Holding Short (holdingshort)

Kathy Fox chose air traffic control as a career, first with Transport Canada, and then with NAV CANADA where she held a number of senior management positions, including being the first woman Vice President Operations, from which she retired in 2007. Kathy was subsequently appointed as a Board Member of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) and has served as its Chair since 2014.

 Kathy has also been extensively involved in other aviation activities for over 45 years, including sport parachuting and commercial aviation. She holds an airline transport pilot licence, multi-IFR and Instructor Class I ratings and has flown over 5000 hours. Kathy was a Transport Canada approved Pilot Examiner for over 25 years and still flies part-time as an instructor. 

Kathy has been a trailblazer her entire career and has been the recipient of many honours and awards, including:

Being the first woman and youngest person to be President of the Canadian Sport Parachuting Association, the Transport Canada Aviation Safety Award in 1999, inducted into the Quebec Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2004, the 2010 Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award in 2010, the prestigious David Charles Abramson Memorial Flight Instructor Safety Award in 2011 in recognition of her exceptional leadership and devotion to the advancement of Canadian aviation safety, and in 2016 was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame as only the 10th woman to be recognized this way. Most recently in 2018, she was inducted into the International Women in Aviation Pioneer Hall of Fame.

Maegan first became interested in aviation at age 12, after joining the Air Cadet program. She went on to attend the Aviation Safety Advanced Diploma Program at Seneca College, graduating with Honours and as Valedictorian of her class. During her program, she completed a co-op term with NAV CANADA, where she was hired full-time upon graduation in 2018, and works as a Research Analyst. In this capacity, Maegan provides traffic and safety analysis to support informed decision-making.

Maegan is also the Ambassador for Elevate Aviation’s Ontario Wing and the Volunteer Director for Canadian Women in Aviation.

Maegan can be found on Instagram @missextross

Christina has had a love for aviation since she was young. Once she was old enough (and tall enough) she pursued her Private Pilot License during high school at the Brampton Flying Club. She then attended Trent University where she graduated with a BSc. Geography. While attending University, Christina purchased her 1963 Cessna 150 and has enjoyed many fun trips with family and friends for fun building hours. Upon graduating, Christina completed an Aerobatic Upset Training course with Patty Wagstaff which she attributes a lot of her success to when she pursued her Commercial Pilot License and subsequent ratings. Christina was a finalist for the 2019 Webster Memorial Trophy Competition representing the Central Ontario Region. 

Christina started her career as an Aerial Survey Pilot flying all over North America in a Cessna 172; building hours and gaining valuable PIC experience and pilot decision making skills. She currently works as a Medevac First Officer on the Metroliner II and III based out of Sioux Lookout servicing Ontario’s North. She looks forward to continuing to give back to the aviation community through outreach and mentorship as she values the mentors who have helped and continue to help her along her aviation career. 

Christina can be found on Instagram @christina_von_bulow

Growing up, aeroplanes were an obsession for Warwick, and he has it on good authority that “airplane” was his first word. He was fortunate enough to grow up flying in his father’s plane, in addition to spending time as an Air Cadet, and so he felt entirely comfortable around aviation. In spite of  this, he didn’t earn his PPL until 2017 when he was in his mid-thirties. The month after his flight test, he partnered with a friend on a Cessna 172 and hasn’t looked back. As someone exposed to aviation at an early age, Warwick often wonders why it took him so long to get into it. This is partly why he finds himself getting involved with organizations like COPA and the BC General Aviation Association, to try and connect people who have a passion for aviation with the opportunities available.

For over 20 years, Warwick has been the owner of Formula Photographic Inc., a production company specializing in documentary and automotive films. During the pandemic he started the Flying BC podcast and video series as a means to further explore the aviation community. He admits he tends to dive head first into what he's passionate about, and video and photography is how he can best express and share those passions with others.

He’s currently working on his CPL now, and then will move on to flight instructing, with his long term goal being to open a specialty flying school, and maybe convince someone to let him fly their warbirds! Warwick and the FlyingBC podcast can be found on their website www.flyingbc.com, on Instagram @flyingbritishcolumbia, on Facbeook at Flying BC , Youtube, and all major podcast streaming services. 

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 Canada’s 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 President’s role.

Currently as President, Warren continues to push UPN’s mandate to “Bridge the Gap between the Urban Community and the Aviation Community.” Now that the foundation of UPN is solid, with a spectrum of programs for BIPOC youth, and UPN members, Warren is looking to expand UPNs’ reach and impact by establishing relationships with the “big players” in the industry.

Employment is the ultimate measure of the success of UPNs’ programming, and so these relationships will solidify everything that UPN has worked for.

Inspiring to Aspire Higher is UPNs’ 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.

Episode 41 is out today with guest Ashwin Sagar!

Growing up in the Middle East, Ashwin Sagar lived near some of the biggest and busiest airports in the world. From a young age he would go plane-spotting and made sure to visit the flight deck every time he travelled. For 21 years the dream of flying remained just that: a dream. 

He moved to Canada to pursue a business degree and in his final year of university he truly started to consider a career in aviation. From then on, there was no stopping him. He enrolled in the Brampton Flight Centre’s Professional Pilot Diploma program, becoming a flight instructor there after completing his training. After this, he moved to Northern Canada to work for Perimeter Aviation as a first officer on Metroliner 3 and later on a Dash 8. At the age of 25, he landed his dream job of flying the Boeing 757 & 767 for Cargojet. 

Ashwin can be found on Instagram @ash.sagar or on Linkedin.

Episode 45 is out today with guest Tonya Yearwood!

Tonya Yearwood was born in Toronto, Ontario to natives of Trinidad & Tobago. She worked in both Canada and the United States in a variety of careers; Finance, Fitness, Postal Service, and Automotive until she found herself in Aviation & Aerospace within the IT space. Working in the industry allowed Tonya to have a newfound appreciation for air transportation but quickly learned that diversity in Aviation & Aerospace was non-existent compared to her previous professional experiences. Seeing the need for change, Tonya founded the Black Aviation Professionals Network (BAPN), a non-profit organisation to help her fellow colleagues and the next generation of leaders and aviators in the sector. BAPN promotes Aviation, showcases that the industry is more than pilots and flight attendants, and appeals to the Black community showing the variety of careers available and supplying the resources to thrive. There are Aviation Professionals and professionals in Aviation, and together, they are BAPN!

BAPN can be found on their website www.thebapn.ca, instagram @the.BAPN, and linkedin.

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 1⁄2 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 – 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 ’93) 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.

John Lindsay returned to aviation after an 18-year hiatus.  On the verge of completing his PPL in 2000, John’s education path led him away from flying. He went to college to become a paramedic and has spent the last 18 years working as an advanced care paramedic and in various supervisory and management roles. 

Over the years John’s interest in flying never waned. In 2018 he returned to aviation and has since earned his PPL, seaplane rating and night rating.  With a little bit of luck, he will soon have passed his CPL flight test as well! John is actively working towards flying as a career, despite the current challenges Covid-19 has brought to the industry.

A member of the LGBTQ+ community, John has become active with NGPA, the largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender aviation professionals and enthusiasts from around the world.  He currently serves as Co-Leader of the NGPA Canada chapter.

John (@jwc152), the NGPA(@NGPA2), and the NGPA Canada Chapter (@NGPA_Canada) can all be found on Instagram. More information on the NGPA's work, and their chapters around the world can also be found on their website (www.ngpa.org). Their affiliate, Canadian Aviation Pride also maintains a website (www.aviationpride.ca) and an active presence on social media! Search for @canadianaviationpride on both Instagram and Facebook. 

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 wasn’t until she took a discovery flight for her 30 th birthday that she realized that becoming a pilot wasn’t out of reach. A few short months after the initial flight, Pam began working towards her PPL and hasn’t 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.

Episode 42 is out today with guest Dorothy Andrusiak!

Dorothy Andrusiak is a First Officer on the Twin Otter and flies with Air Inuit. Dorothy became interested in aeronautics at a young age after travelling and seeing airshows. Her interest continued when she was in the Army cadets, and she later decided to make flying her career. Before committing to aviation, she studied Jazz Voice at Vanier College and music remains a big part of her life. Today, Dorothy spends most of her time in Nunavik, Canada.

Dorothy can be found on Instagram @dot_and_inuk, or on her Facebook page Dorothy Andrusiak.

Episode 40 is out today with guest Wintta Ghebreiyesus!

The space shuttle Columbia disaster of 2003 claimed the lives of all seven astronauts. As a young girl, Wintta Ghebreiyesus saw this tragic event on TV and knew that she wanted to be part of the generation to follow that would improve the vehicle’s design to prevent human tragedy. This led her to attend Ryerson University’s Aerospace Engineering program.

In her undergrad, she specialized in avionics and control systems. After earning her Master’s, she has continued her research on aircraft cabin interior noise control. Today, Wintta is a PhD candidate at Ryerson. Her daily work focuses on reducing aircraft cabin noise at the passenger level using an integrated active noise control system.

During her internship at AeroVelo, she worked on and piloted Atlas, a human-powered helicopter and winner of the Sikorsky prize. Wintta has also served as Vice-President of Ryerson’s Rocketry Club for two years. She was a research advisor for the Ryerson Hyperloop Pod Team, drawing heavily from her previous role with the team as an electronics member. 

Wintta can be found on Linkedin or on instagram @wghebrei. The Ryerson Rocketry Club can be found on instagram @ryersonrocketry, and on youtube by searching “Ryerson Rocketry”. For those interested in learning more about the Canadian Hyperloop Conference, visit their website at www.cahyperloop.ca or sign up for their newsletter on their contact page at www.cahyperloop.ca/contact-us

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. 

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 Arianna’s 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 – Prospect Management. “A 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.”

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.

Cassandra Hepp is just 25 years old and has been a licensed M1/M2 Aircraft Maintenance Engineer for almost 2 years! She took aircraft maintenance at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, then doing her apprenticeship in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. During her time at SAIT she was the President of the Aviation Student Association, received the SAITSA gold award, and the Dean's Choice Award. 

Since graduating, she has worked the majority of her career in the Canadian Arctic. Cassandra absolutely loves living in the Northwest Territories. She currently gets the honor of working on a beast of an airplane, the 737-200.

Ambitious, and a real go-getter, Cassandra is passionate about promoting women in aviation. She is the Northern Ambassador for Elevate Aviation, an organization focused on promoting and encouraging women to choose careers in aviation. Most recently, she spoke at the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association of Canada virtual conference on behalf of Elevate. Working on aircraft is a rewarding and exciting career for Cassandra, and she hopes to continue gaining knowledge and experience in the industry.

Cassandra can be found on Instagram @cass_hepp

What could be better than one mentor? Two mentors!

Join us as I chat with Kate Speer and David Maertens about mentorship and what it has meant for their careers! 

Kate began her aviation career as a flight instructor in 2002 and went on to spend ten years as a low-level survey pilot for Fugro Airborne Surveys (now CGG). Currently flying as a Captain for Porter Airlines, Kate is also a Training Captain and a Technical Writer. 

Kate actively participates in multiple mentorship programs, believing that there is always room to be kind and that being a mentor is one of the most rewarding things for both your personal and professional life. 

David started flying professionally as a traffic patrol and banner tow pilot after completing a flight college program in 1997. In 2005 he started flying as a First Officer at Fugro Airborne Surveys (now CGG), ultimately working his way up through the ranks to become the Chief Pilot. After survey flying, David flew for Porter Airlines for four years and also worked as the Manager of Flight Technical. Today, David is flying maritime surveillance for Transport Canada on the Dash 7 that he originally learned to fly with Fugro.  

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!

Episode 36 is out today with guest Michelle Matte-Stotyn!

Becoming a skydiver was never part of her life plan, but when Michelle Matte-Stotyn did her first tandem jump she was hooked. In the middle of completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa in Leisure Studies, Michelle drastically turned her focus from studying recreation in indigenous cultures to finishing her degree studying the gender barriers in extreme sports. In the process of her studies she joined the Women’s Initiatives Committee of CSPA as a volunteer member looking to increase female involvement in skydiving. During that time, she completed a graduate diploma in Sport Business Management from Algonquin College and in 2013, became the Executive Director of CSPA. She continued her studies part-time while working for the association and just recently finished an Accounting Diploma, to complete a tertiary qualification of sport, business, and accounting.

Michelle has been a certified skydiver for over 10 years, with a D license, and multiple coach, instructor and examiner ratings. She holds four Canadian skydiving records and has competed in both indoor and outdoor skydiving competitions. When she’s not skydiving, she can be found on the golf course in the summers and actively skiing in the winters.

For anyone interested in finding out more about the Canadian Sport Parachuting Association, please visit their website at www.cspa.ca or find them on facebook @canadianskydiving.

Dr. Suzanne Kearns is an Associate Professor of Aviation at the University of Waterloo. She is an internationally recognized leader in aviation education research, has earned airplane and helicopter pilot licenses at the age of 17, advanced aeronautical degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and began working as an aviation professor upon graduation at the age of 24.

In the years since, she has taught and mentored thousands of aviation students, written/co-authored six books (including ‘Competency-Based Education in Aviation’, which was the first detailed investigation into this training theory applied to aviation; and, ‘Fundamentals of International Aviation’, which is a textbook with multiple translations used in flight schools, colleges, and universities around the world to introduce youth to the field of aviation).

She has received several awards for research and educational works, frequently delivers invited keynote addresses at international aviation conferences, and holds leadership positions with several international aviation organizations including supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals program with the International Civil Aviation Organization, as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and as Past-President of the University Aviation Association.

Dr Suzanne Kearns can be found on Instagram @kearns4444 and on LinkedIn

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.

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!

We have wanted to make this episode happen since the very beginning of Holding Short. NORAD Tracks Santa has been a part of our holiday traditions since we were both small. Cameron remembers gathering around the family computer with his family waiting for the dial up internet to load Santa’s schedule for the night and Laura’s mum decreed we HAD to have NORAD on.

Join Laura as she learns about how the program keeps jolly old Saint Nick safe, and how it all started with a phone call 65 years ago.

Our guest, United States Air Force 1st Lieutenant Sable Brown is currently serving as a Public Affairs Officer at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Public Affairs, and NORAD Tracks Santa, at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

Sable grew up in Mascoutah, IL just a few miles away from Scott Air Force Base. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications TV and Radio Broadcasting from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2015.

In 2017, Sable commissioned from Air Force Officer Training School as a 2nd Lieutenant. After commissioning she was assigned to the 12th Training Squadron at Randolph AFB, TX. She crossed into Public Affairs, completing Defense Information School training in March 2019. She previously served as the Chief of Media operations for 20th Fighter Wing PA at Shaw AFB, South Carolina until September 2020.

To learn more about NORAD Tracks Santa, and to track Santa this year, visit their website at www.noradsanta.org/en/, find them on social media on Facebook @noradsanta, Twitter @noradsanta, and Instagram @noradtrackssanta_official, or download the NORAD Tracks Santa App!

Ben has been interested in aviation his whole life, and spent his teenage years researching and photographing aircraft, which only increased his passion for the industry. 

After completing high school, he attended Algonquin College's Aviation Management program, from which he graduated in 2017.  He then pursued an instructor rating and began teaching at the Ottawa Flying Club, where he worked for a year and a half. 

In April of 2019, he was hired by Perimeter Aviation as a First Officer on the Metroliner for scheduled passenger flights, transitioning to a full time medevac First Officer role in 2020.

Ben can be found on instagram @BenSenior97 and on Flickr by searching Ben_Senior

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 you’ll be able to connect to your region, and find out more about your community.

Episode 34 is out today with guest Jon Lee!

Jon Lee is the Regional Manager for Western Canada at the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada located in Edmonton, Alberta. He has worked for the Board since 1999 as an aircraft accident investigator and has been the Manager at the Edmonton office since 2004. He has been involved in over 50 investigations as Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) or 2IC where the Board has issued a report with findings as to cause and contributing factors. Jon has had the fortunate opportunity to support the TSB mandate by participating in foreign investigations that involve Canadian aerospace products and has worked with the NTSB (USA), ASC (Taiwan), AAIRB (Korea), AAIB (Singapore), AAIB (Mongolia), BFU (Switzerland), and AAIB (Finland).

Prior to accident investigation, Jon gained industry experience as a pilot in various types of operations from regional airlines to transcontinental cargo to MEDEVAC and flight instruction. He has flown over 35 types of aircraft and has accumulated 6500 flight hours. He maintains a valid and current Airline Transport Pilot License.

Jon can be found on LinkedIn. The TSB can be found on their website (www.tsb.gc.ca) as well as social media including Linkedin, and Facebook.

With his head turned skywards from a young age and still there, Drohn Bhandari has always dreamed of being a pilot. After getting inspired during his time learning about aviation through the Air Cadets program, he began his career learning to fly out of the Ottawa International Airport. 

Since graduation, he has worked as a Class II Flight Instructor in an Integrated CPL program along with his role as a Check Instructor. For the past year, Drohn has been flying the PC-12NG completing medevac operations under the direction of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. 

Drohn holds a Canadian CPL and is working towards his ATPL. He hopes to gain a variety of industry experience to reach his goal of becoming a Training Captain where he can combine his love for flying and teaching to inspire the next generation of pilots.  Drohn can be found on instagram @drohnbhandari

Episode 44 is out today with guest Anna Julia!

Anna Julia found her way towards aviation when she finally began to listen to her inner voice. "There was never really any sign or indication to follow a career in aviation, I just travelled a lot. It felt like I was raised on an airplane and would always find a sense of comfort when I would watch the flight attendants". She followed the “expected” path of going to university after high school. Though she followed that path, she still wanted something interesting and exciting. Having graduated with a bachelor's degree from UofT in Human Evolution, and Archeology, she found herself dreaming about travel. “Whenever I would go on archeological excavations, I was more excited for the plane ride and new destination. I figured I was meant to be in the sky." She left Archeology and applied to be a flight attendant. Only to find herself back in school at Georgian College working towards the Aviation Management program. “It just made sense; school makes sense to me.”  Fast forward a few years later, Anna Julia now works in Airport Operations. 

Anna can be found on instagram @annajulia.xo and on linkedin as Anna Julia S.

Melissa Haney is originally from Inukjuak, Quebec. A small fly-in only community on the Hudson Bay. Flying in and out regularly growing up, she never thought of flying as a career. 

She attended Concordia University and was not too sure what she wanted to do for a career. She applied at Air Inuit as a flight attendant for a new challenge, September 11th, 2001 was her first day solo as a Flight Attendant. As much as this day was to change aviation worldwide, it made her realize how much she wanted to be a part of the industry. After a year working as a flight attendant, she decided to begin flight training having heard the stories from the pilots she worked with. 

She attended Cornwall Aviation and completed her commercial/multi IFR in 9 months. She started in the Air Inuit ground school for the Twin Otter soon after; now having the opportunity to work above and see the vast Nunavik tundra from a different view. 

After gaining experience she moved to the Dash 8 as a first officer. In 2016 she was promoted to Captain on the Dash 8 and was the first female Inuit Captain. In 2017 the Canadian 99s honored her with a commemorative stamp for this accomplishment. In the last year she has become the assistant chief pilot for Dash 8 operations at Air Inuit and is also the coordinator for the Sparrow Program which supports Inuit youth pursuing their pilot licence. 

Living in the beautiful Eastern Townships and raising 2 young children she also promotes women in aviation as the Quebec Ambassador for the Elevate Aviation Wing. Melissa can be found on Instagram @nunavikflygal and on LinkedIn by searching her name.

Allison moved to Toronto from Thunder Bay in early 2013 to join Porter Airlines. Prior to her promotion to Director, SOC, Allison also held the positions of Duty Officer and Manager, System Operations Control Centre (SOCC). 

While paying her way through university, Allison did some part-time work in the wee hours of the morning as a ramp attendant loading Dash 7s destined for northern mines and fishing lodges. From there, she was offered a job to help an airline with logistics at remote bases. The job became a passion and the rest is history. Allison spent the next decade and gained most of her operational experience in Northern Manitoba and Ontario as a Dispatcher and Operations Manager. 

Allison's interests include listening to her extensive vinyl collection, water sports, the outdoors, and of course, travelling.

Allison can be found on Linkedin.

John studied Economics in University. After working in the financial industry for 3 years, he decided to enroll in flight school at the Brampton Flight College. After graduating from flight school, John moved to Yellowknife to try to find work as a pilot, and ended up flying the Twin Otter on floats, skis and tundra tires throughout Canada’s arctic.

From there, John joined Porter Airlines in the first group of pilots hired when the company was founded in the summer of 2006. At Porter, John has worked as a First Officer, Captain, Training Captain, Manager of Pilot Training, and finally, Director of Flight Operations. He participates in several industry committees, including sitting as the current Chair of the De Havilland Flight Operations Steering Committee.

Among his accomplishments at Porter, John led an effort to improve stable approaches using operating procedures that challenge industry norms. This has led to speaking engagements at the Flight Safety Foundation, World Aviation Training Summit, and at the Boeing factory in Seattle. To learn more about John find him on Linkedin. For further information on Porter Airlines and Porter Pilot Recruitment please see the company's Linkedin profile, and website. 

At the beginning of her career in Communications, Madison Tiller, did not picture a life in aviation. However, her path has always proved to be full of surprises. 

Shortly after graduating with her Bachelor of Public Relations degree, Madison had stints working in Communications with the federal government, followed by a position in the construction sector. Feeling the need for a change, Madison stumbled across a job posting for a temporary position as Communications Specialist with Jazz Aviation LP and decided to risk her full-time position and follow her heart.

Three years later, she is glad she did, and is now the in-house graphic designer, photographer and videographer for Jazz. She also manages the Jazz social media accounts and writes for their internal newsletter, The Journal. She has fallen in love with the aviation industry and can’t imagine working anywhere else.

Madison can be found on Instagram @madloveaviation and Jazz Aviation can be found @jazzaviationlp

Elise MacGlashing is a New Brunswick native and has been involved in aviation for over 20 years.  Her aviation journey began as a student at Moncton Flight College (now MFCtraining) in 1999, where she completed her PPL and Night Rating.  At this time, she began dispatching, which soon transitioned to the Chief Dispatcher position.  In 2001, she took on the role of Director of Recruitment and Admissions at MFC.  After a few years hiatus to raise her young children, she returned to work and is now Program Manager - Domestic Operations.  MFCtraining is part of the EIC group of airlines.

As Program Manager, she has 200+ students in three full-time Integrated Commercial Pilot programs, overseeing training from orientation to graduation. Elise is also a designated Transport Canada Licensing Officer, able to sign off licences and ratings for the students and celebrate these important milestones.

After hosting the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition in 2019, Elise was asked to take on the role of National Administrator and to join the Webster Team as they search each year for Canada’s Top General Aviation Pilot.  She resides in Moncton, New Brunswick with her husband Dave, a Class 1 instructor and Pilot examiner from MFCtraining, along with their three children. 

MFC Training can be found on their website, facebook (@Flymfc), instagram (@mfctrainingcanada), and linkedin. The Webster Trophy can be found on their website, facebook (@WebsterTrophy), and Instagram (@webstertrophy).

This episode we interview the crew behind Deadstick Radio! Brian Murray and Scott Holmes started their podcast project with the goal of sharing aviation stories that haven’t been heard before. They draw on their own wide variety of experience, from flying gliders, air racing, and building experimental aircraft, to interview people from across the country, and around the world. Brian Murray has always had aviation in his blood. He started his aviation journey in flight simulators as a kid and worked his way up through RC aircraft, gliders and now holds a private license. Brian is the proud owner of a Lake Buccaneer, which he hopes to take around the world. 

Brian's career has been marked by an entrepreneurial drive, and a desire to leave aviation better than he found it. He now hosts two podcasts, and a YouTube channel that focuses on aviation technology and amphibious adventures. Brian has also written several successful mobile apps, including a Glider navigation and optimization app. 

Scott Holmes has been flying since before he could drive. Starting in the Air Cadet Program and finishing his PPL in high school, Scott soon set his sights on learning to fly aerobatic aircraft while studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. After graduation, he looked to a new challenge… air racing: a sport that requires engineering, aircraft construction, and high performance flying to be successful.

Scott now races in the Formula 1 class at the Reno Air Races and globally in the Air Race 1 World Series. He is also working on two aircraft development projects. The first is his electric Cassutt conversion, and the second is a unique racing aircraft being purpose built to challenge speed, altitude, and distance records

Deadstick Radio can be found on many streaming services, including YouTube, podbean, Spotify, Google podcasts, and Apple podcasts. They are also on Facebook and Instagram @deadstickradio. Brian is on YouTube under Brian Murray, as well as Instagram @intheblueyonder. Scott is on Instagram @holmes540, and his race team, Outlaw Air Racing is on Facebook.

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.

‘My 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!’

Lucy can be contacted through Elevate Aviation by email at lucy@elevateaviation.ca 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. 

Erika has been involved in aviation all her life, beginning her career in 2003 as an EIT with International Aero Products where she became general manager and person responsible for quality to Transport Canada. In addition to her work on the 9000lb gross weight Otter STC, including prototyping the wing and modifying the aircraft for physical and test flying, in 2007 Erika completed her professional engineering status with EGBC.  She later lead the negotiation for Harbour Air to obtain the 9000lb gross weight Otter STC, as well as all other related Design Approvals.

Achieving her delegation status as a structural delegate under the Design Approval Representative Program with Transport Canada, Erika became one of only eight structural DARs in the Pacific Region and started her own engineering company in 2010. In 2012, she accepted a position as the Engineering and Quality Manager for the Harbour Air Group of Companies, where she created a production control system for the manufacturing department, acquiring design approvals, and manufacturing a significant number of parts.

Erika is also the Project Manager and Lead Engineer for the electrification of the DHC-2 Beaver project, successfully obtaining the first electric flight of a commercial aircraft in December 2019.

If you'd like to see more of Erika's work on the E-Plane follow along on Harbour Air and Harbour Air Aerospace Services websites, or their social media on Facebook and Instagram @harbourair or Harbour Air Aerospace Services on Facebook @HarbourAirAerospaceServices and on Instagram @haaerospace. 

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 – 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.

Teri comes from a long line of aviation folks: without exception, her entire immediate family were, or still are, involved in the industry. It seemed natural, then, that she worked her way through her degrees in the arts by working as a dispatcher, safety officer, and manager of a flight training unit. Strangely, her two worlds collide often: her aviation weather training, combined with her film and TV work, landed her the job as backup weather person for her local CBC news station. Some of her favourite theatre experiences were working on shows like Billy Bishop Goes to War and Voices from the Front. 

Now the coordinator for the Scriptwriting Program at Algonquin College, she still uses her aviation background when working on scripts involving planes and aviation. The skills she learned while working in aviation have served well in her transition to 'normal' jobs: amazing how easy it can be no one is going to crash if you make a mistake! Sometimes while sitting at her desk, she gazes longingly at the big blue sky outside her window.

Episode 61 is out today with guest Tim Perry!

WestJet pilot Tim Perry is the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) Canada president. He was first elected on Oct. 17, 2018, at the Association’s 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 Board’s 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.

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 “Nordia King”, and on Instagram @nordy_b

Episode 37 is out today! This episode was hosted by our producer Cameron in Laura's stead.

This episode involves discussions around Trauma, Mental Health and Mental Healthcare. We recognize that this topic may be difficult for many listeners. If you are not up for that conversation, for any reason, please take a moment to click away. 

Phil Ralph, CD, Captain (Ret'd), currently serves as the Director of Health Services for Wounded Warriors Canada and has served in various capacities throughout the organization’s history, including serving as Chair for two years. As Director of Health Services, he oversees the implementation of a robust and exciting slate of transformative culturally appropriate group-based interventions that are clinically facilitated and grounded in evidence that draws upon leading trauma research benefiting veterans, first responders, and their families.

For over a quarter century until releasing from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2016, Phil served our nation as the Regimental Chaplain to the 32 Combat Engineer Regiment (formerly the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment). In that capacity, he was exposed to the challenges and needs of today’s veterans. Having seen firsthand the effects of deployments on our veterans he has a passion to contribute to assisting today’s veterans towards wholeness and healing. As the son of a firefighter whose family's service extends back into the 1800’s he has also witnessed first-hand the challenges that face first responders and their families.

Padre Ralph has served as Directing Staff at the Canadian Forces Chaplains School and Centre located within Canadian Forces Base Borden on several occasions. He has also served as the Senior Chaplain at Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, supervising his staff as they cared for a Camp of 3,000 personnel including up to 2,500 young people.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from Ontario Bible College and a Master of Divinity degree from Ontario Theological Seminary. Beyond military and congregational ministry, Phil has been active in the wider community by serving on the Boards of several agencies dedicated to assisting those in need. For his work in the community, he was awarded the Canada 125 Medal, given for “Significant Contributions to Canada.” and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. He is also the recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration.

For more information on Wounded Warriors Canada, please visit their website at www.woundedwarriors.ca or find them on social media. They can be found on instagram @woundedwarriorscanada, facebook @woundedwarriorscanada, and on twitter @woundedwarriorCA. Phil can be found on instagram @ralph_phil. 

Episode 35 is out today with guest Allison Couch! This episode was recorded for this year's Candian Women in Aviation Virtual Symposium, where it is available to stream in video format. All of this year's virtual symposium content will be available to stream until April 2022. For more information, please visit CWIA's website, or find CWIA on social media @cwiacommunity. 

At an early age, Allison was introduced up-close to the intricate details of airplanes by her father, as he was an aircraft maintenance engineer.  “I vividly recall the excitement of attending air shows with the roar of jet engines contrasting with the tranquility of a glider display.  I have been hooked ever since,” reflects Allison Couch about her early days growing up.

Since graduating from the aviation management program at Georgian College, she has held diverse, international job experiences with Emirates Airlines, Skyservice Business Aviation and Ornge Air.  As Allison explains, “I learned how to work as an integrated team member with colleagues from a multitude of cultures and backgrounds.”

Two years ago, Allison made the bold decision to transition her career from flight attendant to commercial pilot.  She left her job with Emirates Airlines and enrolled in the Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence program at the Brampton Flight Centre.  She graduated in April of this year and is now flying as First Officer on a Pilatus PC-12 for a corporate operator.  In addition, she fulfills the role as their company Safety Manager.

Allison holds a Master’s Degree in Aviation Management, and can be found on Instagram @pilot.allison and Linkedin.

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 Bachelor’s 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. 

Nour Utayim, who is currently a flight instructor in Montreal Canada had no idea what the future held for her 4 years ago before she came to Canada as a Syrian refugee. A leap, she says, that brought her across the globe and above the stars.

Nour comes from a family of pilots. Both her dad and grandpa were airline captains in her home country Syria, who inspired her to become a pilot at any cost. After realizing her dream was far from being close, she went to study Architectural engineering in Beirut. In 2017 she was selected to be part of the Syrian Refugees Resettlement Initiative in Canada.

Upon her arrival, She started learning French and looking for a job while applying to local universities. It was then she realized that she could finally make her dream come true and she started flight lessons. 6 months later Nour obtained her PPL, had her eyes set on doing the commercial license and the instructor rating. She now enjoys instructing full time and finds a lot of happiness in sharing her passion with student pilots and hopes to become an airline pilot in Canada one day.

Nour can be found on Instagram @nourutayim. 

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 Master’s 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 Women’s 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 you’d 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.

With more than 20 years as an Air Traffic Controller, two years as Nav Canada’s Employer Brand Specialist, an international key-note speaker, and Founder of two not-for-profit organisations, Kendra has unmatched expertise in equity, diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry. She has received many awards and accolades for her ability to turn a dream into reality and make a difference in the industry.

Kendra is also Founder and President of Elevate Aviation where among other things she spends her time public speaking and working to promote the world of aviation to women.

She is the Honorary Colonel of the RCAF 417 Helicopter Squadron who are now affectionately known to her as ‘the Jokers’. 

Kendra can be found on Instagram @kendrakincade_, Elevate Aviation can be found Instagram @elevateaviation and their website https://elevateaviation.ca

Dr. Farah Alibay has been a Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the past seven years. She is currently a system engineer on the Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. She has held a number of tasks on this mission, including testing its mobility system, supporting preparations for surface operations, and now leading tactical shifts during surface operations as well as being the operations interface with the Mars Helicopter technology demonstration: Ingenuity. Ingenuity performed the first powered flight on another planet in April 2021. 

Prior to joining the M2020 team, Dr. Alibay worked on the inSight Mars Lander, as well as its companion: the Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats. 

Dr. Alibay possesses an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of Cambridge in the U.K., and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all in Aerospace Engineering.

Dr. Farah Alibay can be found on Instagram @trifarahtops and on Twitter @farahalibay. Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory can be found on their website, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @nasajpl.

Clarissa Dean’s interest in aviation started while she was enrolled at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. During her studies, she met several students taking the Aviation program through her Weather and Climate class, and from there, she was hooked. 

Initially she began working for Porter Airlines as a Customer Service Representative, and one year later was accepted as flight attendant for the Halifax base in Porter's 45th Flight Attendant class. One year into her dream job, she accepted the challenge of upgrading to an Inflight Purser until the organization’s suspension in March 2020 due to COVID-19. She looks forward to returning to and serving the friendly skies in 2021!

Clarissa can be found on Instagram @cjodean.902

Reilly Henri is a 21 year-old pilot from Kitchener, Ontario who just completed his CPL out of Waterloo Int airport. Reilly began dreaming of being a pilot at age 8 and by 12 years old he joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. After his three years in the cadet program he knew that flying was something he wanted to pursue professionally. He started his flight training at Sault College in 2018 and after a year ended up returning back to Waterloo where he continued his training. Reilly currently works for a medevac operator as an aircraft groomer and hopes to start his career with them before pursuing a flying role at an airline. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Reilly created the “Flare Aviation” podcast which allowed him to stay connected with the aviation community and continue to learn and grow as an aviator. As he moves forward with his training his main goal is to continue learning as much as possible and taking every opportunity to grow into the best pilot he can be.

Reilly and The Flare Aviation Podcast can be found on Instagram @flare_aviation or through his link page (https://instabio.cc/20603OmX59h).

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. 

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 College’s 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 Master’s 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 Canada’s 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 Canada’s Logistics department across the various bases system wide.

Upon Karl’s return to Canada, he concurrently worked to also earn his Commercial Pilot’s 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.

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 didn’t 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 FBO’s 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.

Stuart McAulay has worked as an AME in General Aviation for over 30 years including specific roles as Safety Officer, Service Manager and Director of Maintenance. He has also navigated through years of experiencing various levels of mental illness in the form of anxiety and depression. Despite some personal setbacks, he has also managed to keep his career moving forward while constantly learning and contributing beyond his normal AME duties.

Stuart began to share his thoughts about working through these challenges about 10 years ago and has also considered the reality that the effects of his condition may be common to other AME’s and aviation professionals. This led to a series of articles, presentations and online posts concerning mental health in the aviation workplace and has sparked conversations that may not otherwise have happened. 

Stuart continues to work as the Quality Manager at the Brantford Flight Centre and remains active with the AME Association of Ontario. His mission of educating the aviation community on the importance of mental health and wellness continues to push new boundaries in aircraft maintenance. The AME Association of Ontario can be found on their website (https://ame-ont.com/), Facebook and Twitter @AMEontario and Instagram @ame.ont . The CMHA's BounceBack program is available through their website (https://bounceback.cmha.ca/).

After a twenty-five plus career performing, teaching and conducting classical music, Christine S. Mortine switched from conducting instruments to flying by them! The dust has never settled since she realized aviation needed to be a second career getting her private pilot license. Christine is currently a FAA appointed Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) who continues to slip in dual instruction, especially tailwheel endorsements. Prior to the pandemic, Christine was an AOPA Safety Seminar presenter and Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) instructor. She owns a Cessna 185, which she flies throughout the country, and her newly acquired 8KCAB Super ‘D’ for dual instruction.

Always investing in the GA community, she has served as a board member to local EAA and 99s chapters. She is a current board member of WOSU Public Media, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), and Professional Pilots Association (PPA). Educationally driven, Christine chairs her local 99s Scholarship Committee, is a tailwheel endorsement contributor for the Ladies Love Taildraggers Scholarship, and donates sightseeing flights. Christine has flown for Angel Flights, Young Eagles, and was a Hospice volunteer. One of her favorite volunteer roles is state liaison for the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), which combines her love of the outdoors, hiking, travel, adventure, developing airfields and hanging with other adventurous pilots.

Christine can be found on her website www.christinemortine.com/

Hi All! Thank you for a fabulous first year! Thank you to all of the friends that joined us on the show, and to everyone that tuned in!

By popular request in our DMs, we’re taking a couple minutes to answer a few questions, and have a little fun before taking a few weeks off to get started on our next year of content. Keep an eye on our feed in late January for the start of the next year of shows. 

Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to all!

Laura and Cam.

From a very young age, Brady Parcels has been fascinated with all things transportation. While advancing through the Air Cadet program he developed a keen interest in aviation. By the end of high school, his career choice was solidified. Since then, Brady has completed an integrated CPL and MIFR program in conjunction with a Bachelor of Science from Mount Allison University. He majored in aviation and completed a minor in economics. 

During his flight training, Brady represented the Atlantic provinces while competing in the 2019 Webster Memorial Trophy. After various tests of flying skill and character, he earned the designation of Canada’s Top General Aviation Pilot. Upon completion of his flight training in early 2020, Brady elected to advance from an amateur aviator to a professional and pursued an instructor rating. He has recently been certified as a class IV instructor.

When industry conditions permit, Brady aspires to advance as an instructor and eventually move into the flightdeck of an airliner. While his end goal is the left seat of a large airliner, he would like to experience and learn from the myriad of flight operations that can be found all across the Canadian aviation industry. Brady can be found on Linkedin or on Instagram @br_parcels . The Webster Memorial Trophy Competiton can be found online at www.webstertrophy.ca and on social media @webstertrophy

Janelle’s journey into the exciting world of aviation was entirely a fluke. She had always been interested in travel and adventure, however never considered aviation as a career path. Unbeknownst to her, Janelle’s mom had submitted a job application on her behalf to the Calgary Airport Authority after she graduated high school. After a confusing phone call, she attended the interview, was enthralled by the hustle and bustle of airside, and was offered the job. After a summer at the airport she was hooked! 

Janelle worked for a few more years in her original field of choice, hospitality and events. However, she could not shake the feeling that she belonged in the aviation world. She decided to head back to school, and after applications, acceptance and many program pros and cons lists, she decided on Georgian College. Janelle graduated in 2016 receiving an Advanced Diploma in Aviation Management with Honours. 

Her career in aviation has let her explore many facets of the industry, from airports, to general aviation, to commercial aviation, to private aviation and most recently, the world of rotary aircraft. Janelle’s favourite thing about the industry is the diversity in work and people, and she promises the fast-paced nature of aviation will never leave you bored!

Janelle can be found on Instagram @janellewalters

Kerry McCauley got his inspiration to start flying from his uncle Kerry who was a Navy pilot and Kerry's namesake. At 17 he joined the Army National Guard and became a UH-1H "Huey" helicopter crew chief. Kerry did 12 years in the Guard becoming a winter survival instructor, Air Assault school graduate and was awarded 2 Army commendation medals. In 1986 Kerry got his skydiving license and private pilot's license and within 3 years was a free fall instructor and commercial pilot. In 1990 Kerry was hired by Orient Air and made his first solo trans-Atlantic crossing delivering a small twin-engine plane from Minnesota to Lisbon, Portugal. In 1998 Kerry and his wife Cathy started Skydive Twin Cities which soon became the biggest skydiving school in Minneapolis. Since then, Kerry has made over 20,000 jumps and raised 2 children who are also skydiving instructors.  

In the 30 years since that first trip Kerry has made over 100 ocean crossings, flew over 50 different kinds of aircraft, to over 60 countries and landed in every continent but Antarctica. Kerry's ferry flying career took a new turn when the Discovery Channel hired him to be one of the main characters on their hit TV show "Dangerous Flights" The TV show was a hit and ran for 2 seasons and was slated for a third when an aircraft accident claimed the life of one of the cameramen and the show was cancelled. In July of 2020 Kerry published a memoir about the early days of his career called "Ferry Pilot. Nine lives over the North Atlantic" The book was an instant hit, selling over 4000 copies in 6 months and is currently the number one best seller on Amazon in the aviation category. Kerry is currently finishing up a novel on a Blackhawk crew chief in Afghanistan and working on his second book on ferry flying.  

Kerry can be found on Instagram @ferrypilotbook and his website https://kerrymccauley.com.

Anna Pangrazzi received her Private Pilot Licence in 1977, later completing her commercial licence, and instrument, multi-engine and float ratings. She graduated from York University with a B.A. in Economics in 1985 and completed a degree in Humanities in 2002.

All of this she has done in addition to accumulating extensive flying experience all over Canada and North America as the President and Founder of Apex Aircraft Sales, founded in 1988. Anna also became an agent for the sale of new Cessna Aircraft for Leggat Aviation Inc. in 1996 and would go on to receive the Robert Ames Gold CSTAR Award from Cessna, for Excellence in Retail Sales in 2000 and 2001. More recently, she and Leggat Aviation Ltd. were named the Eastern Canada Sales Representative for the Cessna Caravan.

Anna is a long-time member of the International Organization of Women Pilot’s and The Ninety Nines, continuing to be active in the First Canadian Chapter having held various offices over the years.  She has previously been the Governor of the East Canada Section and also the head of Operation Skywatch: a joint program encompassing the flight monitoring and photographing of land, water and air pollution in Ontario by volunteer pilots of the Ninety-Nines in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment from 1985-1988.

In addition to her numerous professional roles, Anna volunteers her time as Vice-President of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation, an organization formed in 2009 to recognize women who have made significant contributions to Aviation and Aerospace in Canada.

In 2013, Anna received the Governor’s Service Award from the East Canada Section of the Ninety-Nines. In 2014, she was inducted into the Ninety-Nines International Forest of Friendship. She has also been recognized by the 2013 Women’s Courage Awards in the Amelia Earhart category and has been recognized by the Women of Influence organization as a Diversity Champion for her work on the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. She has also previously been Director for the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. 

A member of AOPA, COPA, WIA (Women in Aviation International), WOAW (Women of Aviation Week) and WIA-C (Women in Aerospace – Canada), a Director on the Board for Hope Air, and the current co-chair of Rally for the Cure for the Ewings Cancer Foundation, Anna is busy coordinating events and air rallies across Canada. She lives in Toronto and has one son, Jesse.

The Northern Lights Aero Foundation can be found on their website (https://northernlightsaerofoundation.com/), Instagram @northernlightsaero, and Facebook @northernlightsaero. Apex Aircraft Sales can be found on their website (www.apexaircraft.com), Instagram @apexaircraft and Facebook @apexaircraftsales.  Anna can be found on LinkedIn. 

Welcome to the Holding Short Podcast!

Take a moment to meet us, and learn about this new project. 

Be sure to subscribe and join us as we learn more about the aviation industry, and the people that make it special!

Aaron Doherty has been fascinated by everything associated with the sky above us his entire life, with both flying and learning being at the forefront of his interests. It makes sense then, that once he found himself in aviation he was drawn to instructing as he began working with Harv’s Air. 

Aaron enjoys learning, and brings his enthusiasm for knowledge to his teaching, both in the airplane and on the ground. For him, the teaching aspect of flight training is almost as much fun as flying itself, and his work through PilotTraining.ca and Harv's Air has guided many aviators as they make their journey towards the heavens above.

In fact, Holding Short’s entire production team has been instructed by Aaron through PilotTraining.ca, without ever having been in the same class room! One of the most recognizable ground school instructors in Canada, we are so excited to have him join us!

For more information on courses available through pilottraining.ca, please visit their website (www.pilottraining.ca) or you can find Harv's Air on Facebook @harvsair and Instagram @harvsairschool and Harv's Air Inverted on Facebook and Instagram @Harvsairinverted

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 family’s 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 squadron’s 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!

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. She’s currently completing instrument rating and commercial certificate training. She’s flown over 20 different types of general aviation aircraft and enjoys backcountry flying and long VFR cross countries. She’s 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 AOPA’s social media channels and youtube. Sierra can be found online on Instagram @SierraHarrop, Tiktok @sierraharrop, Twitter @flywithsierra and on Facebook by searching Sierra Harrop.

Emily Wood is an AQP (Advanced Qualification Program) Training Specialist at Air Canada. In her current role she works with a team to ensure all pilots, when passing through their airline training program, obtain training that is responsive to continuous industry change so they can achieve the highest levels of both individual and crew performance.

Emily has her Master’s of Aviation Management from Griffith University where she wrote her final thesis on Human Factors in Flightdeck Automation. This research worked to determine if the advanced technology of flightdeck automation continues to be an effective, beneficial safety tool when increased sophistication of the relationship between the human operator and the technology has, on multiple occasions, proven responsible for aircraft incidents and accidents. 

Outside of work, Emily volunteers as Elevate Aviation’s Mentorship Lead for their Ontario Wing and is passionate about giving those who want a career in aviation the resources and support they need to find success.  Emily can be found on Instagram @e.m.wood 

Taylor Heber currently flies a Beechcraft 1900 in some of the most remote areas of Alaska. Prior to aviation, she started out in medical devices sales for spinal implants and has since traded her heels and scrubs for xtra tuffs.

Taylor flies for a Part 135 operation where they fuel their own aircraft, load and unload the cargo, and regularly hit 14 hour duty days. She admits it is not always the most glamorous type of flying you can sometimes find on social media, but that the experience is unlike anything else. 

She has recently begun a blog ( https://tayloredapproach.com)and Instagram account, @taylored.approach, to showcase this part of the industry and encourage others to consider this type of flying.

Episode 43 is out today with guest Karly Barker!

​​As the daughter of an original 'Super Commuter', the aviation bug hit early for Karly Barker. Growing up, she was able to watch float planes and water bombers touch down on the lake at her childhood home, as well as attend the Shearwater International Airshow year after year. As a teenager, she tweaked an overseas flight reservation just to 'fly on the Queen of the Skies'.

As a creative, during her time studying in Visual Arts and Graphic Design, Karly set her goals early on to become a visual storyteller utilising her skills in design and photography, and to work her way into the aviation industry. 

Starting with illustrating aircraft as a hobby, she invested in a super-telephoto lens and began photographing aircraft. Today, she regularly photographs aircraft and operations for the PAL Group of Companies. At the time of recording Karly worked as a marketing designer at CarteNav, a PAL Aerospace company. We'd like to congratulate Karly on her new position with Air Canada as a Senior Designer and Art Director. 

Karly can be found on instagram @Karliaa, twitter @karliaa_b, and on linkedin. 

Entering the world in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Renée Dupont-Adam had her first flight over the mountain ranges with her dad at the age of 3 weeks old and from there, she was hooked!  Always being a self-proclaimed daddy’s girl, she wanted to follow in his footsteps. Her father, Gordon Dupont, is the  inventor of the Dirty Dozen and lovingly known as “the father of the Dirty Dozen”; as such, Renée takes great pride in being the “sister of the Dirty Dozen”.

The Dirty Dozen is a list of preconditions that can cause any of us to make the error(s) we never intend to make. They are: Complacency, Distraction, Fatigue, Pressure, Stress, Norms, Lack of Communication, Lack of Knowledge, Lack of Teamwork, Lack of Resources, Lack of Assertiveness, and Lack of Awareness.

Renée spent her whole life involved in aviation, from holding a private pilot licence to presenting the First World Conference on Maintenance Errors and Their Prevention. She held the position of Editor for “Ground Effects” on behalf of MARSS (Maintenance and Ramp Safety Society), ran PAMEA (Pacific Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association) and in 2008 joined her father at System Safety Services, becoming their CEO in 2020.

Currently Renée continues to facilitate workshops all over the world in the interest of furthering safety awareness, and helping engineers and companies develop “Safety Nets” to lessen the occurrence of making the mistakes they don’t intend to make. Renée and the team at System Safety are best contacted through their website at https://www.system-safety.com/.