Flying Electric Airplanes and Fighting Wildfires: A Canadian Pilot’s Unconventional Path
From Air Cadets to an electric airplane on Vancouver Island, Mike Andrews has built a career on variety rather than the airline track.
Mike Andrews grew up in Southern Ontario and started flying through Canada’s Air Cadet program, earning a glider license at 16 and a private pilot license at 17. He came close to the Canadian Armed Forces fighter pilot path before life took him somewhere else.
In Episode 361, he tells Justin about building a flight school from one airplane, teaching in an electric aircraft and heading into wildfire flying over British Columbia.
- 01How Canada’s Air Cadet program and glider scholarships work
- 02Canadian vs American pilot training and instructor ratings
- 03What it’s like to fly and teach in an electric airplane
- 04Where electric aviation works today
- 05What a bird dog pilot does in aerial wildfire fighting
- 06Building a flight school from scratch
A detour from the fighter path
A delay over a heart murmur, a backpacking trip to New Zealand and a missed three-day paperwork deadline ended Mike’s run at Canadian fighter pilot selection. A fresh start followed.
One airplane and a jacket
Mike built a flight school on Vancouver Island from scratch with one airplane and a jacket that read “ask me about flying.”
Teaching in an electric airplane
Mike is one of Canada’s leading instructors on the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the country’s first electric aircraft approved for primary flight training. He explains what it’s like to fly and teach in it, where electric aviation works today and where it may be headed.
Wildfires and mountain flying
He is preparing to fly as a bird dog pilot in aerial wildfire fighting over BC’s mountains, and talks about low-level mountain flying and public service. The conversation also covers the TBM 960’s Home Safe emergency automation.
Mike Andrews
Mike Andrews is a Canadian pilot and instructor based on Vancouver Island. He is one of Canada’s leading instructors on the Pipistrel Velis Electro and is preparing to fly as a bird dog pilot in aerial wildfire fighting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pipistrel Velis Electro?
It is an electric airplane, described in this episode as Canada’s first electric aircraft approved for primary flight training.
What does a bird dog pilot do?
In aerial wildfire fighting, a bird dog aircraft works ahead of the firefighting aircraft. Mike is preparing to take on the role over British Columbia.
How is Canadian pilot training different from US training?
Mike and Justin compare the two systems, including how instructor ratings work, in this episode.
