REGINA -- The Regina Flying Club is seeing a lot more interest from people looking to reach the clouds.
With COVID-19, people have had more time on their hands to get their pilot training, said Audrey Kahovec, the general manager of the club.
“The reason for the increased amount of flying right now is people have time on their hands,” said Kahovec. “They’re either wanting to continue the license they started or just start a new endeavor.”
The club was preparing for the worst case scenario when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March.
It was closed for two months and looked to increase promotion.
“We were promoting a pilot shortage for the longest time,” said Kahovec. “We had a lot of baby boomers who were retiring in the airline industry, and not as many people were seeking out to become pilots.”
What the club found, however, was an influx of people wanting to learn to fly.
Kahovec said the club was expecting fewer flyers because the airline industry has been suffering.
“But luckily, the reverse has happened,” she said. “We have more people calling everyday who want to learn how to fly.”
Club member Holden Yen wanted to be a pilot since he was a kid. He joined the flight club about a year and a half ago. Yen just completed his full training – a big milestone.
He was able to do so with the extra time he had.
“We had more time slots available,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of flying.”
Despite the uptick, the club was financially hit because of the pandemic.
“Over the past couple months that we have been open – with the demand we have seen – we have been getting closer to our initial budget,” Kahovec said.
The club, which focuses on training new pilots, has changed its entire protocol to adhere to provincial guidelines
This includes requiring people to wear a mask. They also sanitize each aircraft before and after a lesson.
