Pilots

Our pilots are responsible for putting safety first, and must make decisions, at each step of a given trip, aimed at reconciling the imperatives of safety, passenger comfort and cost. In this regard, they calculate, for example, the quantity of fuel required or the aircraft’s optimal trajectory for each phase of a flight.

To be eligible for a position as a Propair pilot, candidates must have:

• Canadian commercial pilot license, multi-engine rating, and instrument rating
• Valid Category 1 medical certificate
• Permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship

Because the demand vastly exceeds the number of available positions, priority will be given to candidates who meet the following criteria:

• Experience in the air transport industry (VFR or IFR);
• Fluent speaking ability in both French and English.

Aircraft commander positions are generally awarded to co-pilots in the employ of Propair. The position of aircraft commander requires a minimum of 2,500 flight hours, while that of co-pilot requires a minimum of 1,000 flight hours. Newly hired pilots are generally posted at our Rouyn-Noranda base airport, after which they can apply for positions in Montréal.

The main destinations for the majority of our flights are the James Bay, Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay regions. Candidates are advised to take careful note of the special requirements associated with such positions, particularly the fact that pilots are required to conduct aeromedical evacuations at any time of the day or night.

Remuneration

Salaries of Propair pilots are established on an annual basis, and depend on the collective agreement in force at the time. Salaries vary according to a pilot’s functions (commanding officer or co-pilot), the type of aircraft flown and seniority.

Schedules

Propair pilots enjoy ten days of leave each month, including at least one period of two consecutive days and another of three consecutive days. The twenty workdays during a month are spent flying planned or last-minute charter flights. On their regular workdays, they must thus be available at all times. Pilots are also entitled to statutory holidays and annual vacation leave, the latter’s duration being based on seniority.

"Describing a typical day at Propair is not as easy as it might seem. In fact, people who are comfortable with a regular routine will likely be disappointed, for each day in our organization brings new challenges and adventures! Propair pilots must be ready to face any situation, ranging from inhospitable Nordic regions to high density airspace control zones. On any given day, we can be assigned to an aeromedical evacuation on the shores of James Bay, a business charter flight to New York or Boston, or a multiple-day tour of the Basse-Côte-Nord region. It’s also par for the course for us to land on a short gravel airstrip in the heart of Nunavik, then follow that up with a peak hour flight into Toronto’s busy Pearson airport. Being versatile is thus a prerequisite! A typical workday usually begins one hour before take-off, at which point the team works together to complete all pre-flight activities: verification of weather conditions, aircraft preparation, planning and flight plans, fuelling, weight and trim compensation, verification of destination runway conditions, etc. Team members must be efficient, resourceful and able to effectively cope with the unexpected. While the dispatch team offers us an incredible amount of support, pilots are nonetheless given significant leeway to complete their missions and ensure that operations are executed as they should. Once all is ready for take-off (passengers have embarked and cargo is loaded, final checklists have been reviewed, necessary authorizations have been received), pilots face the much anticipated moment, when they will soar into their preferred, natural environment: between land and sky. Whether our task involves flying a critical patient to a health centre for treatment or bringing miners home after a long stay in a remote location, nothing beats the gentle bump of a soft landing—a testimony to a job well done." Patrick Ouellet, Propair aircraft commander