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

Ben Match

General Manager & Chief Flight Instructor

Ben is Cooking Lake Aviation’s Chief Flight Instructor & General Manager. He 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.

Learn More About Ben

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.

Denis Ndahiro

Flight instructor

Denis, a CLA Instructor for 3 years now, has played an integral part in incorporating a welcoming and friendly culture at the school. Denis completed his Private Pilot License & Instructor Rating here at Cooking Lake Aviation. Originally from Rwanda, Africa, Denis now calls Edmonton his home, working full time hours out at the flight school. Today, Denis mainly focuses on teaching the Multi Engine Ratings as well as the Instrument Ratings. Denis has successfully completed many students finishing off various licenses and ratings, and he is always available to take some time to provide advice & suggestions!

Learn More About Denis

Tai Eng

Flight instructor

Tai holds an Instructor Rating with Multi Engine and Instrument Ratings. Tai is a teacher by trade, but has transitioned to flight instructing full time this year! Tai primarily teaches Recreational, Private and Commercial Licenses as well as Night Ratings. Tai also obtained his Private Pilots License and Instructor Rating from Cooking Lake Aviation.

Alston Lobo

Flight Instructor

Alston is another Cooking Lake Aviation graduate who has been hired on as a Class IV instructor. He enjoys teaching, flying and sharing his passion of aviation with others. His goal as an Instructor is to ensure his students are actively learning, while continuously achieving their goals. Alston is currently enrolled in the Aviation Business Diploma at Macewan University. If you have any questions about this terrific program, Alston is the guy to ask.

Doug Krahn

Flight Instructor

Doug is one of the newest members the CLA team of Instructors having completed his Instructor rating in the spring of 2018! An accountant by trade, Doug is almost finished his Masters of Science in Aeronautics. A member of Cooking Lake Aviation through his flight training, Doug is excited to begin flying in an Instructor role. Doug will be focusing on both the Private Pilot License & Commercial Pilot License flight training. In addition, Doug is also a ground school Instructor, teaching our Private Pilot Ground School! If you see Doug around the school, make sure you say hi!

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

Book a Discovery Flight Today!

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