Application Fee:
- $500 application fee for CPL and iATPL/Cadet students upon agreement signing.
- $200 for PPL and ratings. Fee waived if already a student.
PPL Inquiries: Genesis Flight College has limited availability to take on PPL students due to the requirements of our full-time commercial students. A PPL applicant needs to be able to be flexible on the scheduling of flights, which may occur on weekends or evenings.
Discovery Flight: Required for PPL as lesson one. Student can get credit if they did their Discovery Flight at a different school.
Assessment Flight: Suitable for applicants with prior experience or licenses and looking to have their skills evaluated prior to enrolling in training. Assessment flight includes one hour flight and 30 minute ground briefing with a Class 3 Instructor. Cost is $480 plus HST.
Genesis does flight training 12 months a year. Winter weather can reduce flying days during December to February, but students can train on Genesis’s simulators.
Genesis is located in Collingwood, Ontario which is about 100 kilometers North or Toronto
Genesis Aircraft – Genesis has 10 DA40’s which is the largest fleet of DA40’s in Canada, 2 DA42’s for twin and multi training and one DA20 used for spin training
Lesson and Rental Costs – Instruction and rental fees are available in the Student Contracts of the Documents & Resources page on the website
Application Process – To apply for our license and rating programs, our website has application web forms that can be filled in and available on the license/rating web page
Medical Requirements
PPL – Applicant must have their medical certificate from TC before agreements are sent out for signing.
Modular CPL – Applicant must have their TC medical exam complete before interview will be scheduled. The applicant must have their TC medical certificate before agreements are sent.
Aviation Medical Exam – To locate a Aviation Medical Examiner, go to the Transport Canada website and search for Civil Aviation Medicine
iATPL/Cadet:
- Non-residents must complete their aviation medical exam before they start the application process.
- For residents of Canada, the aviation medical exam must be completed prior to being eligible for an interview.
- iATPL/Cadet applicants should have their TC medical issued when they are interviewed, but the applicant can still participate in the interview if they are waiting for TC to provide the final certificate. Agreements will not be sent out until the applicant has their medical certificate issued, which may jeopardize the session they are accepted into.
Ratings and IPCs – Applicants must have a valid medical to be sent out agreements.
Hearing Test: Peter Ross, Class 1, does the test. It takes a little less than an hour in the aircraft, plus nearly an hour on the ground all in, so a standard 2-hour booking will get it done. Aircraft is $310/hr, Class 1 is $140/hr, so probably looking at $400–$450 + HST.
PPL Written Cost
- $206.25 total
- $65 for the test (tax exempt)
- $125 invigilator (plus tax)
Group 3 Estimate – Schedule A shows for Group 1. An estimate for Group 3 would be $17K but there may be time required to become checked out in the DA40 and how to use the G1000.
Instructor Rating: Typically 6–8 weeks to complete on a full-time basis. 30 hours of flying and a significant ground component. Non Genesis applicants need to be able to provide a copy of their CPL and INRAT written exam results. Genesis does not guarantee successful Instructor Rating students an instructor position at Genesis after graduating, but we do prefer to hire new instructors from our graduates. Instructor rating candidates must be working on, or have completed their Instrument Rating to be eligible for the program.
CPL Program – Full Time: The goal is to average 3.5 flights per week in the aircraft. The goal is typically to schedule 5 times per week, but with weather and maintenance, the average is really what matters. There is also at least 40 hours of sim work that will not depend on weather.
The modular program (CPL, Multi and Instrument) will total between 220–230 hours, depending on the individual. With weather and holidays, that typically works out to about 65 weeks, or around 16 months.
PPL Pilot Enrolled in CPL or iATPL: Yes for the modular diploma program. Not recommended for the iATPL. The CARs only allow 30 hours credit in the iATPL program, so coming in with a PPL will only get the 30 hours credit. There will be added cost to repeat exercises.
The MCC (multi-crew course) that is required in the iATPL program and not required in the modular program can be added to the modular program at the end.
Hours to Complete: Most students in the commercial program finish around 220–230 hours. The hours over and above the minimum 200 hours are almost always attributed to the 100 solo requirement. Most students complete all the other program requirements around 200 hours but then need to time build with some cross-country trips to achieve the 100 hours solo.
Non Genesis aircraft cannot be used for PPL solo or the 30 hours of supervised solo required for the CPL.
Multi IFR Applicants
- CPL Student – Wants to do their multi and instrument with no G1000 exposure—multi rating first, then IFR starting with at least 1 IFR flight in the 40. After that, if student is ready, remainder of IFR in the 42.
- PPL Pilot – Has PPL and wants to do multi and instrument with no G1000 exposure.
- PPL/Group 3 – Wants to do multi and upgrade to Group 1. Anyone with a Group 3 would be able to do the multi course and go straight into the IFR in the 42 with no preliminary 40 flights.
Category 4 Medical: Can be fast to have processed but should be done before or at the same time that that the Cat 1/3 medical is done. Can cause issues with TC if Cat 4 is submitted after primary medical has been submitted. Ideally, the Cat 4 form is sent in a few days before the Cat 1 to avoid confusion at TC, but if it is just a few days apart, it should be no problem as they are processed by different departments and the Cat 1 is always slower.
IFR Courses – pilottraining.ca or aero course
Ultralight Credit
You can claim a credit from ultralights for either the PPL or CPL. We have not yet seen a case where the credits actually make a difference in the flight time. Meeting the core requirements of the PPL in less than 45 hours in very rare. Meeting the CPL 100 hour PIC requirement in less than 200 hours is exceptionally rare.
Credit for PPL
A maximum of 10 hours pilot-in-command flight time towards the total flight time.
Credit for CPL
A maximum of 25 hours pilot-in-command flight time in three axis ultra-light aeroplanes shall be credited towards the 200 hours total flight time requirement but this time shall not be credited towards the 100 hour pilot-in-command flight time.
Program Funding
Student Loans: Banks may provide student loans to applicants but will require a guarantor/cosigner. Genesis is not a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
RESP Eligible: 100% of the Commercial programs are eligible, however, the RESP provider may have restrictions.
Payments from an RESP can be made as Educational Assistance Payments to any post-secondary educational institution registered with Employment and Social Development Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/student-financial-aid/education-savings/resp/resp-promoters/user-guide/chapter-10.html).
Genesis Flight College is a registered private career college and is registered with ESDC. We are found on the list of Certified Educational Institutions, and therefore qualify for payments from any RESP:
Desjardin Student Loan Funding
- Up to $80K for CPL and iATPL/Cadet flight training, plus $20K for instructor rating.
- Must be ON or QC resident.
- Still needs a co-signer who is creditworthy.
- Not secured. Low interest rate. Repayment deferred until after graduation.
- Airline & Helicopter Pilot Training Funding Package.docx
T2202 Education Deduction Form – Only issued for CPL/Diploma students. Not for PPL students.
Deduction is for career training.
Educational Institutional Tax Letter – 7009-12976CertApprovalLetterE – signed.pdf
Agreements
Agreement Requirements: Everyone needs a full agreement. Renters should even have a full PPL agreement. Something like an IFR refresher needs the ratings contract.
Returning Inactive Students – If a student has been inactive for over 12 months, we would like to have them go through a streamlined application process and an application fee will apply, unless they have a special circumstance and Dave approves the exception.
Inquiries can be forwarded to admissions@flygenesis.ca. This will help us understand and document in Salesforce what they have been doing while away and set expectations when they come back.
We will also make sure they have current pricing and likely have them sign the current version of our agreements. Depending on how long a past student has been away, we may also recommend they go through the orientation session so they are up to date with current Genesis Flight College processes and policies.
If a student has been away for less than 12 months, but you feel it may make sense to go through Admissions (possibly to set expectations or due to past issues), we are happy to work with the student.
Agreements Required
Any training flights on an aircraft require students to sign the rental agreement because that’s where it mentions they will be responsible for any damage to the aircraft (tires, etc.). So, they must sign a training contract.
Instructor Jobs: The hiring of instructors at Genesis Flight College is always dependent on openings. We are currently only hiring instructors that have graduated from the Genesis Instructor Rating program due to their familiarity with Genesis procedures and aircraft.
The current pay scale is $30/hr for Class 4 and $35/hr for Class 3. Pay is hourly, not salary. Student assignments are based on trying to maintain a balance across the team. Instructors typically bill 500–700 hours per year of flight time and about an equal amount of ground time. Total income is in the $30–$40K range. Pay per payroll period (every two weeks) varies based on the season (really busy in summer/fall, less over winter).
International Students
International Students – Genesis Flight College cannot issue a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) number, which is required for a student visa. As long as they are here legally (no sponsorship required), a citizen of an ICAO member state, and can travel unrestricted to the USA, then it is fine.
https://www.icao.int/about-icao/pages/member-states.aspx
Visitors & Student Visa Applicants – We currently do not accept applicants that are visitors or on student visa for our CPL, iATPL, and Cadet program due to space limitations in our full-time programs.
TC Language Assessment
Jo-Anne Tabobandung joannetabo@gmail.com
We conduct the ALPD via virtual platforms now, which is very convenient. When you have a student ready for a test, they complete and return two forms to us, and we will schedule the assessment at an agreed upon time. The candidate needs to have ID ready for the Zoom so we can verify their identification. Once we conduct the test, we send a copy of the assessment to TC and one to the candidate or FTU.
The test takes approximately 15 minutes and is an informal discussion.
Miscellaneous
How to learn about becoming a commercial pilot – Genesis hosts a monthly webinar called Ask the Instructor about how to become a commercial pilot. Details on the webinar are available on Genesis website in the About/Events section.
Accommodation: $1,100/month – Stayner Accommodation
Students have had good success with Roomies.ca and Kijiji.ca
https://www.roomies.ca/rooms/collingwood-on
https://www.kijiji.ca/b-room-rental-roommate/barrie/collingwood/k0c36l1700006
ATPL Conversion: For Group 1 instrument conversion, it needs to be done in an aircraft as per CAR 421.34 (5). The applicant would need to do enough flights in the DA42 to be checked out in and be ready for the flight test.
Becoming Current – For a PPL pilot, typically 3–5 hours of instruction and must be able to meet PPL flight standards.
DA20 Dual Rental Rate – $385/hour
Cadet students who do not achieve 80% on TC exams are removed from the program but can continue in the iATPL program. Students are not allowed to re-write exams.
Instructor and CFI Employment Opportunitites – Genesis generally hires its Instructors from its Instructor Ratings course but external applicants are welcome to send their resume to hr@flygenesis.ca.
Hangar Rentals – Due to the growth in Genesis’s fleet of Diamond aircraft we currently do not have rental space available.
Aircraft Noise Abatement – Genesis aheres to Transport Canada’s minimum altitudes which is 1,000′ over built up areas unless landing or taking off. Occasional flghts may be required below 1,000′ in non built up areas during flight training with a qualified flight instructor or flight examiner.
Toronto Metropolitan University Inquiry
The program with MTU is an informal relationship with the goal of having flight training count towards the internship requirement for the BA in Geographic Analysis. The challenge we have had with the program is the distance between MTU and Genesis Flight College in Collingwood. Students who have participated in the program have found the commute to Collingwood on a regular basis to be difficult. Relocating to Collingwood for the summer seems the best option for students. We currently have no students participating in the program.
Owner Aircraft: The general policy is that everything that gets logs towards the CARs requirements of 35 dual, 30 solo (core syllabus lessons) must be done in our aircraft, with exceptions. The exceptions are certified aircraft that have undergone a safety/logbook inspection by our maintenance team. While we don’t need to register the aircraft commercially, we are inspecting against the commercial standard. This inspection is very thorough. The cost of the inspection itself will be at least a couple of days of labour, and bringing an aircraft up to the commercial standard in which we operate will likely involve additional cost. An older aircraft that has never been operated commercially can be a big undertaking to bring up to the standard. It is very common to find significant items such as prop overhaul that need to be done before we will accept the aircraft. We have arrived at this policy for good reason, and there are no exceptions in which we will sign a student out in an aircraft that has not been inspected. Assuming that the inspection is done, the other requirement is avionics. The aircraft must have an avionics suite that meets all the requirements of Stage 4, 5, and 6. Unless there have been major avionics upgrades done to the aircraft, we will likely not accept it.
General time building that does not require an instructor to sign off can still be done in any aircraft (towards the 200 TT, 100 PIC). If the desire is to have an instructor sign out the lesson towards the 35/30 CARs requirements, then this policy must be followed.
The exception, with approval by Genesis’s President, is owners with a DA40. The reason is our syllabus is built around the DA40.
An exception may be made with Dave’s approval. An owner aircraft will need to go through an inspection and log review with a cost of $500–1,000. The aircraft must meet the following requirements:
- Certified aircraft only. Examples of aircraft accepted: Diamond, Cirrus, and newer Cessna with complete panel upgrades. Older aircraft without panel upgrades will not be accepted.
- All maintenance and AD’s current.
- Genesis to perform any required maintenance while being used for training.
- 2 functioning radios.
- Certified and functioning GPS.
- For instrument rating, IFR certified glass panel is required (for integration with our syllabus).
- Genesis must be named on their insurance. Their policy saying Flight Training is covered will not suffice.
Initial logbook review 3.5 hours @ $140 = $490
If logs are good, physical inspection 3.5 hours @ $140 = $490
Instructor time will include a $50 premium ($140 per hour total)
Cadet Program
Cadet Start Dates
- March 2026
- June 2026
- September 2026
- December 2026
Applicants with Experience
Cadet Program Cost – Cadet Program cost is $150,492 which includes additional time building cost of $15,000 over the iATPL Program which costs $135,000.
Low Time (PPL not complete): Candidates must complete the full iATPL program. No credit is given for any lesson; however, full credit for the previous flights will be given for time building to achieve the 250 hours required for the type rating. In other words, they still need to complete the program as if starting at zero, but they don’t need to do all the time building at the end.
PPL achieved, but not much more: This case would still be the full program, but with 30 hours credit if PPL completed. We can only give credit for up to 30 hours of the program, so it would be a lot of duplicate training.
How the 30 hour credit would work is that we would just select the flights that are not needed. What is selected would be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The credit applied could all come from Stage 1 and 2, or instead it could be converting a bunch of aircraft flights across multiple stages to sim, plus eliminating some time building.
Working towards CPL or complete CPL: Not eligible for the iATPL program. The modular program to complete CPL is the only option. We are working on formalizing this as an “alternate path cadet program”. The idea is that the candidate completes the 40 hour MCC program and instructor rating, then learns the iATPL program syllabus through teaching for a year or so. Once at 1500 hours total time and ATPL complete, they then go to Flair.
High time CPL: This scenario is where we want to have a “bridge program”. This could apply to someone that has been flying up north for a couple years or instructing somewhere else for a while. Entry into it will likely be a minimum of 1500 hours and ATPL complete. The program will just be the 40 MCC and would be good for anyone applying to Flair or any airline. I think this is something that we will get a lot of traction on for pilots coming from all different backgrounds and going to other airlines. It is not ready yet, but we are working on it.
Pre COMPASS Practice: Students have had good success with https://pilotaptitudetest.com/. The BASIC plan is all that is needed for the Pre-Compass, but SUPER or SUPER-PLUS also provides everything for the next two rounds of testing.
PPL Credit: The core iATPL program (200 hours) will be reduced by approx. $9k. The total time cost for the cadet program (250 hours) will be further reduced. For example, if they have 60 PIC hours from a PPL then they likely would not need any of the additional 50 hours of time building at the end of the iATPL program, which could be another $15K of savings. Total savings by coming with a PPL or higher will be in the $20-25K range.
It’s also important to note that the 30 hours credit is only available if licensed. Zero credit if the license is not complete. For example, if 20 hours into a PPL then there will be no credit.
ATPL Time: In order to “unfreeze” the ATPL at 1500 hours total time, the candidate requires 250 PIC as part of the time requirements. The core iATPL program includes 100 PIC. The Cadet program requires another 50 hours PIC, totalling 150 PIC at graduation. The remaining 100 PIC will be through Flair’s PIC Under Supervision program (PICUS). This process of building enough time to qualify for ATPL usually takes 2–3 years after graduation.
TC Exams: Exams can only be written once and a grade of at least 80% is required.
Start Date: Check with Admissions on next opening.
Application Fee: The application fee quoted on the website ($300) is broken up into three separate payments.
The first payment of $100 is made after the preliminary review of the application and after the candidate answers a few basic questions. This payment is for the Pre-COMPASS online test. If successful with the test, the candidate will then be asked to write a short essay. After the essay, another $100 is due for the COMPASS PERSONALITY and PROFILE online test. The final BASIC COMPASS test does not happen until after the PPL. Only $200 of testing is required to be accepted into the program. The final test keeps them in the program.
Interviews – Interviews can be held well before a start date. Early acceptance can help get medical and finances in place.
Age Requirement – Minimum age is 18. We will accept applicants that are 17 and would be 18 at program start, but they will require the maturity to be successful in the program. The ideal age to start is 19 as shown on the website.
Cadet Program Hours
- XC – 95
- Night – 10
- Multi – 20
- Instrument – 75
- XC PIC – 70
- Night PIC – 5
- IATPL – 250 in aircraft & 90 SIM
Type Rating – Done at CAE. Paid for by Flair while student is employed by Flair and getting paid.
Medical – An applicant must have completed their medical successfully with an Aviation Examiner to be eligible for an interview. They do not require their medical from TC.
Final Job Offer Conditions
The final review will include interview results, simulator assessment, successful criminal background check, drug and alcohol testing, medical assessment, Transport Canada exam results, flight test results, and overall assessment consistent with Flair’s hiring standards.
As a condition of employment, you will be required to obtain and maintain
- a) A valid Canadian passport or Permanent Resident (PR) Card and Crew Visa for travel to the United States
- b) A valid Transport Canada Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC) once you have commenced work for Flair Airlines
- c) A Category 1 medical certificate
- d) A Restricted Operator Certificate with Aeronautical Qualification (ROC-A)
- e) An ATPL or a Canadian Commercial Pilot Licence
If you are unsuccessful in meeting any of the above conditions, it will be deemed a failure to satisfy the terms and conditions of employment, and this conditional offer will be withdrawn and of no further effect.
In addition, as a condition of employment, your conditional offer will be based on Flair’s assessment at its sole discretion of the following conditions:
- Compliance with any applicable collective bargaining agreement to which Flair is a party
- Availability of a ground school date
- The business strategy and circumstances of Flair
