About Cooking Lake Aviation

Who We Are

Established in 1995, Cooking Lake Aviation has established itself as a premiere Flight School in the Edmonton area.

Today, Cooking Lake Aviation employs a team that holds a distinct passion for the aviation industry. We strive to create an environment that is welcoming and learning orientated, all while enjoying the process that one endures while working towards a pilot’s license. We take pride in our students succeeding, whether it’s your first solo or passing a flight test, life’s greatest accomplishments are those that must be celebrated.

Cooking Lake Aviation places a great emphasis on safety, and therefore hold safety to the highest of standards. We employ a team of professional engineers who operate our maintenance department. This ensures our training aircraft meet the necessary inspections & regulatory requirements issued by Transport Canada.

What We Do

At Cooking Lake Aviation, we make dreams of flying a reality.

We offer a variety of flight training options, specialized to your personal desires and goals. Cooking Lake Aviation offers weekly ground school, a flight training simulator, private briefing rooms and a pilot lounge/kitchen to enhance your training experience.

Furthermore, we employ a number of professional flight instructors, who strive to create a learning environment dedicated for you to succeed. Flight operations are supported by our enthusiastic & student orientated dispatch staff, ensuring operations are effective & efficient.

Meet Our Team

Lawrence Lau

General Manager & Chief Flight Instructor

Since receiving his Pilot’s License through the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Scholarship in 2006, Lawrence has immersed himself in Aviation. Along the way, Lawrence earned his Bachelor of Commerce in International Business at the U of A and a Professional Pilot’s Diploma from NAIT. Lawrence began working towards his Flight Instructor rating in 2009 & was teaching Multi-IFR at Cooking Lake Aviation in 2013 before flying the Dash 8 for a Regional Airline. Lawrence is Cooking Lake Aviation’s Chief Flight Instructor & General Manager. He holds an Airline Transports Pilots License and a Class 2 Instructor Rating.

Ben Match

Class 1 Flight Instructor

Ben holds an Airline Transports Pilots License and a Class 1 Instructor Rating. Ben supervises our current instructors on staff and also trains prospective Instructor candidates. Ben also has experience on several different types of aircraft, which allows him to work closely with a variety of private aircraft operators providing customized aircraft training.

Orville Hewitt

Designated Flight Test Examiner

Cooking Lake Aviation is very lucky to have Orville as a part of our team. Orville founded Cooking Lake Aviation back in 1995 and has played a major role in developing a learning culture that caters towards the success of our students. In 2013 Orville was honoured with the "David Abramsom Memorial Legacy Instructor Flight Safety Award" recognizing Orville’s many years of flight instruction. Well known throughout the community, Orville holds a Class 1 Instructor Rating & is also our designated flight examiner for the Private & Commercial Licenses.

Dean Hardman

Flight Instructor

Nathan Posa

Flight Instructor

Nathan was born & raised in Edmonton, AB. An avid Oilers fan Nathan grew up wanting to become a pilot. Nathan completed his CPL, Multi & Instrument licenses & ratings at Cooking Lake Aviation. Nathan also went on to complete his Instructor Rating soon thereafter. Currently, Nathan is working towards his Business Management Diploma at NAIT while Instructing full time at CLA. Nathan teaches PPL, CPL & Multi IFR licenses & ratings. In his spare time Nathan enjoys the outdoors including skiing, hiking & when there’s no snow on the ground, playing tennis.

Laine Ewaschuk

Flight Instructor

Laine was born and raised in Edmonton and is a graduate from MacEwan’s Business Management Aviation Diploma program. Flying has been Laine’s dream since he was a child and he found his passion for aviation shortly after his first trip on an airplane. He initially began flying at the age of 12 and later went on to complete his flight training at Cooking Lake Aviation. When not in the air, Laine enjoys playing hockey, travelling and listening to music.

Orlando Parra

Flight Instructor

Orlando began Instructing with Cooking Lake Aviation in the Spring of 2018. Originally from Venezuela, Orlando has now found his home in Edmonton, and of course, out at Cooking Lake! A machinist by trade, Orlando is now an Instructing full time, mainly focusing on the Private Pilot & Commercial Pilot Licenses. When Orlando is not flying, he enjoys hobbies such as obstacle course races, such as; Tough mutter & mud hero, running, mountain biking & reading! Having always wanted to fly, it is Orlando’s greatest achievement and pleasure to help others learn to fulfill their dream to fly.

Robert Tobisch

Director Of Maintenance

Learn to fly with Cooking Lake Aviation

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