Christophe Pougnet

After having obtained my high school degree, I’m oriented towards studies in relation with aeronautics after having visited the Pierre-Mendés France school in Vitrolles, near Marseilles.

With the help of passionate professors, I was able to pass my Professional Aptitude Certificate, the professional degree in ASM (Aeronautic Systens Maintenance) with the complementary mention.

This last degree allowed me to work as a helicopter mechanic in a shop, but also on the terrain (fire-fighting helicopter maintenance in the South of France) and to rub shoulders with confirmed pilots.

Naturally, my interest grew towards what was a dream for me: flying a helicopter.  I decided to do my training at Passport Hélico after having met their delegates at the Paris Aeronautics Salon (including MM. Valéry Fuzeau and Patrick Lafleur) and knowing that the school had a good reputation (particularly regarding job openings after flight training).

I thus packed my bags for a training that started in September 2008 and lasted until March 2009.

This training, sometimes tainted with discouragement in front of the obstacles, as much with the ground school than with the flight training (oh yes, mastering the hover was a chore!) was crowned with success thanks to a personal investment, but also thanks to instructors and a qualified team that knew how to get my back on my feet when I was down.

In April 2009, I started the active life that I had been waiting for.

The school allows me to fly, an indispensable requirement before obtaining a definitive work contract.  The flights are essentially ferry flights and various charters. The ice is broken and the satisfaction of the clients suggests a bright future in this environment.

I can’t finish without having a word for the whole Passport Hélico team at Mascouche and Beloeil, who is not only very friendly and professional, but also grateful of the human investment.

Follow your dreams to the end!

Jean-François Ostiguy

I had a good situation.  I had a nice career with a promising future as an investigator. For various reasons, in 1999, I left that sector without really knowing what to do next.

I chose helicopters totally randomly.  I knew nobody in the domain, and even if at start flying wasn’t a passion for me, it was something that interested me while airplanes left me cold.

I know had to choose a school, but the choice was easy to make.  I visited the various schools in my region and left as quickly as I had entered after having had the course outline thrown at me as the only information.  When I arrived at Passport Hélico, they took the time to take care of me, they had me visit the offices, they answered all my questions and they even invited me to have a coffee with the instructors and the students.

I started my training at Passport Hélico.  During the 9 months it took, I followed to the letter the suggestions of my instructors on the ground and in flight.  It wasn’t easy for me since I never was studious.  But this time, I had no choice, because not only was it my future that I was gambling, but it was also a large money investment and I had no budget to do one hour more than what the program required.  When the motivation is high, it becomes easier…

Naturally, everything went well and I received my pilot’s license sooner than forecasted.  I was then hired at Passport Hélico as a ground school instructor, a post I held for a little more than three years.  During that time, Passport Hélico also gave me commercial flights, allowing me to build my experience up to 450 hours.

I then tried my luck in the industry.  A company that used to be known as Héli-Max hired me in 2002 as a commercial pilot.  It was time for me to put into practice everything that I had learned in school.  I worked for that company for three years doing various missions (fire fighting, Hydro-Québec, mining sector, aerial construction, etc.)

Afterwards, with more experience, I decided in 2007 to come back at Passport Hélico with the aim of doing my instructor rating.  After three months it was done, and I stayed there as an instructor.

I’m still there today and I’m very happy.  It’s thanks to Passport Hélico that I successfully changed my life.

Thank you Passport!

Jérôme ¨JéJé¨ Trécu

Having been bitten by the aviation bug, I spent a little bit too much time on the ground on French Air Force bases.  I thus decided that my future wouldn’t be on the ground, but in a helicopter’s cockpit.

My choice for a school is quickly made on Passport Hélico, a school that proposes a future to low time pilots, a rare feat in this industry.

At the end of 2003 I arrive in Québec with my student visa.  I quickly complete my professional license and gain various ratings (R22, R44 and Bell 206) and in July, I leave for California to pick up a  brand new R44 at the Robinson factory to fly it back to Beloeil.

A short while later, I have to go back to France and I use that opportunity to convert my Canadian license to a French one.  I then work in the agricultural business all the while keeping in touch with the Passport Hélico team.

In early 2008, the opportunity to work as a ground school instructor in Mascouche opens up.  I apply, and good news, I’m hired!  I do my PPC and it’s a go!

Ground school instruction, added to the flight hours, allows me to see the future in a favorable light.

Jimmy Joubert

Hi, I’m Jimmy and I’m 22 years old professional helicopter pilot.  I’m currently at Passport Hélico in an experience building program.  Before discussing this wonderful opportunity, I’d like to tell you about my professional path.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by helicopters, but I could have never guessed that I would one day make a living out of this passion.  I’m a sucker for adrenalin, I enjoy motorcycles, ATVs, motocross and mountain bikes.  For many years I rode BMX and skateboards.  As you can see, no sport is dangerous enough.  After high school, I decided to enter police officer training.  I thought I would find there the adrenalin that I was longing for.  After having met people in the business and talked to a few teachers, I realized that this career wouldn’t bring me the adrenalin I required.

I was 17 and I worked in a factory to try and buy me a motorbike, motocross, an ATV and a car.  However, these hobbies weren’t enough, and I needed more sensations.  I had to work 50 hours to provide me with 15 hours of entertainment.  After a talk with my parents, I decided to re-orient my career and while fetching some information, I stopped at Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil to see helicopters just for the fun of it.  Once on location, I saw that Passport Hélico was based there, and by discussing with Jean-François Ostiguy, ground school instructor at the time, I left with information about a career as a professional helicopter pilot.  I went for a demo flight afterwards and I fell in love with helicopters.  I visited various helicopter flight schools, but I never felt satisfied of my visits.  Passport Hélico hooked me with its professionalism, as much on the maintenance side as for the counseling offered by the instructors.

When I reached 18 years of age, I made the necessary arrangements to procure financing for my license.  In February 2004 I sign in for flight training and I receive my license in December of 2005.  After the course, I decided to find work in the industry, but it’s very hard to find a job with only 100 hours of flight.  At the time, the way the industry worked appeared to be completely nuts.  Why should one pay to be able to work?  After my license, I was only offered positions where I would pay to earn my place.  I took all my courage and I knocked on all the doors, even in Sept-Îles, 10 hours by car away.

During the summer of 2007, GDG Aviation hired me as a ground handler.  I was very lucky, since the company trusted in me and gave me my chance.  A few times during the season I flew with dual controls and that allowed me to fly once again and keep my skills up to date.

Luck smiled at me again in February 2008.  Passport Hélico built a genius program that would allow me to unlock the secrets of the job.  It consisted of building experience on a R44.  This will allow a new generation of professional pilots to access the industry.

Sébastien Drode

Being from Switzerland, everything started when as a kid, I was able to make a few flights in an Alouette III.  Afterwards, other flights in Alouette III, AStar and Super Puma reinforced the passion that I had for rotary wings aircraft.

Wanting to go at the end of my dream, I had the occasion to fly for a few hours a Bell 206 and a SA 315 Lama.  After these flights, extremely motivated, I decided to sign in at a flight school in Québec.

After a few months in another school, after various incidents, I decided to take a break and leave that school.  Not wanting to quit entirely, I visited websites of other flight-training units of the region.

I ran across Passport Hélico’s website and decided to have a look at the various possibilities to finish my training.

I was welcomed by an extremely friendly instructor who taught me many interesting things and completely satisfied me.  His sympathy and friendliness enthralled me.

I had a meeting with the chief pilot, who proposed me the career program and I naturally accepted.  Once my training was complete, I finished my type rating on the R44 and my night flying and I was officially selected and hired as a pilot with the company.

With the opportunity that was given me and with the various contracts, I will soon have 550 hours of flight with a type rating on the AStar, offered by Passport Hélico.

Vincent Picard

My story begins in May 2006 when I arrived at Passport Hélico in Beloeil and that I climbed in an helicopter for the first time.  I flew with Patrick, the chief pilot, and he demonstrated to me what could be done with a helicopter.  I was even more impressed that I thought I would be and I knew that I wanted to make a living out of that.
I came back to Beloeil in October to start my training as a professional pilot.  I really liked the fact that I could adapt the classes to my schedule and I’m really happy that I had the same instructor for my entire course.  I flew during winter and in the spring they prepared me for work.

In June I did a ferry of a R22 that was heading back to California for an overhaul at Robinson.  I then flew over Montréal from La Ronde with tourists and in August, I joined the Héli-Tremblant team to continue the work in that beautiful region.

After the fall and the winter at Mont-Tremblant in all sorts of weather and all sorts of landing sites, I had more than 400 hours of flight.

And now, I’m entering bush flying and I’m ready to leave for James Bay!

Thank you to all the team.