CQFA

Established in 1968, the Centre quebecois de formation aeronautique (CQFA, www.cqfa.ca) is one of the oldest flight schools in Canada. It belongs to the Government of Quebecs Ministry of Education via the Chicoutimi College, Quebecs first legally constituted community college established in 1967 (today 609 employees). The CQFA campus is located at St-Honore Airport (CYRC), 20 minutes north of the Saguenay River. Founding member of the Canadian Association of Aviation Colleges (www.caac.ca), the CQFA is the only French-speaking aviation college in North America and perhaps the only one with a complete, three-year program completely free of tuition. Once the first academic year is completed and Private Pilot License level is achieved, the yearly intake of 40 cadets is specialized in one of three career paths. Roughly 10 cadets will be trained as bush pilots on Cessna 185 amphi/wheels/skis, 10 cadets will become helicopter pilots using the CQFAs two B206 helicopters, and 20 will ai...