Edmonton Flying Club is a non-profit, member-owned flight training organization operating from Parkland Airport west of Edmonton, Alberta.
Edmonton Flying Club is a registered non-profit, member-owned organization located at Parkland Airport in Parkland County, just west of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Its mission is to foster potential and promote aviation through the highest standards of flight training for individual and career pilots. Fees are purely cost recovery for the services it provides.
The club was founded in 1927 as the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Aero Club, after Captain Wilfrid R. 'Wop' May, a WWI flying ace, and Ken Blatchford, former mayor of Edmonton, called a meeting on August 2, 1927. Wilfrid R. 'Wop' May served as the club's first president. In 1927 the club established a ground school, secured an aerodrome, and cleared several runways. In January 1940 the government contracted the club to train pilots for the RCAF, and the club relocated to Bowden, Alberta. In 1944 it returned to Edmonton and was renamed the Edmonton Flying Club. A fire in 1967 destroyed the club's facilities, hangar, and 14 aircraft, but the club recovered quickly.
The club provides flight training at all levels, from recreational pilots to Commercial Multi-Instrument rated, career-ready pilots. It is known as one of the best flight training schools in the country and is regarded as a pioneer in Canadian aviation. The club has contributed to the training of thousands of pilots. International students can apply for admission.
The club operates a diverse fleet of aircraft. Its current training fleet consists of six Cessna 172s and one Piper Seminole. Aircraft maintenance services are offered.