Company Description

Island Coastal Aviation Inc. specializes in advanced flight training, including private and commercial pilot training, float plane/seaplane, mountain and bush training, as well as charters, including fire patrols and wildlife management. The company was established by its founder and company president, Tom Drybrough. Tom has over 40 years of business experience and over 30 years of flight experience. He has spent thousands of hours flying on the West Coast of Canada as a bush pilot, instructor, chief pilot, float pilot and float plane instructor. He also holds a Canadian Commercial Helicopter license.

Tom set up this company with the intention of not only being able to conduct fire patrols and wildlife work, but to also adapt these skills to offer aspiring bush pilots a place to train. It’s a facility where they can learn not only all aspects of float and bush flying, but also aspects of how companies function. These aspects include customer relations, ethics, dockwork, dispatch, flight planning, employee relationships, Transport Canada responsibilities and relationships, regulatory compliance, invoicing, maintenance tracking, scheduling and reporting. The aim is to have the graduate from this program be employment-ready, the day they finish.

We have trained hundreds of pilots over the years, from all over the world and are very proud of the fact that many are working with major airlines, float plane companies and bush operations all over the world. To have played a small role in their success is the reason why this company is operating. Each year we receive calls from operators asking us if we have more grads who are ready to go to work. We have also been asked to conduct annual recurrent training for their present company pilots.

Whether you are an aspiring pilot-to-be, currently licensed pilot looking for new adventures and hone your current skills, or just desiring some recurrency training, Island Coastal Aviation Inc is the place for you. Read testimonials from our past grads, and you will see, our program works!


As of October, 2009, we have relocated our main base of operations from Vancouver Island to thePitt Meadows Airport (CYPK), near Vancouver, BC. The Coast Mountain Range is 5 minutes to the north of the airport with the Fraser River on one side and the Pitt River on the other. It has 5 lakes all within 5-10 minutes of the airport, and the Pacific Ocean is 5 minutes away.
The city of Vancouver is a short 40 minute drive away. The Whistler ski and recreation area is a short 30 minute flight away. Please see the Vancouver Tourism info for more info
We hope you will come by and say hello.

Products & Services

wildlife management ,   mountain training ,   Seminars and Ground School ,   Seaplane Rating ,   Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP) ,   float plane/seaplane training ,   Familiarization Flight (Fam Flight) ,   commercial pilot training ,   VFR Over The Top Rating ,   charters ,   fire patrols ,   Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) ,   Private Pilot License (PPL) ,   Flight Instructor Rating ,   bush training ,   advanced flight training ,   Commercial Pilot License (CPL) ,   private pilot training ,   Night Rating