The Atik Mason Indigenous Pilot Pathway offers
fully funded, world-class flight training in the heart of northern Canada to Indigenous people who are inspired to become professional pilots.
Have you dreamed of becoming a professional pilot? Exchange Income Corporation (EIC), with the support and guidance of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO), is pleased to introduce the Atik Mason Indigenous Pilot Pathway, a fully funded opportunity for Indigenous community members to learn to fly and build careers as professional pilots in northern Canada. Pathway members who successfully complete all the required training to become a commercial pilot will be awarded employment as pilots for one of EIC’s local air operators, including Perimeter Aviation, Calm Air, Keewatin Air, and MFC Training.
Flight training can be costly and often requires student pilots from smaller communities to relocate for long periods of time to complete the training required to become a Commercial Pilot. The Pathway overcomes those barriers: training is fully funded, and members don’t have to leave northern Canada to complete most of their flight training. To support Pathway members, MFC Training, a subsidiary of EIC, is bringing its world-class flight training services to both Thompson, Manitoba and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut on a seasonal basis. While members flight train throughout the summer months, they are provided comfortable, community-focused living accommodations and meals in Thompson at no cost so that they can focus on what’s truly important: learning how to fly.
Most pilot jobs in Canada are based out of large urban centers like Toronto and Vancouver. EIC, on the other hand, offers local opportunities for rewarding careers in aviation and the ability for Pathway members to stay connected to their homes, cultures, and families right here in north.
Why Indigenous Pilot Pathway
What does it take to become a professional pilot?
Aspiring pilots first earn their Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP) or Private Pilot Licence (PPL) by working with a flight instructor to learn how to control an aircraft, navigate in the air, and communicate with air traffic controllers. Student pilots also learn important information through classroom training, called Ground School. Ground school teaches student pilots how airplanes fly, about aircraft aerodynamics and systems, about weather, and about the laws that pilots must follow in the air. Once student pilots pass important tests in the air and on the ground, they officially become Private Pilots.
Next, Private Pilots work toward their Commercial Pilot Licence. This training hones a Private Pilot’s skills and teaches them more advanced maneuvers in the air, while learning additional important lessons and rules during Ground School. This extra practice prepares pilots to fly professionally and for longer trips in the air by themselves.
Finally, student pilots learn to fly aircraft with more than one engine through their Multi-Engine Rating, as well as learning to fly and navigate using their flight instruments rather than what they can see outside of the cockpit window. This Instrument Rating prepares pilots for flying in poor weather conditions or above clouds. Many pilots choose to earn an Instructor Rating, which allows them to work as a Flight Instructor. Instructors gain experience, skills, and confidence in the air through teaching others how to fly, setting them up for success as a pilot for an airline or air operator.
Our Family of Companies
The Atik Mason Indigenous Pilot Pathway provides Indigenous community members with all of the support and flight training required to become a fully qualified pilot for one of EIC’s air operators listed below.
