There are minimum ages for the various licenses and permits you might be training for (16 years old is the minimum and applies to a Recreational Pilot Permit), however there is technically no minimum age to begin training. There is a requirement to be at least 14 years old to hold the Student Pilot Permit that is required before a student can fly an aircraft solo for their pilot training, but otherwise the student should be old enough to handle both the physical and academic demands of the training.
No! We have seen students receive their first license or permit even into their late seventies. As long as you can meet and maintain the medical requirements, you can continue to fly.
Winnipeg Aviation does not provide financing for student training.
As a Designated Educational Institution, our students do qualify for student loans and bursaries that are available for post-secondary education. This becomes available only after you have completed a Private Pilot License and have enrolled in the Commercial Pilot course or other advanced training required to attain employment as a pilot.
If you wish to investigate financing for your Private Pilot training, you can look to your banking institution of choice for a personal loan, or specialized lenders such as https://www.studentaviationfinancial.ca/
Persons who were born outside of Canada, and whose first language is not English, may have to complete an Aviation Language Proficiency Demonstration (ALPD).
Students who have become a Canadian citizen AND have either graduated from or are enrolled in a Canadian English or French high school will qualify for an informal demonstration in the language for which they were enrolled (Winnipeg Aviation only conducts training in English), if the Chief Flight Instructor is satisfied that the candidate demonstrates an Expert level. All other students will have to complete the formal assessment. There is a fee payable to the examiner for this service.
Please note that this is an aviation specific evaluation, in addition to the language testing requirements (ie. IELTS) done as part of the Student Visa process for foreign students wishing to enter Canada.