Episodes
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Episode 65 is out today with guest Karl Loken!
Karl began his aviation career in 2007 with Air Georgian/Air Canada Express, as an Inventory Controller in supply-chain to support the Beech 1900D aircraft; concurrently training under Centennial Collegeâs Parts Technician Apprenticeship red seal trade certification program.
In 2013, he joined Sky Regional Airlines/Air Canada Express as a Lead Materials Coordinator, Stores & Material Control department at YYZ for the Embraer 175 fleet transition from Air Canada mainline to Air Canada Express operations.
In late 2014, at age 25, Karl was presented with an opportunity to join Emirates Airlines in Dubai, UAE to help develop the Materials Management Department for its new $120 million Emirates Engine Maintenance Centre (EEMC), the largest engine (Maintenance Repair Organization) MRO in the Middle East, which supports the power-plant repair and overhaul for the GE90-115B and GP7200 engines for the Boeing 777-200LR/-300ER and Airbus A380 respectively. He also leveraged the support of Emirates to complete a Masterâs degree in Aviation Management.
After working for close to four years for Emirates Airlines, Karl in 2018 returned home to Toronto as Stores Duty Manager for Air Canadaâs YYZ Hub. At Pearson International Airport, he managed the project development and transition of the logistics and supply footprint within the largest freestanding, commercial aircraft hangar in Canada (Bay 5), built at a cost of $90 million. In 2020, his role at Air Canada expanded to include serving as Regional Manager, SCM Operations at YYZ. His role further expanded to being promoted to General Manager, Logistics & Warehousing, and was responsible for Air Canadaâs Logistics department across the various bases system wide.
Upon Karlâs return to Canada, he concurrently worked to also earn his Commercial Pilotâs License and Group 1 Multi IFR rating. He is now currently flying as a First Officer on the Dash 8-100/300 for Voyageur Airways.
He is a holder of an M.B.A in Aviation Management, an accredited Member of The Royal Aeronautical Society, and an accredited Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport.
He has been a member of the Urban Pilots Network (UPN) since 2007, and a member of Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) since 2017.
Karl can be found on instagram @lokalizer1 and on Linkedin.
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Episode 64 is out today with guest Pam Maskell!
Pam got her start in aviation a little bit later in life. While flying was always something that was of great interest, it wasnât until she took a discovery flight for her 30 th birthday that she realized that becoming a pilot wasnât out of reach. A few short months after the initial flight, Pam began working towards her PPL and hasnât looked back.
Never feeling fully fulfilled in her career in healthcare, and often joking that she would continue on her current path until she decided what she wanted to do when she grew up - when a job opportunity presented itself at her local flight school, she jumped at the opportunity to fully take the plunge into a career in aviation.
With the support and encouragement of her family and local flying community Pam has obtained her Commercial Pilot Licence and is currently working on her Instrument Rating. She worked as the Operations Manager at the Rockcliffe Flying Club, and now works at NAV CANADA. Pam has a passion for all things aviation and is fascinated by the various aspects of the industry and how they all tie together.
Pam can be found on Instagram @bulletwithairplanewings.
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Missing episodes?
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Episode 63 is out today with guest Emily Reiman!
Emily is an Aerospace Control Operator in the RCAF, the Director of DEI on the Senior Leadership Team for Elevate Aviation and Project Coordinator for Allies in the Workplace. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sociology and a Masterâs Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Equity Studies. Emily is currently working in the Combat Operations Center in Cold Lake AB and has deployed operationally on Operation Reassurance in Romania and Operation Impact in Kuwait. She has participated in numerous exercises throughout North America and has had the opportunity to travel throughout her military career.
Emily is a member of the Defence Womenâs Advisory Organization (DWAO) that seeks to address and overcome barriers that women face in the workplace, and a member of the Transforming Military Cultures (TMC) Network - a collaboration that seeks to challenge, reimagine, and transform the Canadian Armed Forces culture into one that embraces inclusivity and difference. Emily was recently published in the Canadian Military Journal for an ethnographic article on culture change as a wicked problem with the CAF through her lens as a Jr NCM. Through academia and personal passion, she has committed to bettering the workplace through the implementation of DEI practices. She believes deeply in allyship as a way to lighten the burden on others to create a more inclusive world.
Emily was born and raised in Niagara Falls, ON and is the youngest of three. She loves to golf, cross country ski, weight train and stare up at the stars - she loves astronomy and all things space!
If youâd like to know more about Emily, and her work, she can be found on instagram @rammyreiman, Twitter @rammyreiman, and Linkedin under the name Emily Reiman.
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Episode 62 is out today with guest Nordia King!
A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Nordia moved to Brooklyn, N.Y at a young age. Having dreams of being a Flight Attendant but not knowing how to break into the industry, Nordia attended university where she completed her Bachelor's in Forensic Psychology while working as a gate agent. During her final year of school, she was able to join her employer's inflight team. It was during her time as a Flight Attendant that Nordia fell in love with maintenance, however it was not until Nordia moved to Canada where she pursued her education in Aircraft Maintenance. A recent graduate of Centennial College, Nordia is now an AME Apprentice at Jazz Aviation working towards her M2 licence. Nordia uses her platform to amplify the voices of women in the industry. She volunteers with various organizations including Elevate Aviation and the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association of Ontario when she is not spending time with her husband and three children.
To connect with Nordia and learn more about her journey inaviation, she can be found on Linkedin by searching âNordia Kingâ, and on Instagram @nordy_b
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Episode 61 is out today with guest Tim Perry!
WestJet pilot Tim Perry is the Air Line Pilots Association, Intâl (ALPA) Canada president. He was first elected on Oct. 17, 2018, at the Associationâs biennial Board of Directors meeting, taking office on January 1, 2019. He is currently serving his third term.
The ALPA Canada president is the principal officer of the ALPA Canada Board, chairs all meetings, and serves as the Boardâs spokesperson. Captain Perry is responsible for planning, coordinating, and administering the affairs and activities of ALPA Canada, and he consults with and is assisted by the other Canada Board officers in furthering the objectives and policies of the Association.
Captain Perry previously served the WestJet pilot group as its Master Executive Council vice chair and was instrumental in the organizing campaign that ultimately led the pilot group to certify ALPA as its labour union. Prior to WestJet, he flew for Calm Air, where he served as a Local Executive Council first officer representative.
A graduate of Selkirk College with a diploma in aviation technology, he lives in Toronto, Ontario.
More on ALPA and their work can be found online through social media by searching ALPA Canada, or on their website at www.alpa.org/canada . Tim can also be found on Linkedin.
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Episode 60 is out today with guest Piyush Gandhi!
Piyush Gandhi an experienced executive in the field of aviation. He is currently the Vice President, Operations and Business Development for the Presage Group Inc. which is an organization that uses psychological science-based analytics to understand the behaviours of employees (primarily pilots) in operational workplaces and provide mitigation strategies that ultimately improve the safety and performance of those organizations. Most recently, he spent 2 1â2 years with Sunwing Airlines in the role of Vice President Flight Operations. Along with safety, operational, regulatory, and fiduciary responsibility of more than 30,000 flights in the B737-800/MAX-8 per year, he maintained his pilot proficiency flying on the line as a B737 Captain. Previously, he was the Vice President Flight Operations at Porter Airlines where he was a founding team member from its inception in early 2006. He contributed to helping build Porter from its humble 4 aircraft operation to 28 aircraft operating more than 65,000 flights per year carrying more than 3-million passengers. Prior to that, Piyush spent 10-years with Bombardier Aerospace as their Chief Pilot & Customer Liaison Pilot. In addition to his OEM certification/production test pilot duties on the Q400 and Global Express business jet, Piyush spent much of his Bombardier tenure overseas training pilots, delivering new aircraft, conducting sales & marketing tours, and providing operational support to various airlines and operators globally.
Since 2018, Piyush has been on the Board of Directors for The Redwood â a not-for-profit shelter for women and their children fleeing domestic abuse. In 2020, Piyush was the first male elected to the Board of Directors for the Northern Lights Aero Foundation which promotes and celebrates women in the field of aviation and aerospace in Canada. Piyush founded and chaired the Y.A.Y! (You Are You!) diversity and inclusion committee at Sunwing and he also co-founded/chaired the successful Women Soar at Porter program. Piyush is a member of the international Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Advisory Committee (FSF BAC). He has also been on the Advisory Boards for Colleges, and Universities, most notably, the Seneca College Aviation PAC (Program Advisory Committee).
Piyush graduated from the Seneca Aviation Program (Class â93) and completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate degree at the Rotman School of Business (University of Toronto) in 2014.
To learn more about Piyush and his work, or to connect with him, he can be found on linkedin.
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Episode 59 is out today with guest Warren Holt!
A pilot with Air Canada for the past 17 years, Warren Holt is also the President of a non-profit organization called the Urban Pilots Network, or UPN. Warren became interested in flying at an early age and continued the pursuit of his dream by enrolling in the Aviation and Flight Technology Program at Seneca College. After graduation it would take Warren 7 years to accrue the flight time and experience necessary to ultimately land him his dream job as a pilot at Air Canada.
During those seven years gaining experience, Warren instructed at Canadian Flight Academy in Oshawa, flew for Wasaya Airways as a pilot in Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, and was also a pilot at Air Jamaica. Throughout his time at Air Canada, Warren has flown many different aircraft types, and is currently transitioning from the Boeing 787 to Captain on the Boeing 767 for Air Canadaâs cargo operation.
In his time as an instructor, Warren met and instructed a black student, who at the time, was an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer at Air Canada. They had similar interests and remained in contact. In 2004, that same student would start the Urban Pilots Network with the goal of increasing diversity in the flight deck, and right across the aviation industry. Upon his return to Canada in 2005, Warren would join the organization as its Vice President and would remain in that role until 2020, when he would step into the Presidentâs role.
Currently as President, Warren continues to push UPNâs mandate to âBridge the Gap between the Urban Community and the Aviation Community.â Now that the foundation of UPN is solid, with a spectrum of programs for BIPOC youth, and UPN members, Warren is looking to expand UPNsâ reach and impact by establishing relationships with the âbig playersâ in the industry.
Employment is the ultimate measure of the success of UPNsâ programming, and so these relationships will solidify everything that UPN has worked for.
Inspiring to Aspire Higher is UPNsâ motto, and Warren is determined that once the youth have been inspired, that there is a pathway for success established so they can achieve their aviation dreams.
Inspiring to Aspire Higher!
To find Warren and the Urban Pilots Network visit their website at www.urbanpilots.net/, or on instagram @urbanpilotsnetwork, Facebook under Urban Pilots Network Inc, and Linkedin under Urban Pilots Network.
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In this minisode, Cam takes a moment to talk about an important upcoming campaign in Canadian Aviation, and how you can support our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers in advocating for a better future for our industry and community.
More information about the campaign will be out soon, so keep an eye on social media. To find out more about Aircraft Maintenance Engineers of Canada, and the regional associations that make it up, please visit https://amec-teac.ca/. On their website youâll be able to connect to your region, and find out more about your community.
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Sierra Harrop is an award-winning storyteller, TV host, and content creator. For eleven years, she told the story of general aviation as a producer and videojournalist for AOPA. She is a private pilot with tailwheel and high-performance endorsements. Sheâs currently completing instrument rating and commercial certificate training. Sheâs flown over 20 different types of general aviation aircraft and enjoys backcountry flying and long VFR cross countries. Sheâs a licensed ham radio operator and works full time promoting that hobby. Previously, she worked as a storm chaser and news anchor for television stations in the central United States.
Since recording this episode Sierra has started a new adventure, but her work with AOPA can still be viewed on AOPAâs social media channels and youtube. Sierra can be found online on Instagram @SierraHarrop, Tiktok @sierraharrop, Twitter @flywithsierra and on Facebook by searching Sierra Harrop.
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Episode 56 is out today with guest Jordan Noonan!
Since getting to visit many cockpits on family trips as a small child, Jordan has always dreamed of being a pilot. After being inspired, he remained exposed to aviation by going to air shows, watching planes through the fence at his local airport, as well as getting to go on scenic flights as a small child. By the time he began with the Air Cadets, his career path was solidified, and he began to fly out of the Windsor International Airport.
After starting flight training in 2001 during high school, he realized he didnât have enough time to dedicate the attention needed to flight training. In 2006 after taking a year off after graduating, he started flight training full-time. During that time, he has worked for several FBOâs and ground operation companies as a ramp lead, supervisor and manager.
After completing his CPL in 2014, Jordan started applying to as many float plane operators as he could find online. After being hired by a small company that gives new pilots their start, he moved to Red Lake, Ontario and began working on the dock for the 2015 float season. In 2016 he began flying a Cessna 180 float plane. Since 2019 Jordan has been the Chief Pilot and Outpost Maintenance Manager flying a Dehavilland Beaver for Canadian Fly-in Fishing in Red Lake.
Jordan currently holds a Canadian CPL with the goal of completing his Multi IFR this winter. He hopes to gain a wider variety of float and bush flying experience to reach his goal of becoming a pilot for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, a role in which he can combine his love of float flying, wildlife conservation, and to have the ability to help communities that are under the threat of wildfires.
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Episode 55 is out today with guest Melissa!
From the moment Melissa spotted a sea turtle on her first plane ride as a child with her grandfather flying the plane, she has loved flying. It was not until decades later that Melissa realised she could have a career as a pilot and transition from her desk job in banking that left her feeling unfulfilled.
Melissa began flight training in 2014, since then she has juggled working full-time, earning a BS in Aviation Administration from Utah Valley University, flight training and life on her family cattle farm. For almost the past five years, Melissa has also worked full time in aviation for AeroNavData/Garmin as an aeronautical analyst and trainer.
She holds a rotorcraft CFI and commercial helicopter licence with instrument rating and is currently working on her CFII. Since discovering her love for helicopter flying, Melissa has been involved with the Ninety-Nines, Women in Aviation and the Whirly Girls aviation organisations.
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Episode 54 is out today with guest Cameron Boekhoff!
Cameron Boekhoff is a Canadian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer as well as a Private and Glider pilot.
First exposed to aviation at local fly-in breakfasts down the road from his familyâs farm in Eastern Ontario, Cameron found airplanes fascinating from a young age. Soon after joining his local squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, a glider flight cemented his desire to fly. With that goal in mind, Cameron took his squadronâs ground school every year, as well as participating in summer courses. His hard work paid off and he earned, and successfully completed the Glider and Power scholarships with the Cadet program.
Cameron attended Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario, where he completed the two-year Aviation Technician- Aircraft Maintenance course. Following graduation, he went on to work in private and flight school maintenance roles. Through that work, he was able to gather the experience necessary to earn an AME license with an M1 Rating. Since earning that rating in 2018, Cameron has participated in many training and continuing education opportunities to build himself for the future. In late 2021, Cameron made the move to his first airline job, where he is working towards earning his M2 rating.
In his free time Cameron enjoys fishing, shooting sports, and hopes to expand his capabilities as a canoeist and hiker. He currently also volunteers on the board of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition and is the producer and editor of this show!
Cameron can be found on instagram @glovesaero or on linkedin. The Webster Trophy can be found on facebook and instagram @webstertrophy, or on their website at www.webstertrophy.ca!
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Episode 53 is out today with guest OpeOluwa Iyortim!
OpeOluwa fell in love with aviation on his very first flight as a toddler. He has lived with the single-minded goal of becoming an Airline pilot since then.
This end goal of a career in aviation has influenced all his major life decisions, including his choice of a Bachelorâs degree in Geography. He also spent a year teaching geography at a high school after university, where he developed a love for sharing knowledge and mentoring.
OpeOluwa completed the integrated commercial pilot course (ICPC) at the Moncton Flight College in 2016, after which he instructed with the school for two years before launching his airline career at a regional carrier. In addition to his busy schedule, he still finds time to instruct and mentor pilots on the side. While he admits it is a juggling act, he finds joy and fulfilment in bringing people into the family that is aviation.
Appreciative of the peculiarities that enabled him to build an airline career in just 4 years, OpeOluwa founded The Vectored Approach Consulting: an initiative driven by the vision of lowering the barriers to aviation and improving the flight training experience.
OpeOluwa and The Vectored Approach can be found on linkedin, instagram @tva_consulting, and online at www.vectoredapproach.com.
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Episode 52 is out today with guest Tara Mrhar!
Tara grew up in Geelong, Australia and spent her childhood and teenage years travelling alongside her mother who was a lifelong flight attendant. Through these experiences birthed her passion and love for aviation and knew from an early age she would settle for nothing less than a career as a pilot.
Before learning to fly she continued to travel the world and eventually moved to New Zealand to work on the ski fields but after two years abroad she realised it was time to pursue her dream.
She was accepted into the Sharp Airlines Cadet Class of 2017 and studied for 2 years at Moorabbin Airport where she completed her commercial license and multi engine instrument rating before moving onto the Metroliner as a First Officer.
She now lives and works in Launceston, Tasmania flying amongst some of the most beautiful yet rugged scenery in Australia. Her job involves carrying freight, passengers and lots of extremely cute dogs to the islands off the coast of Tasmania. She has high hopes for the future of aviation and is determined to continue to develop herself into a well-skilled and professional airline pilot.
Tara can be found on instagram @taramrhar!
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Episode 51 is out today with guest Dr Cassandra Marion!
A life-long explorer and outdoorswoman, Cassandra completed her PhD in geology and planetary science and exploration from the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western University where she studied meteorite impact craters in the Canadian Arctic. She also has considerable analogue mission experience, which are simulated robotic and human missions designed to learn, train and prepare for real missions to the Moon and Mars.
In her most recent expedition, she helped to train two astronauts in field geology in preparation for upcoming missions to the Moon.
In her current role as Science Advisor for the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Cassandra is dedicated to sharing her passion and knowledge of Earth and planetary sciences with communities near and far as well as acting as liaison and collaborator between the museum, academia, industry and government to connect the greater community of science and technology.
Dr Marion can be found on twitter @planetarycass. The Canada Aviation and Space Museum can be found on their website, instagram @avspacemuseum, as well as other social media channels!
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Episode 50 is out today with guest Nisha Venkatesh!
Nisha stumbled into aviation entirely by accident, despite having a grandfather who was in the Indian Air Force, a father who built a career in Aerospace manufacturing, and her love for globetrotting. As she was evaluating her options for University, she happened into an RCAF offer to pursue a fully-funded degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto.
After graduating and some training, she was sent to the heart of Canada and the RCAF in Winnipeg â where her tropical genes tried to be friends with prairie winters for 6 years. The air force helped by sending Nisha off to sunny locations like Hawaii, California, and Florida, before shipping her off to Europe for a 6-month NATO deployment.
She spent 4 years in Colorado working for NORAD, where the weather was far friendlier. Last summer, she found her way to Ottawa as a Staff Officer for RCAF Readiness, where she is fortunate and grateful to work for people who encourage her to push boundaries for good.
Nisha attended her first CWIA conference in 2017, and joined the volunteer team. She was the Program Director in 2019, and loved the friends she made along the way. As co-chair, she is excited to see you all in Edmonton at the upcoming conference from 22 to 25 June 2022.
Nisha can be found on Linkedin or contacted through CWIA. CWIA can be found on Instagram @cwiacommunity, on linkedin, or on their website at www.cwia.ca.
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Episode 49 is out today with guest Marielle Caron!
In her 15th year of working in the aviation industry, Marielle Caron is enjoying her role as a First Officer for a Private Jet company.
From her beginning as a ramp agent, she worked her way through many roles in aviation, and ultimately completed her necessary ratings to obtain a flying job. It took nearly 10 years to achieve these qualifications but after some perseverance she found success, and now holds an ATPL and is type-rated on an Embraer Legacy jet.
While hers was not a straightforward path to becoming a pilot, she did not give up on her dream and has learned much about aviation along the way. She enjoys sharing her story, sharing her passion, and supporting others along their aviation journey.
Marielle can be found on instagram @one_dot_below.
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Episode 48 is out today with guest Arianna Woodley!
Born on the small island of Anguilla, it was almost inevitable that flying would be part of Ariannaâs future. Watching the small to mid-sized aircraft take off and land at the Clayton J Lloyd International Airport became quite the hobby which later resulted in garnering a summer job in the Air Traffic Control tower. Now a graduate with a double major in Geography and Aviation and minor in Environmental Science with a Commercial Pilot License, Arianna currently works at Mount Allison University as an Admissions Counsellor â Prospect Management. âA career in aviation is not a one step process. Black students need even more support from as early as possible to ensure that they are able to receive the best training possible, especially financial support. As the Student Programs and Development Director at BAPN, my aim is to ensure that students have access to all that is required, without having to worry about how they will fund their training.â
Arianna can be found on instagram @arianna_woodley and on Linkedin. The BAPN can be found on their website www.thebapn.ca, instagram @the.BAPN, and linkedin.
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Episode 47 is out today with guest Lucy Poirier!
Lucy grew up in Langley, BC where her love of aviation was sparked from a young age by her mom and the Canadian Museum of Flight. At the age of 12, Lucy joined 746 Lightning Hawk Royal Canadian Air Cadets and over the next seven years she obtained her glider and private pilot licenses and participated on the International Air Cadet Exchange to fly aircraft in Switzerland.
Post-Secondary, Lucy studied business in aviation at the University of the Fraser Valley and enrolled in the Cadet Instructors Cadre branch of the Royal Canadian Air Force to return to the Cadet Program and become a glider flight instructor.
While discerning which aviation career path was right for her, Lucy was encouraged by a mentor to apply to NavCanada and become an air traffic controller. Lucy always thought she would be flying and had not previously considered becoming an air traffic controller, but during the application process she discovered this was the career for her. At 19, Lucy became a VFR controller and now works in the Prince George control tower.
Lucy also volunteers with Elevate Aviation as the British Columbia Wing mentorship program coordinator.
âMy passion for mentorship is inspired by and dedicated to all the mentors I have had both related to my career in aviation and in life. Without those wonderful people who encouraged and supported me and gave me opportunities to consider and grow, I would not be where I am today. I hope in my mentorship roles now to inspire and prepare the next generation of women in aviation!â
Lucy can be contacted through Elevate Aviation by email at [email protected] to learn more about mentorship opportunities. Elevate Aviation can be found on their website www.elevateaviation.ca, instagram @elevateaviation, linkedin, and other major social media platforms.
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Episode 46 is out today with guests Alisha Sohpaul and Stéphanie Angrand, Co-Founders of Hangar Queens!
Alisha currently holds the role of Person Responsible for Maintenance (PRM) at Iskwew Air, where she primarily looks after two Piper Navajos but has worked on a variety of aircrafts ranging from Cessna 152 to CRJ 900. She holds both M1 and M2 AME licences and has also had the opportunity to take on leadership roles such as a Maintenance Controller & Line Maintenance Supervisor.
Recently, Alisha was appointed Vice-President of the Pacific Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Association (PAMEA) and became the first woman to join and the first to serve on the Board. She also serves on the Youth Engagement Committee with the British Columbia Aviation Council.
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Stephanie is currently a crew supervisor for a maintenance team in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, operating on the CH-146 Griffons.
Having first joined the Canadian Forces in 2006 as an aircraft maintenance engineer, Stephanie's first love was for the CF-18 jets in Cold Lake, Alberta where I worked as an engine technician.
In 2013, following a move to the civilian world, she had the opportunity to work with CRJs 700-900-1000 with Bombardier in Mirabel, Quebec, and, in fact, got to witness the first flight ever of C series!
Since returning to military work in 2015, Stephanie began working with the CH-146 Griffons and taught the type course for 3 years, which is what she says sparked her passion for teaching and mentoring.
Proud to be a part of the 2% of female AMEs in Canada, both Alisha and Stephanie enjoy promoting aviation careers to young women, highlighting underrepresented jobs in the industry, and helping to support women currently working as AMEs!
Hangar Queens can be found on instagram @hangar_queens, or on linkedin.
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