MFC’s Alumnus of the Month  –  Chris Thomas

Feb 1, 2012
I grew up in rural Nova Scotia and like many young boys, I played with model airplanes and sometimes dreamed of becoming a pilot. It wasn’t until I joined the Air Cadets in 1986 that I seriously became interested in learning how to fly. The summer before my 16th birthday I went for my first glider ride in Greenwood, Nova Scotia and was hooked – I loved the sensation of flying and the chance to get a bird’s eye view of the world.

In 1988, I was given the opportunity to learn how to fly gliders for six weeks in Debert, Nova Scotia. As it turned out, my very first flight instructor was none other than Graham Shepard, currently an instructor at MFC! The following summer I received a flying scholarship with the Air Cadets to get my Private Pilot’s License in Shearwater, Nova Scotia with a number of the friends I had met the previous summer flying gliders. (Coincidently, my uncle Jack Livingstone received his Private Pilot License through the Air Cadets in the 60’s on a Fleet Canuck at MFC).

After I graduated high school in 1989 I attended university in Cape Breton where I often found myself sitting next to the library window, watching planes land at the Sydney airport when I should have been studying. I realized that what I really wanted to do was to fly airplanes for a living. Since money was a bit tight, I applied to the Canadian Armed Forces for pilot training and was accepted for the Regular Officer Training Program in the early 90’s. At the time, I really wanted to fly helicopters for the armed forces and ironically I have never been in one to this day! Unfortunately, there were budget cuts to the military and I was placed in a pool of prospective candidates. After nearly two years without a call, I realized I would probably have to take matters into my own hands.

I got a loan from the bank and enrolled at the Aviation Career Academy in Sydney, Nova Scotia. I finished my Commercial Pilot License in the summer of 1993 and my instructor rating in the spring of 1994. In June I got my first flying job with Av World at McEwen’s Airfield in Moncton, where I taught Air Cadets how to fly Cessna 150’s. On the weekends, I used to volunteer at Skydive Moncton to build hours – I even tried it myself a couple of times but preferred to be in the driver’s seat.

From there I took a number of jobs in Atlantic Canada as an instructor and as a charter pilot before landing a position at MFC in 1997. I was excited to join the oldest and largest flight training centre in the region, and while teaching took the opportunity to get my Multi-Engine Instrument Rating. After three great years in Moncton, I received a job offer from Air Nunavut in Iqaluit, Nunavut to fly a Piper Navajo and a King Air 200.

With my warmest gear packed, I made my way up north and started piloting charter flights between the tiny communities of the High Arctic, including small towns on the west coast of Greenland and in northern Quebec. I saw amazing scenery, including polar bears, icebergs and the northern lights. I flew single pilot on the Navajo and it was the aircraft in which I got my first oceanic clearance, going across to Greenland. Air Nunavut purchased a Falcon 10 a year after I arrived in Iqaluit and I got my first jet experience there. It was a memorable day the first time I went above 30,000 feet at Mach .80. After a couple of years of watching companies cold-weather-test their airplanes outside of my hangar, I decided to apply to warmer operations to thaw out for a while!

Four years after I arrived in Iqaluit, I started my journey from minus 50 to plus 50 with a job at Jetport in Hamilton, Ontario, flying an Astra Jet (now called the Gulfstream 100). Charter work took me all over North America and the Caribbean. Tim Horton’s used Jetport to staff their newly purchased Astra Jet so I was living every Maritimer’s dream with a job that gave me a discount at Timmy’s!

I moved from Hamilton back to the Maritimes after one year to join Canjet and fly my first airliner, the Boeing 737 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. When Canjet briefly ceased operations after my first year, I made my way back to Ontario for a job at Skyservice Airlines in Toronto flying the Airbus 320. I spent the winter flying holiday charters in Canada and in the summer I went to Cardiff, Wales for six months to fly holiday charters to Spain, Greece, Turkey and Portugal.

I had kept my application active with Emirates Airline and with my hours finally accumulating to the minimums required, I was called for an interview in early 2008. I got the job with Emirates in May 2008 and by the summer, I was training in Germany for the right seat of the Airbus 330. I’ve been on the Airbus fleet since joining the company and have earned my type ratings on the 340-300 and A340-500 on the way to flying the 380, which I’ve been flying for the last six months.

The 380 is an impressive aircraft and flying it takes me all over the world. I do, however, still look back very fondly on my days flying smaller planes and the experiences I had with the friends I made along the way.

• Flying Scholarship with Air Cadets in 1988 for Glider License in Debert, NS

• Flying Scholarship with Air Cadets in 1989 for Private Pilot License in Shearwater, NS

• Commercial Pilot License 1993 Aviation Career Academy in Sydney, NS

• Instructor Rating 1994 Aviation Career Academy Sydney, NS

• Instructed at Av World in 1994 at McEwen Airfield Moncton, NB

• Instructed and flew Fire Patrol at A.G. Aviation in 1995 Charlo, NB

• Instructed at Strait Flying in 95/96 Charlottetown, PEI

• Instructed and flew Fire Patrol at A.G. Aviation in 1996 Charlo, NB

• Instructed at Aviation Career Academy in 96/97 Halifax, NS

•  Instructor at the Moncton Flight College 1997-2000

• Operations Manager / Charter Pilot at Air Nunavut, in Iqaluit, Nunavut 2000-2004

• Charter Pilot at Jetport, 2004-2005 Hamilton Ontario

• First Officer Canjet 2005-2006 Halifax NS

• First Officer Skyservice 2006-2008 Toronto, Ontario

• First Officer Emirates 2008-Present Dubai, UAE

Sennheiser Continues its Support of Historic Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, Awarding Scholarship to Moncton Flight College

Thursday December 8th 2011 - Sennheiser

Montreal – December 6, 2011 – Aviation headset manufacturer Sennheiser announced that it has awarded Moncton Flight College with a flight scholarship gift of $3,000 in support of the 2011 Webster Memorial Trophy Competition. Sennheiser presented the check during a banquet ceremony at the Air Transport Association of Canada’s (ATAC) annual meeting, which was held in Montreal last month. The Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, which is sponsored by Air Canada – Flight Operations, is committed to declaring the “Top Amateur Pilot in Canada” each year and was established in 1932.

Sennheiser has been an active supporter of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition for 12 years, and has provided the scholarship for two years. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to the flight school that provides the most qualified applicants to the competition. This year, Moncton Flight College of New Brunswick had no less than 18 pilots apply for the contest, which is renowned as one of the oldest and most prestigious flight competitions in the world. Moncton Flight College has a strong heritage of its own, having been in operation since 1929: three years before the competition began.

“The Webster Memorial Trophy Competition is more relevant today than ever before,” said Tim Mell, business director, Sennheiser Aviation. “Sennheiser is proud to be doing our part by promoting excellence in flight training and piloting skills, and we are pleased to support flight schools who are committed to strengthening their own programs by participating in this competition.”

The winning pilot, Kevin Aalders from Centennial Flight Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, was crowned in August and presented with a Sennheiser S1 Digital Aviation headset. The S1 headset — considered to be best in class by many pilots — features fully adaptive digital noise cancellation through Sennheiser’s patented NoiseGard™ / digital technology. “We want the winner of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition to be flying with the world’s best headset,” Mell said.

Amy Foy, national administrator of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, commented: “We would like to extend our congratulations to Moncton Flight College on receiving the Sennheiser scholarship, and we thank Sennheiser for its steadfast support and generous donations over the past dozen years. This year’s competition was the very best, reflecting the passion and interest of all who participated.”

For more information on the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, please contact Tim Mell ( tmell@sympatico.ca).

ABOUT SENNHEISER

The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The company is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and mobility).

PHOTO: Tim Mell, business director of Sennheiser Aviation, presents a scholarship check of $3,000 to Moncton Flight College CEO Mike Tilly

Nov. 4, 2011

FREDERICTON (CNB) – An agreement to train Chinese pilots to commercial licence standards has been signed by the Moncton Flight College and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

‪Economic Development Minister Paul Robichaud participated in the signing ceremony in Beijing, China. The contract, valued at $7 million, is for training services to be provided by the college in 2012.

"This signing ceremony between the Moncton Flight College and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics is another symbol of our strong working relationship with China," said Robichaud. "This contract marks the fourth agreement between a leading New Brunswick flight college and a world-renowned Chinese university, which clearly demonstrates New Brunswick companies can do business with China."

‪Robichaud is leading six New Brunswick companies, including the Moncton Flight College, on a trade mission to Beijing and Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province. The trade mission ends Nov. 6.

"We are pleased to have signed a new contract with Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics,” said Mike Tilley, chief executive officer, Moncton Flight College. “The Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics is an important client for the Moncton Flight College. We look forward to welcoming the 30th class of students from the university to New Brunswick this January.

“The Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics has been a tremendous supporter of the college during the last five years. New Brunswick is well-suited for flight training for a variety of reasons, including our wide open spaces, high-quality airport infrastructure, four seasons and talented training team."

‪The college received approval to train Chinese commercial pilots from the Civil Aviation Authority of China in 2006. The college has the largest quota among the 27 foreign flight schools approved by the Chinese government.

‪Since 2006, more than 700 Chinese students have graduated from the college’s campuses in Moncton and Fredericton. The college has provided training for numerous Chinese airlines, including Air China, Air China Cargo, China Eastern, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and SF Airlines.

‪"This ceremony marks the second signing during our successful mission to China," said Robichaud. "The results we are seeing from this mission demonstrate New Brunswick's world-class industries can conduct business with China."

‪04-11-11

‪MEDIA CONTACTS:
Bruce Macfarlane, Communications New Brunswick,
506-444-4606.

‪Mike Tilley, chief executive officer, Moncton Flight College,
506-647-2821.

CANLink Aviation Inc. concluded the acquisition of the operating assets of the Moncton Flying Club on Friday, April 8, 2011.  CANLink will continue operations at both Moncton and Fredericton campus locations under the trade name, Moncton Flight College ("MFC").  The acquisition included the purchase of 18 aircraft and 6 flight training devices bringing the total fleet size to 40 aircraft.  Customer contracts and operating certificate approvals have been assigned as part of the transaction. 

CANLink employs 113 total staff in New Brunswick today which includes flight instructors, maintenance engineers, dispatchers, department managers, finance and executive management.  Staff requirements will fluctuate depending on the number of students enrolled in the various programs.  MFC’s in-house instructor program will provide a steady flow of new line instructors to accommodate expected growth in the business.  CANLink has been a partner with MFC since 2005 and opened a successful pilot training campus as a franchised business of MFC in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 2007.

Mike Tilley, CEO of CANLink Aviation, is pleased to have the deal concluded.  “The last 6-weeks were extremely busy working on the acquisition while also running the operation.  Now that the deal is closed, we look forward to positioning MFC for future opportunities and long term success.  MFC has a positive reputation and long training history in both the domestic and international market.  We thank MFC’s corporate customers, students, and staff for their support during the transition and look forward to working with them as we move ahead.”

MFC will continue to be a leading flight school provider in Canada and market its products to individual students and corporate clients throughout the world.  Locations such as India, South America, Eastern Europe and South East Asia have increasing demands for new pilots that will be better explored through business development efforts.  Relationships with corporate clients such as CAE, Mount Allison University, and various Chinese airlines will carry on into the future.

China will remain a key market for MFC as demand continues to soar.  Despite the recent worldwide economic downturn, China’s demand for new aircraft and new pilots to crew them shows remarkable growth.  CAAC projections include 1.5 billion passenger trips a year by 2030, which will make China the largest air transport market in the world.  Earnings for Chinese Airlines reached record highs in 2010, and are expected to be higher in 2011.

CANLink’s pilot training business will continue to attract and employ the industry’s best trainers and will differentiate itself in the global market by focusing on safety, customer value, and high training standards. CANLink will continue to diversify its overall business by addressing global requirements in high value aviation services.

The 2010 DCAM Flight Instructor Safety Award was presented by the founders, Jane & Rikki Abramson, to Mr. William Sutherland, Manager of Corporate Safety & Quality of Moncton Flight College at Air Transport Association of Canada’s AGM & Convention held in Vancouver.

It goes this year to a young man whose achievements so far and whose potential shine full of promise as a beacon for the future of Canadian air safety.

His strong leadership, integrity, technical competence and commitment to excellence played a significant role for Moncton Flight College’s approval process to be the first flight training approved training organization in Canada, which was required in order for MFC & partner CAE, to conduct the first Multi-Crew Pilot License training in North America.

His expertise was also sought by CAE, in the certification of their second training site, in Dallas, Texas.

Sponsors of this prestigious award are Air Canada, Air Transport Association of Canada, Canada Aviation & Space Museum, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, Canadian Association of Aviation Colleges, Essential Turbines, Flight Safety Canada, Seneca College, Sennheiser Canada, Wings & Helicopters Magazines.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 14, 2010 – (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) – CAE today announced at the Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium (APATS) that the 12 Air Asia cadets in CAE`s Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL) beta program class have successfully completed the Core and Basic phases of the program at CAE Global Academy member Moncton Flight College (MFC) in Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada.

The Intermediate phase of the CAE MPL program will now be conducted at the CAE SimuFlite training centre in Dallas. In early 2011, the cadets are expected to enter the Advanced phase at CAE`s training centre in Toronto, Canada. At the conclusion of the 14-month beta program, which began in March, graduates are expected to receive an MPL license from Transport Canada and authority from the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCAM). The MPL license will be granted following the takeoff and landing phase of training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Graduates will then enter sponsoring airline AirAsia`s initial operating experience (IOE) program for Airbus A320 First Officers.

"This group of MPL cadets and instructors has met or exceeded all expectations, and they are to be commended for their passion and dedication to become airline pilots," said Jeff Roberts, CAE’s Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. "Their success thus far is also testament to the true competency-based learning management system developed by CAE`s training solutions experts and the rigorous MPL framework of Transport Canada."

All of the cadets successfully performed solo cross-country flights after an average of 27 hours of simulated and aircraft flight training. The 12 cadets all soloed within two flying days of each other, indicating a consistent pace of learning among the group.

Thus far, the cadets have learned theoretical knowledge and practical skills which include: basic aviation skills, airmanship, multi-crew operations and crew resource management, threat and error management, upset recovery procedures, airline standard operating procedures, instrument procedures, instrument flight rules and night operations.

"The cadets are right where we expected them to be," said Walter Visser, CAE Vice President and leader of the CAE Global Academy. "The diligent effort our team put into designing the CAE MPL program, the selection process, our blended learning approach, and the students` dedication to learning are proving to be very effective in achieving the competency benchmarks CAE and Transport Canada established for the program."

The CAE program is the first application of an MPL program to adhere to new performance-based Approved Training Organization (ATO) certification requirements developed by Transport Canada. The program is designed to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for the MPL license.

The CAE Global Academy is the world’s largest network of ab-initio flight training organizations. The network includes 11 campuses on five continents with a capacity for training up to 1,800 student pilots annually. The CAE Global Academy flight schools are located in Perth, Australia; Brussels, Belgium; Douala, Cameroon; Moncton, Canada; Gondia and Rae Bareli, India; Langkawi, Malaysia; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Evora, Portugal; and Phoenix and San Diego in the United States. Together with CAE`s worldwide network of type-rating training centres, CAE Global Academy students can achieve – with a single, capable and credible company -- all of the training and licensing required to become a professional airline pilot, as well as retaining and upgrading their skills and qualifications throughout their career.

CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies and integrated training solutions for the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. With annual revenues exceeding C$1.5 billion, CAE employs more than 7,500 people at more than 100 sites and training locations in more than 20 countries. We have the largest installed base of civil and military full-flight simulators and training devices. Through our global network of 29 civil aviation and military training centres, we train more than 75,000 crew members yearly. We also offer modelling and simulation software to various market segments, and through CAE’s professional services division we assist customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs.

MFC is proud to have one of its own take the front page of Progress Magazine...follow link to read article

We asked Sally what role MFC has played with her successes.

"When I had the opportunity to attend MFC in 2005 for the Air Cadet Power Pilot Scholarship Course, I was thrilled! Because of the amazing experience I had, I chose to attend MFC that following fall to pursue my Commercial Pilot License. MFC made it easy for me to pursue my goals with my degree as well, other places weren`t comparable.

Going to both MFC and Mount Allison (MTA) has definitely been one of the best choices I`ve made, it`s  been an incredible experience. The new partnership with MTA will be a great success, and I`m excited to see it take off. The support that I have had from instructors, Admin staff and friends I`ve met has been above and beyond what I ever expected. No regrets.

Thank you Sally...MFC wishes you all the best as your career unfolds

Carter Grasse has been interested in aircraft and aviation for as long as he can remember.

When he was younger, he said he spent time hanging around airports, just to look around and be near airplanes. He was also interested in the mechanical side of things, making aircraft maintenance engineering the ideal career path for him to follow.

"I can't remember when I didn't have a lot of interest in aviation," he said. "I used to skydive and I got my pilot's licence when I was in high school; I trained at what used to be the Fredericton Flying Club."

Grasse is the maintenance manager for the Moncton Flight College's Fredericton campus. He's responsible for a team of engineers and maintenance workers who ensure the school's 22 planes are running smoothly and are safe for the pilots-in-training who use them daily.

When Grasse got into the industry, he worked as an apprentice for three years, and then passed Transport Canada's aircraft maintenance engineer written examination.
Nowadays, he said most new aircraft maintenance engineers go to school, where they take a two-year training program followed by a two-year apprenticeship.

As a maintenance manager, Grasse oversees the various engineers and staff who work at the flight college. He said engineers could run into a wide range of situations, and there's a lot of variation in the type of work they do from one day to the next.

"On a typical day, an aircraft maintenance engineer could do a tire change, schedule inspections or maybe run into a potential engine change. Aircraft are due for inspection every 50 flight hours or so. With larger aircraft, they'll be inspected about every 200 hours.

"Besides doing regular inspections, there are always snags they could run into. It could be that a battery isn't charging or a propeller has to be replaced. There can be quite a range of things that an engineer does."

Grasse said aircraft maintenance engineers must keep a written record of everything they do. While it's always been important for workers in the field to be mechanically inclined, he said that, as technology evolves, engineers also need to have good computer skills.

He said it's also imperative that they have excellent judgment.

"You're dealing with parts that cost from $20 to $20,000," he said.

"You have to have an appreciation for that, but also, when you're doing repairs and you're not sure what the diagnosis is, you have to be prepared to say there's something wrong with the aircraft, and you don't think it should fly until it's fixed. You can't get pressured into letting it go anyway, which can be hard because when an aircraft doesn't fly, it doesn't make money."

Grasse said there are many enjoyable aspects about working as an aircraft maintenance engineer.

"I like the challenge of getting into a problem and getting to the root of it and getting it fixed," he said. "I enjoy working with my hands. I always liked aircraft, so I enjoy being around them."

On the other hand, he said the job is sometimes very demanding, as his work is never really done. Although it doesn't happen often, he's always on call and occasionally has to deal with emergency situations.

"One aspect I don't favour is getting a call in the middle of the night," Grasse said. "If you have an aircraft coming back from a flight that's got retractable gear and there's a problem with the gear system, nine times in 10 it's a bad switch, but you don't know for sure. You have to come out, talk to the pilot and be there for whatever may develop. It's never fun, getting that call."

Ben McCarty, president of the Atlantic Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association, said many people in the industry work unusual hours and many work long hours.

"The hours are extremely variable," he said. "It's usually by demand, and there's almost always something to do."

He said aircraft mainten-ance engineers can be employed in many different environments, from airlines to specialty services such as aerial photography to working on privately-owned aircraft.

McCarty said that even after finishing a two-year training course and two-year apprenticeship, aircraft maintenance engineers continue their education throughout their career.

"It's a never-ending thing," he said. "If they work for an airline with a certain type of aircraft, they'll be trained on that type of aircraft. An airline that procures new equipment will train them on that. There's a requirement by the government for ongoing training as their career progresses."

Grasse said that although there aren't as many aviation-related companies in the Maritimes as in other parts of Canada, the field is growing, and there are jobs available in this region.

"A lot of aircraft maintenance engineers are retiring," he said. "There's growth with a lot of companies, and there's also contract work available with companies across the country.

"Since (Moncton Flight College's Fredericton campus) started three years ago, it's grown from myself, as the first employee, to a team of 10 staff and maintenance workers."

Grasse said aircraft maintenance engineering is a crucial field, and the people who work in it are responsible for the lives of others every day.

"They're the ones behind the scenes who keep the aircraft safe for everyone," he said. "A lot of people think an aircraft might be unsafe because it's old, but they're not like cars or tractors. Aircraft are maintained to very high standards as dictated by Transport Canada, so even if the paint looks bad and it's kind of ratty on the outside, it's going to be a safe machine. It's the aircraft maintenance engineers that take care of that."

Montreal's flight simulator and training giant CAE Inc. (TSX:CAE) is using the Moncton Flight College to test what the Dieppe school is calling the new way to train pilots.

Together the firms are announcing the details of CAE's new multi-crew pilot licence beta program today at the Dieppe campus, with executives from both companies and government officials in attendance.

Mel Benson, director of advanced education for the Moncton Flight College, said there are currently 12 cadets from Malaysia who arrived last month to start the program.

"It will be a new way to train pilots," Benson said in an interview.

"This streamlines the process, using a lot more simulation," he said, explaining that currently pilots in the industry go through a fragmented training process.

After their time in Dieppe, the Malaysian students will then transition to CAE SimuFlite in Dallas for Phase 3 intermediate-level instruction and then to CAE's aviation training centre in Toronto for the fourth phase of the 56-week program, which will lead to them becoming A320 first officers for AirAsia.

Premier Shawn Graham will be at the announcement to help Moncton Flight College CEO and principal Mike Doiron and CAE vice-president of civil aviation services Claude Lauzon reveal more details.

"If this goes according to plan, they'll go into a full production mode," Benson said, declining to offer any more specifics of the beta program, which had been in the works for the Dieppe company for just over a year before the deal was inked.

CAE announced last month it had signed a contract with AirAsia to train student cadets for the Malaysian airline in a program designed to International Civil Aviation Organization standards for the multi-crew pilot licence.

The companies say the CAE program is the first application of a multi-crew pilot licence program that will adhere to new performance-based Approved Training Organization certification requirements developed by Transport Canada.

The CAE initiative is meant to provide airlines with pilots who can operate a modern multi-crew, multi-engine, turbine-powered commercial transport aircraft.

CAE is a leading civil and military aerospace simulator and training company that employs more than 6,500 people at 90 sites and training locations in 20 countries. The firm has annual sales that top $1.6 billion.

Air traffic controllers are returning to the Fredericton International Airport, starting Thursday.

There haven't been air traffic controllers in the tower since Nav Canada took over flight services from Transport Canada in 1996.Nav Canada controllers in Moncton direct flights into Fredericton, said spokesman Steve Hunt.

But traffic in Fredericton is up 50 per cent this year, since the Moncton Flight College set up a campus at the airport.About 12 full-time air traffic controllers are expected to be phased in.

"We had some temporary controllers come in and they're going to take over the control service for a period of time of up to around 14 months," Hunt said.

"And they have come in the middle of November and have got some training with respect to local awareness as well as they've been doing on-the-job familiarization in order to assume the role of air traffic control."

That will allow service specialists in Fredericton, who now control activity on the runways and advise pilots of aircraft movements and weather conditions, to retrain as air traffic controllers.

Fredericton airport president David Innes says having on-site air traffic controllers is the international standard. (CBC)Airport president David Innes expects having local air traffic controllers will be good for business.

"Air traffic control is well understood around the world as being kind of an international standard that everybody understands," he said. "So when we're selling our airport and our services to people in other countries, they'll certainly understand the traffic control system here better than perhaps they did in the past."

The local air traffic controllers will be able to avert any potential conflicts between aircraft by directing them in which order to land.
The Fredericton airport has been the busiest airport in Canada without a control tower. According to numbers compiled by the airport for May, planes travelled across its runways 10,000 times, landing and taking off. That's double the number at the next busiest airport without a tower, officials said.