PRESS RELEASE

Canada's First Commercial Pilot High School Program Announced

Winnipeg's Flying Colors Pilot Training Partners with School Division

8 March 2002 (Winnipeg, Manitoba) - Manitoba's Department of Education, Training and Youth has approved Canada's first High School Commercial Pilot Aviation Ground School.

The St. James Assiniboia School Division will launch the new course this fall. The eight-credit program will get off the ground at Sturgeon Creek Collegiate, announced assistant superintendent Dorothy Young. "Students who enroll are well on their way to becoming pilots", she said. The program is open to any Manitoba resident student 21 years of age or below, free of tuition cost.

Developed in partnership with Flying Colors Pilot Training, five of the eight credits are based on Transport Canada's curriculum and will exceed the ground school requirements for commercial pilot training. Each of these courses will include five hours of dual instruction on Canada's only certified Level 3 Flight Training Device. Upon completion of the first credit course and five hours of optional aircraft flight time, students will be able to write the Transport Canada Private Pilot written examination. The remaining three credits will be computer application and computer hardware based courses.

Brian Head, principal of the division's continuing education division said the courses have been planned for three years. He expects about 28 students will enroll the first year, many from other school divisions. "Aviation is a growing sector in the global economy and the industry is expected to double within the next decade. Commercial Pilot Ground School graduates will think critically, communicate effectively, and participate meaningfully and ethically in the exciting field of aviation."

Flying Colors president, Michael Gillespie, is very proud to be a continuing partner with the school division. "This program will be important to the future of Manitoba's aviation industry. It is designed to give our high school students credit for aviation related studies and provide a head start on training towards a commercial pilot licence. The program eliminates the initial costs of training which has always been a primary threshold of access for many new students."

"A commercial pilot requires extensive training in knowledge, skills and experience" said James Greaves, Chief Flight Instructor for Flying Colors. "The Sturgeon Creek courses will cover the knowledge requirements. A student should be able to complete the skills portion at a flight school of their choice."

Sturgeon Creek vice-principal Brent Corrigan says "The average age of a Canadian pilot is 52 and the need for pilots continues to expand." But he also pointed out that the courses not only prepare students to move onto commercial pilot training, but provide a basic preparation for more than 50 other aviation careers such as maintenance, engineering and meteorology.

For information, additional academic requirements, to transfer from another school division or to register,
please contact Bonnie Henderson or Norm Gould at the St. James School Division at (204) 888-0684

For information on flight training options or advanced placement please contact Flying Colors Pilot Training

Flying Colors Pilot Training

Since opening its location at Winnipeg International Airport, Flying Colors Pilot Training has earned international recognition and awards for its innovative training approach. Flying Colors offers the region's only baccalaureate aviation degree program, which combines in-depth aviation education together with professional flight training. Flying Colors uses state-of-the-art Diamond Katana and Beech Travelair aircraft and Canada's first and only Transport Canada certified Level 3 Flight Training Device. More information is available online at the company's website at www.flying-colors.org.

The St. James Assiniboia School Division

Located on the Assiniboine River in western Winnipeg, St. James-Assiniboia is a suburban community whose 26 schools, including one in the community of Headingly, serve almost 9,500 students, kindergarten to Senior 4. St. James-Assiniboia has a reputation for being at the forefront of technology. The division offers students up-to-date facilities in such areas as desktop publishing, graphic arts and computer technology. An automated library system is located in every school, as well as computers in most classrooms. More information is available at the division's web site www.sjsd.net

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