the flexibility of the training schedule.
In August 2008, I obtain my professional licence on RH22 with a RH44 qualification.
A month later, Helicraft offers me the opportunity to work as a Loadmaster at the Bélanger camp near Salluit, in
Wow, work as a pilot in the
Today I work for Helicraft and for the first time in my life, I like my job. You have to pursue your dreams, either wise what would be the point of dreaming?
Lorenz Brem’s Testimony
Three years ago I decided to take a flight lesson with Helicraft. After only two hours of familiarisation flight, my decision was taken. I was going to make my dream a reality!
I therefore went to
I finally started my training with Helicraft in August 2007.
At the end of February 2008, I was ready for my flight test. As I still had hours left to do to attain the 100 hours required by Transport
In order to be well prepared for the industry, I followed with the AS350 qualification.
In April of 2008, after this wonderful journey, I left Helicraft with a professional helicopter licence.
The following week, I went to Sept-Îles, where I was hired by Helicraft’s affiliate Heli-Excel. Today, I practice the most beautiful profession in the world to me!
Everybody has their own justification to launch into a career as a helicopter pilot. I think that the sound of the rotor whipping the air and the howling of the engine seduced me.
Besides the flying…
It also takes a good dose of craziness to abandon a flourishing career and start over in a new and completely unknown field.
I started the commercial pilot training in fall of 2002. At that time my previous professional experiences allowed me to explore a new field, the field of helicopters.
I had to wait until 2005 to start working for Helicraft.
I accumulated hours of flight and gained experience through the contracts.
I came to adopt a completely new lifestyle where everything is possible, but routine!
After teaching the new generation of pilots for over two years, I recently transferred full time to the operations department.
Sling work, aerial photography; transportation of personnel, not a day is identical!
Luc Sodoyer’s Testimony
At the age of 43, I decided to make an important turn in my professional career that was already well fulfilled. I took a visit in an Aviation Exposition in
At the beginning of February 2004, I had in my possession, my commercial licence. To complete my goal, I passed different endorsements on many types of helicopters used by the school: Astar,
In March 2004, I returned to
At the end of 2005, I obtained my status of permanent residence in
At the end of 2006, the chief instructor invited me to revise the academic material. I accepted because I mastered the Powerpoint software and I knew that this work would allow the chief pilot to get to know me better.
At the beginning of 2007, the chief pilot started to assign me some flights.An unfortunate fall that gave me a foot fracture in March put me on hold until June.That accident could have spoiled my season, but with the chief pilot’s good judgment, it did not.
In July 2008, I was sent to
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It was a Sunday morning of the summer of 2004. As I was riding my motorcycle, I passed by a Helicopter school and was drawn to it. A simple introductory flight was enough to awaken my interest.
Helicraft’s diverse activities and the opportunities they had to offer convinced me to throw myself in the adventure. It all started in September 2004. Eight months later, I had a commercial licence and a Robinson 44 qualification in hand.
An opportunity to accumulate hours on the Astar naturally brought me to the EC30 Qualification in October 2005.
In the fall of 2005, there was an opening in the instructor training program and I decided to follow that path. With the PPC completed, I started accumulating hours by doing sightseeing tours, inspection flights, and various other contracts (Cacouna, 65 hours of flight on Schweiser 300c,
This hands on experience played an important role in the evolution of my work.
I started the Instructor Qualification in September 2006. 3 months later, I had completed it. Rapidly, Helicraft had confidence in my work and offered me the Night rating qualification and training on Astar.
In July 2007, Helicraft had me registered to the Robinson’s Safety Course. It got me the opportunity to fly back a Helicopter from
After a year of instruction, I have over 1250 hours of flight. I’m really proud of my accomplishments and I’m really grateful for the company who helped me accomplish the work.
Helicraft offered me the support to make my dream come true…. Work as a helicopter pilot.
Gregory Coupechoux’s testimonial
It was in January 2005 that I first started my training to obtain my professional helicopter pilot licence at Helicraft. I already had a private plane pilot licence in hand but had no experience with helicopters.
It took me 5 months to complete my training, but I was not going to stop there. I decided to pass my Hughes 300, Rh22, and Rh44 qualifications. I then passed my PPC exam and had the opportunity to fly 50 hours for commercial contracts on pistons.
After a quick stop in
At that time, in the beginning of 2006, I obtained my status of permanent resident of
The chief pilot,
Greg
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Once upon a time in the West….,
About 10 years ago, by a sunny morning, I decided to follow my passion, by becoming a helicopter pilot and discover the wild nature of French Canadian grounds.
After obtaining my professional pilot licence with Helicraft in 1998, I had the opportunity to go on different commercial contracts on Hu30 (aerial photo, sightseeing tours, transport, surveillance etc.) As I accumulated hours, I obtained the minimum required to follow the instructor qualification. Then the qualifications on
I pursued my training and followed my instrument rating and twin-turbine engine qualification, with which I worked during two years and a half to carry out medical evacuations.
In conclusion, these ten years of training (and it is not finished) allow me to have a logbook approaching 4 000 hours of flight, be a class 1 instructor, train future instructors, be an airline transport helicopter pilot with night rating and IFR qualifications, hold annotations on RH22, RH44, HU30, BH06, EC20, EC30, S355, A109, be a inspector pilot for Transports Canada and especially be happy to have one day made the successful decision to follow my passion, by following my dream to become pilot.
May our paths cross in a helicopter cabin; it will be my pleasure to share my experience and my passion with you. Until then, take care and have good dreams, sometimes they do come true!
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Damien Calichon’s Testimony
I arrive in
I then pass my PPC exam in August 2006 and start building up my 250 hours PIC (pilot in command) that will help me achieve my instructor qualification.
I am given various contracts like aerial photo shoots, tours, surveillance flights, machine conveyor, transportation of passengers etc. I also obtain my float, sling work and Robinson 44 ratings.
My instructor qualification starts in May 2007 and takes 2 months. After succeeding at the exams, I accumulate 400 flight instruction hours within 5 months.
In that period of time, the company offers me the night rating.
In the last year, I accumulate another 600 flight instruction hours that allow me the access to a superior level. The company offers me the Astar 350 rating in order to get some experience in anticipation of the coming season.
3 years and a half later my pilot career for Helicraft is really taking off!
Romain Vidy’s Testimonial
After getting my training from another school, I cumulated 1500 hours of flight on piston helicopters principally with instruction flights.
In June 2007, I came to Helicraft in order to fly as a commercial pilot on turbine.
After passing my qualification on AS350 and after a summer gaining experience on turbine, I left in October for my first contract with a
The season ended and I resumed my work as an instructor at the new Satellite base in
In July 2008, after the annual training, I took the plane for the Bay James where a company’s AS350 awaited me. 35 days later, I left the site with a good experience on AS350. This experience allowed me to work all summer long for Hydro Quebec.
At the end of 2008, I cumulated 2100 hours of flight including 400 hours on turbine. I started back working as an instructor to share my experience.
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Pascal Jagut’s Testimonial
Fascinated by the helicopter industry for years, I was waiting for the right timing to start the adventure. After selling my company, an opportunity occurred. Being in my middle life crisis I felt the need to change my career and let my dream blossom. I therefore started my search for information on the different schools, the offered trainings and the job opportunities.
Two of my friends were pilots in
With my background it became clear that I had to obtain a fast, safe and secure training that would allow me to pass on my knowledge. I naturally turned to Helicraft who offered the type of training I was looking for. It was only after visiting all the schools and meeting the managers that I took my decision.
The first conversation with Helicraft’s chief instructor was perfect. His speech was fair, objective, and straightforward and marked of franchise.
Two days later, I was filled with doubt. After so many years without school, I did not know how my learning abilities would be. I then discovered the wonderful possibilities of helicopter.
I chose to sign up in the career program to become an instructor. With Helicraft maintaining a high standard level of instruction (voted best school of 2006-07), only the best students are admitted to this program. Therefore, I had to stay alert to my curb of progression.
I’m currently at the end of my training. I will start my instructor qualification in March.
A window of blue sky was thus open, which invites me to believe in a bright future.
Finally, I intend to get involved in Helicraft which I am now convinced, will give this old dream the dimension it deserves.
Pascal JAGUT