Collège Air Richelieu
Collège Air Richelieu is the only ATO training centre and the first in Canada to offer a college diploma (DCS) with integrated ATPL.
Keen to offer quality training adapted to needs of present and future students, Collège Air Richelieu has an eye out for the latest technologies in the aeronautical sector as well as for talented people to enrich its teaching team.
The mission of Collège Air Richelieu is to meet the expectations of the aviation market and of student pilots. We do this by offering a range of training courses both for candidates pursuing a career in piloting and for those wishing to fly as a hobby.
Collège Air Richelieu is proud to have trained thousands of pilots around the world, including astronauts Julie Payette and David Saint-Jacques. During his latest mission, David did us the honour of bringing his Collège Air Richelieu pilot patch on board the International Space Station!
Created and incorporated in 1993, the flight school originally had its facilities on the grounds of the Richelieu airport (Quebec).
In order to expand and attract a larger clientele, the company moved in 1995 to a new location at the Montréal Saint-Hubert Longueuil Airport (AMSL)
In 2005, the school bought out a major competitor, the Aéroclub de Montréal, which was founded in 1928. It is from this merger that the company operates today under the name Collège Air Richelieu.
In 2014, Collège Air Richelieu became the first non-subsidized private school to offer the Professional Pilot, Aeroplane, Multi-Engine IFR (EWA.00) program leading to an Attestation of College Studies (ACS).
Ever innovative, Collège Air Richelieu became the only private aviation school to offer the ATPL (280.A0) program leading to a Diploma of College Studies (DCS) issued by the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec.
An agreement with Transport Canada was signed for the Approved Training Organization (ATO) certification based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, already in force in several countries around the world.
Its recent membership in the Aerospace Innovation Zone confirms Collège Air Richelieu’s position at the forefront of bold and innovative action, as well as a top client experience.
Set up with their collaboration, these pathways aim to give the most deserving students direct access to selection interviews.
Our instructors also benefit from our pathway programs.
Jazz is Air Canada’s largest regional partner. It is also one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People and a Top Diversity Employer. Its approach to safety has won numerous awards.
Airmedic is an innovative private Quebec company that provides medical assistance and ground and air transportation anywhere in Quebec. Since 2012, our operations have resulted in more than 3500 missions and just as many lives saved.
Several recognized organizations do business with the Air Richelieu College, including Air Canada/Jazz, the Canadian Space Agency, Québec Transplant, the Sûreté du Québec, the École nationale d’aérotechnique (ÉNA), the Starbucks group, LoJack corporation (tracking boomerang).
In this regard, Collège Air Richelieu represents flight schools on the AMSL Soundscape Management Committee and has just been accepted as a member of the aerospace innovation zone thanks to its recent ATO certification, which gives the privilege to develop new training that can be delivered using new technologies currently prohibited under the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). A project is also underway with Transport Canada and other members of the aerospace innovation zone so that Collège Air Richelieu can operate electric planes.
Friends and trained pilots Richard Blackburn and Thierry Dugrippe are the founding co-owners of Collège Air Richelieu. Working tirelessly, and always on the lookout for new trends in the aviation industry, they have carved out an enviable place in their sector of activity based on the quality of their training programs and their expertise.
Today, Collège Air Richelieu is proud to have an experienced team on board to meet both the high standards of the industry and the needs of students. This multidisciplinary team is made up of approximately 60 members, including the following key names:
This pathway was set up with the collaboration of Jazz Aviation to give our most deserving instructors and students (in ATPL-integrated college programs) direct access to selection interviews. A pathway with Airmedic has also been established.
Building on its excellent reputation, Collège Air Richelieu signed an agreement with Transport Canada in 2020, certifying the college as an Approved Training Organization (ATO).
