Sky Wings is located in Springbrook, near the Red Deer Regional Airport. (Google Maps)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers

Province announces 14 recipients of $5 million aviation investment

Aug 22, 2023 | 1:26 PM

Recipients of dollars from the UCP’s $5 million investment in the aviation industry through the Aviation Skills Grant have been announced.

The grant’s first intake accepted applicants this past spring, with recipients receiving up to $30,000 per trainee to help offset costs for new or vacant positions.

The province says more than half of requested training is for pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers. These are key in-demand occupations for the industry, they say.

“Alberta’s aviation industry is soaring to new heights and the province is well on its way to becoming Canada’s next aviation hub,” says Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade. “Funding delivered through the Aviation Skills Grant will help Alberta’s aviation employers access the skills and talent they need to grow their businesses and support vitality in the sector.”

Adds Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors and MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, the investment is important given the fact Alberta is a landlocked province.

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“Investing in our aerospace industry is key to developing economic corridors, expanding market access and to helping create local jobs,” says Dreeshen. “That’s why we are providing $4.6 million to support community airports through the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program. These investments, along with the Aviation Skills Grant, demonstrate our government’s commitment to growing Alberta’s aviation sector.”

Fourteen employers have been selected for the grant, with another intake in the fall. They are as follows:

Air Spray (1967) Ltd. – Red Deer

Air Spray (1967) Ltd. provides critical air tanker and air attack aircraft to aid in the control of wildfires that affect communities and surrounding forests. They will receive up to $232,228 for pilot and maintenance training for multiple aircraft types in their fleet. They will train an estimated 45 pilots and aircraft mechanics/aircraft inspectors for unfilled and new positions.

Sky Wings Aviation Academy Ltd. – Red Deer

Sky Wings Aviation Academy Ltd. is a flight training provider offering training for private or commercial pilots licences, based out of Red Deer. They will receive up to $11,100 to conduct aircraft type training for one existing employee for an unfilled flight instructor position.

1263343 Alberta Inc. DBA Lynx Air – Calgary

Lynx Air is an ultra low-cost commercial flight provider headquartered in Calgary. They will conduct initial cabin crew, flight crew (ground school) and operations duty manager training. They will receive up to $300,000 to train an estimated 310 new and existing employees to fill new and unfilled pilot positions; purser (cabin crew manager) and flight attendant positions; and air traffic controller (and related) positions.

Adventure Aviation Inc. – Grande Prairie

Adventure Aviation Inc. is a flight school and chartered flight provider located in Grande Prairie. They will receive up to $46,690 to provide pilot training for 2 existing employees for unfilled first officer positions.

Bristow Instruments (1977) Ltd. – Sherwood Park

Bristow Instruments (1977) Ltd. has been active in the aircraft instrument and accessory sales and service field since 1955, offering services for both rotorcraft and fixed wing aircraft. They will receive up to $242,841 to develop and conduct aviation equipment maintenance training, as well as aviation and aerospace manager training. They will train an estimated 22 aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians, inspectors and service managers for unfilled and new positions.

Calgary Flying Club – Calgary

Calgary Flying Club runs a professional flight training school providing training for private pilot to airline transport pilot licensing. They will receive up to $279,690 to conduct aircraft type training for an estimated 20 new and existing employees for unfilled and new flight instructor positions.

Can-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd. – Grande Prairie

CanWest offers a variety of air ambulance, charter and maintenance services at bases across Alberta. They will receive up to $300,000 to conduct aircraft type training for an estimated 36 new and existing employees for unfilled and new pilot positions.

Edmonton Flying Club – Edmonton

Edmonton Flying Club operates an advanced fleet of aircraft and provides flight training at all levels from recreational to commercial and multi-instrument rated, career-ready pilots. They will receive up to $80,000 to conduct aircraft type training for an estimated 5 new and existing employees for unfilled and new flight instructor positions.

Flair Airlines Ltd. – Edmonton

Flair Airlines Ltd. is an ultra low-cost commercial flight provider headquartered in Edmonton. They will receive up to $297,489 to conduct aviation safety auditing and investigation, flight attendant, flight operations, aircraft maintenance and aircraft type training. They will train an estimated 100 new and existing employees to fill new and unfilled positions, including engineering inspectors and regulatory offices; mechanical engineers; transportation route and crew schedulers; air traffic controller (and related occupations); aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors; pursers and flight attendants; and aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors.

Kenn Borek Air Ltd. – Calgary

Kenn Borek Air Ltd. offers charter flight services, aircraft management services, aircraft maintenance and aircraft and parts sales. They will receive up to $297,076 to conduct aircraft type training for an estimated 25 new and existing employees for unfilled and new pilot positions.

Klarenbach Aviation Ltd. – Calgary

Klarenbach Aviation Ltd. Is an aircraft maintenance organization for private aircraft owners and commercial operators. They will receive up to $156,625 to conduct aircraft maintenance training for an estimated 5 existing employees for unfilled aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspector positions.

Synergy Aviation Ltd. – Villeneuve

Synergy Aviation Ltd. provides aerial surveillance and pipeline integrity monitoring, specialized geomatics, remote pilot operators, chartered flights, tours and helicopter flight school. They will receive up to $86,875 to conduct aircraft type training and aircraft maintenance training for an estimated 12 existing employees for new pilot and aviation maintenance engineer positions.

West Wind Airspray Ltd. – Lethbridge

West Wind Airspray Ltd. is based out of Lethbridge and provides agriculture and forestry air spraying services, including fungicide application, insecticide application and desiccating (an agricultural process to remove moisture) for the Southern Alberta region. They will receive up to $30,000 to conduct aircraft type training for one new employee for a new pilot position.

WestJet – Calgary

WestJet, headquartered in Calgary, is Canada’s second largest airline, operating a fleet of over 180 aircraft and flying to more than 110 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. They will receive up to $3,000,000 to conduct aircraft maintenance, flight attendant, airport agent and aircraft type training. They will train an estimated 1,151 new and existing employees to fill new and unfilled positions for aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics; technicians and inspectors; pursers and flight attendants; airline ticket and service agents; and pilots.

More about the Aviation Skills Grant is at alberta.ca.