People come to ALM Par Avion to fly and also for the activities, the atmosphere and the friendship. Everyone seems to know each other so that on a clear day, a multitude of faces, men, women, young and old, flit about, coming and going, occupying the whole space. Who is a student? Who is an instructor? Unless you know where they sit in the planes, who is on the right and who is on the left, nothing distinguishes them.
When it started in 1992, ALM Par Avion opted for ultra-light: no canvas chairs with tubular armrests and lawnmower engines. Too dangerous. ALM Par Avion refused to do so and opted instead for the Aérocruiser, an advanced model manufactured in Mascouche.
The Rotax engine was reliable and the airframe solid. It has everything of the airplane, except the certification. From a regulatory standpoint, ultralight training is minimalist. At ALM Par Avion, we saw things differently and opted for safety first. We have established the guidelines. Students will take 40 hours of theory, no less, and 25 hours of flight time. The training offered for the ultralight at alm Par avion, at the time, represented, what has become today, the equivalent of a recreational license.
1, 2, 3 Cessna later, ALM Par Avion gave up training ultralight pilots. 20 years later, ALM Par Avion is more alive than ever and enjoys a respectable reputation in the Quebec aviation world.
Groups of people mix and mingle as they land and take off. Laughter is frequent and loud and there are always several pairs of arms to help move the aircraft.
Over the years, several Cessna's have been added but the philosophy established at the very beginning still reigns; the one that aims to democratize the world of aviation by making it accessible and understandable for everyone in a professional, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This is what defines the "ALM Par Avion" culture.
