Learn to Fly with Canadian Flight Trainers

The Complete Beginner’s Guide

Learn to Fly in Canada — How to Get Your Private Pilot Licence, Step by Step

Everything you need to go from “I’ve always wanted to fly” to holding a Private Pilot Licence — the steps, the costs, the timeline, and where to start today. Written by working airline pilots and flight instructors.

See the 7 Steps Try Free Ground School Lessons

60–80 hoursof flight training for most students to reach the flight test

~$21,000 + taxtypical all-in cost of a Private Pilot Licence in Canada, depending on your school and pace

Age 17minimum age for the licence — but you can begin training younger, and ground school any time

The Path

The 7 Steps to Your Private Pilot Licence

Take an introductory flight

Before committing, get a feel for flying. Any local flight school will take you up on an introductory flight — typically $100–$200 — where you’ll handle the controls with an instructor beside you. It’s also your chance to meet instructors and see the school.

If you love it (most people do), ask the school about their training schedule and aircraft availability while you’re there.

Get your aviation medical

You’ll need a medical certificate from a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner. Private pilots need a Category 3 medical (or Category 1, the stricter exam required for commercial pilots — start there if a flying career is your plan). While your paperwork processes with Transport Canada, a Category 4 medical declaration can get you flying sooner.

Our complete guide to the Transport Canada aviation medical covers the categories, what the exam involves, and how to find an examiner near you. Book early — you’ll need your medical before your first solo.

Choose where you’ll do your flight training

There are two routes: a Flight Training Unit (a flight school with instructors and a fleet of aircraft) or a freelance instructor (more flexible, but you’ll usually need access to your own aircraft). Most new pilots train at a flight school.

We partner with flight schools across Canada — including Durham Flight Centre and the Calgary Flying Club — where your instructors can follow your ground school progress directly.

Start ground school — you can do this today

Ground school is the knowledge half of your licence: air law, meteorology, navigation, and general aviation knowledge. It has no prerequisites, so it’s the one step you can start right now, from home. And the more you know before each flight, the less you pay an instructor to teach you in a $200-an-hour airplane.

Our online Private Pilot Ground School is taught by working airline pilots, includes your PSTAR prep and radio (ROC-A) course, and comes with a 7-day free trial.

Grab the Ground School Kit at the same time — it bundles From the Ground Up, the Flight Training Manual, and your study essentials, and saves you $80 versus buying separately.

Fly through the four phases of flight training

First solo: your first 12–20 hours are with an instructor, learning to control the aircraft — and at the end of this phase you fly an airplane by yourself for the first time. Airwork and navigation: manoeuvres, emergency procedures, and navigation, with growing solo practice. Cross-countries: flights to other airports using maps and bearings, dual and solo. Flight test prep: as you approach the flight test, training shifts to consolidating everything — procedures, manoeuvres, emergencies, and navigation.

Every flight gets logged in your pilot log book from day one — it’s the permanent record of your flying career.

Write your exams

Three written hurdles along the way: the PSTAR (before your first solo — our prep course is free), the ROC-A radio operator exam (included in our ground school, and you can take the official exam online with our ISED-accredited examiners), and Transport Canada’s PPAER written exam, which your ground school prepares you for and provides the required Letter of Recommendation to write.

Pass your flight test — and get your licence

The final step is the practical flight test with an examiner: ground procedures, in-air manoeuvres, emergencies, and cross-country navigation. Pass it, and you’re a licensed private pilot — free to fly across Canada with passengers, day trips, $200 hamburgers, and all. And if the airlines are calling, your Commercial Pilot Ground School is the next step.

Everything in One Box

The Ground School Kit

Every textbook and study essential on this page, bundled and shipped across Canada — From the Ground Up, the Flight Training Manual, and more — for $80 less than buying separately.

Get the Kit

The Money Question

What Does a Private Pilot Licence Cost in Canada?

Every student is different, but a realistic all-in budget for a Private Pilot Licence in Canada is around $21,000 plus tax — covering aircraft rental, instructor time, ground briefings, ground school, books and equipment, and government and medical fees. Where you land in that range depends mostly on how many flight hours you need: most students take 60–80 hours to reach the flight test, and every hour beyond the minimum adds hundreds of dollars.

That’s also why the single best way to lower the number is to arrive at every lesson prepared. Knowledge you build in online ground school at $199 is knowledge you don’t pay to learn in an aircraft at $270+ an hour with an instructor — well-prepared students consistently finish at the lower end of that 60–80 hour range.

Gear Up

What Student Pilots Actually Need

All available in our pilot shop — shipped across Canada.

From the Ground UpThe core textbook for Canadian ground school — required reading.

Flight Training ManualThe companion to every flight lesson you’ll take.

Pilot Log BookEvery hour counts from day one — log them properly.

Flight ComputerElectronic or manual — you’ll use it for navigation and the written exam.

FAQ

Pilot Training in Canada — What People Ask

How much does it cost to become a pilot in Canada?

A Private Pilot Licence typically costs around $21,000 plus tax all-in, including aircraft rental, instruction, ground school, books, and government fees. A Commercial Pilot Licence adds substantially more flight time on top. The most controllable cost is preparation: students who complete online ground school before and during flight training consistently need fewer aircraft hours to reach the flight test.

How much does ground school cost in Canada?

In-person ground school at a flight school typically costs $400 or more on a fixed classroom schedule. Online ground school is significantly cheaper — our Private Pilot Ground School starts at $199 with a 7-day free trial, includes 60+ hours of instruction (beyond the 40-hour minimum), and bundles your PSTAR prep and ROC-A radio course at no extra cost.

Can I do ground school online in Canada?

Yes — online ground school is fully accepted for Canadian pilot licences. Transport Canada sets the requirements, and our online ground school meets them in full: you receive an official ground school record and a Letter of Recommendation to write your Transport Canada written exam, and our courses are taught by working airline pilots with same-day instructor support.

Should I do ground school before flight training?

Ideally, yes — or alongside it. Ground school has no prerequisites, so it’s the one part of pilot training you can start today from home. Every concept you learn on the ground at $199 is one you don’t pay to learn in an aircraft at $270+ per hour with an instructor. Try our free ground school sample lessons to see how it works before enrolling.

How long does it take to get a pilot licence in Canada?

Most students need 60–80 flight hours, taking anywhere from a few months of intensive flying to a few years part-time. Flying 2–3 times per week and staying ahead in ground school are the two biggest factors in finishing faster — and cheaper.

What medical do I need to be a pilot?

Private pilots need a Category 3 medical certificate from a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner; commercial pilots need the stricter Category 1. Glasses or contacts are fine for most applicants. Our guide to the Transport Canada aviation medical explains the categories, the exam, and how to find an examiner near you.

What is the PSTAR exam?

The PSTAR is the 50-question Transport Canada exam every student pilot must pass before their first solo flight. Our PSTAR exam preparation course is completely free and rated 5.0 by students.

Do pilots need a radio licence in Canada?

Yes — every pilot needs a Restricted Operator Certificate (Aeronautical), the ROC-A, to transmit on aviation frequencies. It’s a one-time certificate that never expires. Our ground school includes the ROC-A study course, and you can take the official exam online with our ISED-accredited examiners.

What do I need to buy for flight training?

The essentials: From the Ground Up (the core textbook), the Flight Training Manual, a pilot log book, and eventually a flight computer for navigation work. The Ground School Kit bundles the study essentials and saves you $80 versus buying separately.

Keep Reading

More From the Flight Deck

How to become a pilot in Canada (the career path) → What Air Canada pilots actually earn → How to read Canada’s aviation weather forecast (GFA) →

Step One Starts Today

Begin your ground school with a 7-day free trial — or try free sample lessons first.

Start Ground School Try Free Lessons

Questions? We can help!

Canadian Flight Trainers has a team of professional flight instructors, commercial pilots, and airline pilots on staff to answer all your questions. Not only are our ground schools recognized by all flight schools in Canada and the federal aviation regulator Transport Canada, our school is backed by a diverse group of experienced aviation professionals and curriculum developers. We ensure you are not alone in this process of learning and have your back in all aspects of pilot training.

Ideally, right when you are confident in your commitment. The earlier you build the theory foundation, the faster your flight lessons start to “click,” and the easier it is to prep for the written exam.

No — but starting ground school early makes your first few lessons way less overwhelming. You’ll understand the radios, airspace basics, weather, and what your instructor is asking you to do in the cockpit.

If you’re looking for flexibility, online ground school is a great way to begin immediately and stay consistent.

Both can work. In-person is scheduled and classroom-based. The Canadian Flight Trainers online ground school is self-paced, available anytime, and easier to fit around work/family—especially if your flight training schedule changes with weather or aircraft availability.

If you want to study on your timeline, our Canadian online ground school is built to keep you moving week to week.

It depends on how often you fly, your schedule, weather, and how consistently you study. Students who fly regularly and keep up with ground school tend to progress much faster than students who have long gaps between lessons. You can usually finish flying in as little as two months or as long as is required for your life – everyone is different.

Both let you fly as pilot-in-command, but the PPL is the more common path and gives you broader privileges and better long-term flexibility (including future training like night rating, commercial, IFR, etc.). Many students start with a PPL plan from day one.

If you’re unsure which one fits, ground school will clarify the differences quickly—especially as you learn air law and privileges/limitations.

You can often begin lessons before your medical is fully complete, but it’s smart to start the process early so you don’t hit a roadblock later in training. For information on the Transport Canada Aviation Medical, read our various blog posts.

This is exactly what the Canadian Flight Trainers online ground school is built upon. Our Chief Instructor Daniel, has three kids and completely gets it.