Aviation & Aerospace

Page 1

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

Read more at innovatingcanada.ca | 1 Read more at innovatingcanada.ca

Aviation Aerospace

with Alyssa Carson, Aquanaut and Space Enthusiast

Follow Alyssa Carson on Instagram @nasablueberry

What inspired you to pursue your dream of being an astronaut? I first got interested in space when I was just a little girl. My dad remembers me asking questions about space and Mars. Our best guess as to what sparked my interest is an episode of The Backyardigans. This was a TV show I used to watch as a kid which had a Mission to Mars episode. This is the only situation we can think of where I would have heard the word space. The more I learned about space later, the more I loved it.

What has been your favourite part of aerospace training? I’ve loved all the hands-on experience I’ve been able to get in my life — from working with space suits, floating in microgravity, learning about water survival, and much more. One of the best experiences I’ve had was when I got to fly a fighter jet as part of

the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. During this flight, I could pull 9.1 Gs, equivalent to nine times my body weight pushing down on me with pressure. It was surreal.

What’s your impression of Canada’s role in the future of aerospace and aviation? I think Canada has a large role in the future of aerospace and aviation. I’ve completed a microgravity campaign at the National Research Council Canada (NRC). I also did gravity-offset training with space suits at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). From my experiences, Canada has played a major role in research and facilities. I’m excited to see the next steps for Canada in the space industry.

What advice can you offer to women and young girls interested in the industry? Women or young girls interested in the space industry should 100 per cent pursue it. It’s

such an exciting time with so many opportunities for young women. If you’ve found an interest, follow your dreams, and never let anyone take your dreams away. Tell people about what you’re interested in doing because the industry is always looking for more girls who are passionate. Although space can seem male-dominated, the women working in the space industry are welcoming and inspiring.

Will you be taking a trip to Mars any time soon? The current plans are to start going to Mars in the early 2030s. Of course, this time frame could change, but hopefully, that’s when we will see the first humans travel to Mars.

Aviation and Aerospace: Our Keys to Economic Recovery

A

Dave Frank

s the economy continues to reel from COVID-19 and recession approaches, a major part of the solution to our challenges lies with Canada’s aviation industry. “Not quite dead yet.” — This could be the mantra of Canada’s aviation sector after surviving traffic declines of as much as 87 per cent over the past two years. But air transportation faces serious headwinds as it struggles to recover. That’s very easy to understand. However, the effect this has on our economy is often forgotten in the discussion. Air transportation is the most powerful socio-economic development infrastructure there is. Where aviation goes, the economy follows. For example, Canada’s second largest airport, Vancouver International, pre-COVID-19,

contributed over $10 billion to Canada’s GDP — twice that of our largest port. In addition to providing raw economic horsepower, imagine where our air ambulance, fire suppression, emergency response, and remote and Indigenous services would be without a robust aviation infrastructure.

Fees and excessive regulations Despite being the keystones to socio-economic growth, the industry is buried under fees and excessive regulations. Instead of viewing aviation as a critical enhancer of our economy, it’s viewed by the government as a cash cow. We need to turn this thinking around: air transportation is a vital investment. There’s much that can be done immediately to address this: • Formally recognize the aviation system

as a critical infrastructure for socio-economic development. • Fees collected for security, international travel, and others must directly go toward the organization they were collected for — and not as federal government general revenues. • Freeze airport rents collected by the federal government. • Fund and deliver Transport Canada services at world-class levels. • Triple the funding for the Airport Capital Assistance Program and expand eligibility to include airports without scheduled passenger service. These would be welcome first steps toward unleashing the power of our aviation industry to the benefit of all Canadians.

Dave Frank Executive Director, British Columbia Aviation Council

To learn more about BCAC, visit bcaviation council.org/.

Publisher: Raman Walia Business Development Manager: Melanie Kosev Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Designer: Lauren Livingston Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve the National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.

@MediaplanetCA

facebook.com/InnovatingCanada

Please recycle


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.