Today, Ian and I went out to Springbank Airport, where Mount Royal University was having an Aviation Day. It was the first such event that they have held, and was meant to raise awareness for both their Aviation Diploma and Bachelor of Aviation Management programs. We asked questions and learned lots, and had some takeaways to work on.
It started last night with our two-ish hour wait for Miranda’s takeoff. While we were watching the planes land with Ian, the conversation turned to how to become a commercial pilot. Ian has been playing Microsoft Flight Simulator regularly on his PC over the last year or so. Tammy, who was in the car keeping warm, found the Aviation Day thing on the MRU website and asked if we would like her to sign Ian and I up. Normally, Saturday morning would mean a club ride, but with my lungs still full of phlegm we didn’t have other plans.
MRU maintains a hangar out at the Springbank Airport (YBW), and all practical aviation training happens out there. The course work is done at the MRU campus, which is on the south side of Calgary.
Considering the weather we’ve been having, it was a nice day to be outside. One of the first things we did was start a conversation with two young ladies who were students in the Aviation Diploma. They were happy to answer questions and talk about their experiences and then show us around the airplanes. Neither of them came from “flying” backgrounds: one was actually planning to be a flight attendant and changed her plans, and the other signed up because she was interested and pilots are in demand.
There were booths for all of the local airlines (including Westjet) and other local aviation organizations. The faculty for MRU got up on stage and gave a 1/2 hour presentation on the programs. Ian was taking notes. Then we lined up to ask a couple more questions of the academic counsellor who spoke. There were quite a few “parent(s) with a child in tow” like me and Ian.
There was a lot of information for someone like me who’d never really looked into this before. The Aviation Diploma ends up with a commercial pilot’s license including multi-engine rating. A prerequisite for it is a personal pilot’s license, but only about 50% of applicants have one. If they do not, then the two year diploma is stretched out to about three years. The Bachelor’s degree is a business degree that builds on the Aviation Diploma, adding the business aspects of aviation to the practical elements. A student can go back and add the degree up to eight years after getting the diploma.
Some of the key points:
- It is a competitive academic program, and good grades in core Grade 12 classes are required
- There is no “guaranteed job” right out of graduation, although MRU has placement programs with local airlines. Many graduates have other goals in commercial aviation.
So, what did Ian think of all this? He liked it, and was more excited about it leaving than entering. I think it might have been the first time that grade percentages were more than just a number to him: he saw that they might make the difference between him doing what he wanted or not. He didn’t put on an attitude when talking to the young female students (we raised him well!) and asked questions. The funny thing is that with all his simulator time, he was able to list differences between the Cessna he sat in and the one in the game. He was surprised at how compact a real plane is.
Will this turn into something? Who knows. But this was the first time that a career day event with Ian wasn’t like pulling teeth. 😀
