Simulated flights feel like real deal

James Thom
Wawatay News
Natalie Beaver found peace in the skies of Thunder Bay.
Beaver, 13, from Summer Beaver was one of the two dozen youth participating in Pimesaywii Apitamahkaywin 2011, the fourth annual Wasaya Airways Aviation Camp July 4-8.
But the flight Beaver spoke of wasn’t in a real aircraft. It was on a simulator, so real students could fly over their home communities, land at the local airports and even fly by their favourite island fishing spots.
“I felt so powerful being in control of the plane,” Beaver said. “But it was really peaceful, looking around and sightseeing.”
Seeing as she was an amateur pilot, it was no surprise their were a few mishaps during her simulated flights.
“If I crashed, I would freak out,” she said, letting out a quiet chuckle.
Both Beaver and Wunnumin Lake’s Darcey Sainnawap joined the summer camp to get a better understanding of the aviation industry.
“I definitely want to learn a lot more about planes,” Sainnawap said. “I want to work in this industry. But I’m not sure what my career path will be.”
After several days at the camp, Bearskin Lake’s Shayne McKay decided he wanted to be a pilot.
“After being here and seeing all the different options in the industry, I know I want to be a pilot,” he said.
He said the camp was definitely a learning experience.
“The things we learned were really interesting,” he said. “I didn’t know you used the flaps to turn the plane. I thought you just pressed a button when you needed to turn.”
Confederation College Aviation Centre of Excellence (ACE) aviation student Larissa Doyle was the daytime coordinator of the program.
“I think this is a fantastic camp,” Doyle, coordinating the program for the first time, said. “I’ve had fun just being the coordinator. I’m sure the youth have had a great experience.”
Doyle said she and the coordinators tried to set up new, different and exciting activities for youth who attend year after year.
The youth toured the Ornge hangar and were given the opportunity to use state-of-the-art paramedic training dummies.
Ornge is an emergency air transport paramedic unit.
“The dummy has a pulse, you intubate it and you have to keep it breathing,” Doyle said. “It was a great experience.”
During the camp, Wasaya pilot Josh St. Cyr also addressed the youth about careers at Wasaya.
Other activities including an egg drop, flights around Thunder Bay in Cesna 172 planes, paper airplane competitions, tours of the Wasaya businesses, bottle rocket launches, building model planes and the history of aircraft.