Aviation Club's trip to airport informs potential career paths

Eleven boys from UCC Aviation Club visited facilities at Billy Bishop Airport at downtown Toronto on March 1.
Compared to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Billy Bishop Airport is not as large, but the boys soon realized how busy it is with everything from maintenance, firefighting, to wildlife and air ambulances. Inside the airport, the boys learned about maintenance and gained an appreciation for the airport firefighters. As a highlight of the trip, the boys met Owen Peterson, one of the captains at Ornge, an air ambulance organization, to learn about helicopters and air-ambulance services. Spending two hours beside four air-ambulance helicopters, the boys explored Peterson’s job, from sitting inside the cockpit to witnessing a take-off.
 
Aircraft look small but they still carry passengers; helicopters are small but they are essential to save lives. The biggest takeaway for the boys is that the size doesn’t restrict how an airport operates safely and places safety first. When it comes to saving lives, the Ornge pilots chase every minute of time.

“I learned the difficult reality of being a helicopter pilot especially with medical patients on board,” says Mackenzie Lo after the trip. 
 
Toronto offers us iconic views of the Lake of Ontario, but also busy and beautiful views of the sky. The boys would like to thank everyone at Billy Bishop Airport who guided the trip, especially Peterson and the Ornge facilities. 
 
“As we prepare to step into the aviation careers, we constantly enrich ourselves with more knowledge and experience from the community we live in,” says Billy Shi, head of Aviation Club.

-Billy Shi
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