Airport event aims to encourage aviation careers

A lot of people know about the airport, but they don’t really know about the other businesses. CAROLINE ROSE Flight Centre marketing manager

At the annual Aviation Fun Day at the Region of Waterloo International Airport this weekend, there will be a prevailing theme: promoting careers in the industry.

Airport general manager Chris Wood says one of the main themes for the 2018 event is promoting interest in aviation, which he says is struggling as an industry.

“We are adding in the importance of careers in aviation this year. Our goal is to try and educate as many people as possible about all the great careers available in the aviation industry,” said Wood.

“It’s a big problem, one that the industry is facing, and we’re trying to get people interested and get that spark and, hopefully, they choose a career in aviation when they’re older.”

The fourth annual Aviation Fun Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 25) at the airport.

Last year, about 4,000 took in the activities.

Planes and helicopters as well as other static equipment will be on display, and exhibits will be set up by Cadet Youth Development,

Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre, Region of Waterloo International Airport Terminal Building, and Apron Four.

This year, the flight centre has added a “passport” where visitors can enter a draw for a sightseeing flight, visiting several spots at the Fun Day, said Caroline Rose, the marketing manager at the flight centre. The draw is intended to promote education about aviation.

“It’s just a real great opportunity to highlight everything that’s going on at the terminal,” said Rose. “A lot of people know about the airport, but they don’t really know about the other businesses. It’s a real good opportunity for us to show that we do flight training. A lot of people are interested in becoming pilots or just getting involved with aviation.”

Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre, which partners with Conestoga College and University of Waterloo for their aviation programs, will also offer a $120 scenic plane ride.

Great Lakes Helicopters will be conducting rides. Adam Tastula, a pilot at Great Lakes, says the reason they got involved with Fun Day was to be part of the airport community as a whole.

Tastula has been flying helicopters since 2004, and likes the versatility flying a helicopter allows, including the ability to land almost anywhere.

Great Lakes, which will also have a display at Fun Day, runs flight schools for potential helipilots.

“I think we’re all interested in potential students, but that’s not our main goal. Our goal there is to offer rides and make it fun for the kids. We know it’s a kid-oriented event, so we’re not there to push the flight school hard.”