The commercial pilot program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic is soaring to new heights with a cutting-edge addition to the program that could help address the pilot shortage in Saskatchewan.
The school hopes the a new high-tech flight simulator will help students land their dream job after they graduate.
First-year commercial pilot student Laura Hollinda relocated from Manitoba to pursue her dream.
“Being a pilot is what I wanted to be. I love to operate. I like to be in control, and so if I can give back and pursue that as a career, that would be amazing,” she told CTV News.
Hollinda is in her first year of the program, and this new cutting-edge flight simulator is giving her invaluable experience.
“It improves our skills that we can develop all the way from single engine to commercial aircraft. So, the advanced situations like emergency procedures that we can train in are phenomenal,” she said.
This is the second simulator at Sask. Polytech, but this one is more realistic and higher-tech.
“Look at it. I mean, it’s pretty amazing. It can give you any type of scenario that you want. Any failure, and go anywhere you want,” said Graeme Bank, a pilot program student.
Students can experience simulated landings and takeoffs from airports around the world since there are many different scenarios when it comes to runways.
“Some runways are shorter, narrower which means different illusions for the students to experience, but they can do it all in the safety of a simulator before they experience it in real life,” said Reed Willison, commercial pilot program head at Sask. Polytech.
Many newly graduated pilots get their first jobs with smaller companies that fly to northern areas. This machine allows them to practice landing on those runways as well.
“We can put them into all sorts of weather conditions where they can be flying when there’s rain or snow clouds,” he said.
A fire emergency can even be simulated, with smoke filling the cockpit.
“The average school doesn’t have this type of technology, so it definitely gives us an advantage for sure,” Bank said.
Funding for the simulator came from the federal government’s PrairiesCan fund to help address the pilot shortage in Saskatchewan by increasing enrollment in the program.
