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How to choose your training aircraft

Selecting your Training Aircraft

After my discovery flight (fam flight) in a Diamond Eclipse which was so light and maneuverable and fun to fly I researched aircraft rental rates. Renting the diamond at the Edmonton Flying Club at the time was more expensive than what they charged for the C172, and their rates for the 172 were slightly more than what Centennial Flight Centre charged.

I checked the more recent rental rates at the EFC and the Diamond is offered at a rate of $150 per hour and is a little bit less than the Cessna C172 which runs $154 per hour. The EFC is also a not for profit flight club owned by it’s community – the people that train there and rent there.  So by flying with them you would be part of the community and have to pay annual rental dues. Though that may be unattractive to have additional costs, it’s actually a great way of meeting people since these clubs tend to organize lots of social events. In addition, all the profits are put back into the club meaning there may be nicer facilities, and the aircraft may benefit too from better maintenance.

cessna c172 training aircraft
One of the Cessna c172 aircrafts I train on

Centennial’s rates were $129 per hour for the 172.  Though cost shouldn’t be your number one consideration, it is an important factor.  Both schools also offered the two-seater Cessna 150 for $130 and $114 at EFC and Centennial respectively.

I was fairly sure that I didn’t want to learn on a 2-seater plane, because once I got my license I wanted to go on extended trips with friends and with lots of luggage (since I need a lot of gear for my outdoor pursuits). So, I ruled out the Diamond because I needed room for people and cargo.

As well, I realized I wanted to learn on a less maneuverable high-wing aircraft, a popular aircraft that was widely available for rent everywhere and the Cessna C172 is widely available at most flight schools. It is the most popular training aircraft.

Now that I had my training aircraft selected it was time to chose the best flight school  at the Edmonton City Center Airport.

 

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