Chinook Helicopters (1982) Ltd. is a flight training school in Abbotsford, British Columbia, offering helicopter and airplane pilot licence programs.
Chinook Helicopters was established in 1982. Larry Press began operating the business at the Abbotsford airport in 1983, with help from his wife Lynn and daughter Cathy. In 1998, Cathy Press took over the business from her father and continues to operate it. The company's mission is to provide quality, comprehensive flight training today to prepare students to succeed in a challenging world tomorrow.
Chinook offers helicopter training, including private and commercial helicopter pilot licence programs and a helicopter instrument flight rating. It also offers airplane training, including private and commercial airplane licences and multi-engine IFR pilot training. Students can earn their commercial helicopter licence in four months. Chinook uses an Aviation Training Organization (ATO) program, with on-site pilot examiners and Transport Canada written exams. Its flight instructors have over 100,000 hours and 195 years of combined experience.
Chinook operates from a 40,000 square-foot facility at the Abbotsford Airport in British Columbia, Canada. The address is 30720 Rotor Drive, Abbotsford, BC, Canada, V2T 6H5. The facilities include a certified aircraft maintenance facility. Chinook operates a Safety Management System that combines proactive oversight, regular quality assurance auditing, and dedicated safety reviews.
Chinook received the Back and Bevington Air Safety Award in 2017. It also received the Transport Canada 2025 Aviation Safety Award. Pilots from over 68 countries have trained with Chinook.