Is getting your pilot license your New Year’s resolution?
Let’s make it happen! - Contact us now!
Is getting your pilot license your New Year’s resolution?
Let’s make it happen! - Contact us now!
Executive Compass Flight Institute is a multi-base flight training unit with modern facilities located at the Pitt Meadows Airport and Calgary Springbank Airport. We have carefully selected a skilled and knowledgeable team that interacts seamlessly with management, creating a positive energy in the air at Compass Flight. Come and experience it for yourself.

If you are just starting your Private Pilot License or already have your Commercial Pilot License Compass Flight has license and rating courses to help you advance your flying skills.

Experience the Vancouver area from an airplane, take a ride in our Transport Canada certified simulator, or both! We have experience you are looking for.

We have a variety of ground training course available for students. Our classes are taught by people who have passion for teaching. We offer ground school, and Transport Canada exam preparation classes

Here you will find a variety of recourses to help you as a pilot. Such as links to our scheduling app, financial help, pilot supplies, weather planning, and various Transport Canada recourses.




Have you ever wondered when your flight instructor or other fellow pilot says "We need to fly VFR Routes in that airspace"? Yes, it's not a
myth. Let me break it down for you.
VFR Routes or Visual Flight Rules Routes are designated routes or airspace structures created specifically to transition through complex
airpaces. These routes are often established around busy airspaces like Toronto , Vancouver , Calgary etc. to facilitate the flow of VFR traffic while
providing separation from IFR traffic. VFR Routes provide navigational ease with enhanced safety and predictability of flight path. It also aids ATC
in sequencing the traffic effectively. The routes are depicted on the mapusing diamond shaped lines.
It is highly important for pilots to familiarize themselves with the specific rules and procedures applicable to the VFR route they plan to use.
It is vital to follow the procedures when entering or exiting the VFR routes. Knowledge of VFR waypoints and the altitude restrictions along with the
communications procedure is of utmost importance when navigating through a VFR Route. Let's take a look at some of the VFR routes available
at Springbank.
At SpringBank Airport (YBW) , Nav Canada has published departure routes and arrival routes to effectively manage the flow of traffic to and from
the airport. It is also published in the Canadian Flight Supplement(CFS).

The above image depicts the route to follow when flying in and out of SpringBank. Let's take the published VFR routes in CFS and dissect what it means. Before we decide which route to fly to when flying inbound for YBW , we need to know the latest ATIS information. The frequency for ATIS at YBW is 127.9 . Pilots must contact Calgary Terminal at 128.7 and report intentions when flying into YBW.

Pilots are expected to fly the runway heading until 500 ft AGL , then turn right towards Petrocan.
Then fly North west heading to the Jumping pound gas plant and continue until Ghost Lake Village.

Follow the bow river to Cochrane and then to Wildcat gas plant.

Climb straight out of RWY 26 to Highway 22 and then northwest to JumpingPound Gas Plant until over Ghost Lake Village.

Pilots must report at Ghost Lake Village not below 6000 ASL.
Then fly south east to Jumping pound Gas Plant and intercept final for RWY 08 over Highway 22.

Pilots must report at WildCat Gas Plant not below 6000 ASL and then fly south east along the Bow River to Cochrane and then continue to join the right base for RWY 17.

Pilots must report at WildCat Gas Plant not below 6000 ASL and then fly south east along the bow river to Cochrane and then turn towards the tower to join right downwind for RWY 26.

Pilots must report at Ghost villate not below 6000 ASL and then fly towards Jumping pound Gas plant and then turn towards the tower to join left downwind for RWY 35.
Occasionally, depending on the traffic conditions, the tower may however clear you directly to Left base 35.

Climb to 500’AGL and turn right to follow HWY 22 N towards Cochrane and then to Cremona.
Left Turn to Cochrane and follow HWY 22 N to Cremona.
Climb RWY Heading and then turn right to follow HWY 22 N to Cremona.

Climb straight until 500’AGL, then turn left to follow Lochend Lake route to Lochend Lake and then turn NorthEast to Madden.
Follow ATC instructions to join the Lochend Lake Route to Lochend Lake and then turn NorthEast to Madden.

Climb straight to 500’AGL and then turn right to Elbow Springs and then to Priddis Corner.
Climb straight to 500’AGL and then turn left to Elbow Springs and then to Priddis Corner.
Follow ATC instructions.
There may be many other routes depicted in the Calgary VTA for transitioning easily through the busy Calgary airspace without impacting conflicts to other IFR traffic. Pilots are encouraged to familiarize themselves with all the procedures and routes they are planning to take.
-Credit to Deepak Raj, our instructor at Springbank base.