Youth Speak Up Nutaq Inuk Uqaqtuq

For Lanita, ever since her first plane ride to Inuvik in 2001, flying was the career of her choice. Her internet identity is ‘ypc_chick’, meaning Paulatuk Airport Chick, while her website says “Sky’s the Limit” and is filled with photos of those she loves; family, planes, and friends who fly. “Oh, It’s awesome, my first solo…I couldn’t stop smiling that day,” Lanita recalls.

“It’s a tradition that on your first solo, you get splashed by your instructor, but I didn't know about it, so I was surprised by my instructor Josh Riep! He's one of the best instructors. Everything was perfect on my first solo, I just had to get used to how there was no instructor next to me. Without his weight in the plane it took me longer to land.”

At the young age of nineteen, Lanita has already attained her private flying license, which means, “I can fly airplanes, but not for salary yet.” In July, she has just been awarded a $5000 NWT Aviation Career Development Program Bursary, and has her goals set to becoming a commercial pilot very soon.

As one of the eight award recipients, she was chosen based on her scholastic history, career plan, letters of recommendation and an essay explaining her interest in the aviation industry. Her essay began with "Although I'd hate to be the bugs in front of my propeller I still feel like an angel flying my airplane…" You might have seen her working at the Aklak counter at the Inuvik airport this year. Rambunctious and with an infectious laugh, Lanita amazes because she can have so much fun while being so focused on her future.

She left Paulatuk to attend Grade 12 in

Inuvik, and now continues her pilot training in Red Deer. Lanita is not afraid to fly beyond her boundaries. She said, “It was fun! I found learning how to fly easy, because I really like it.” According to her, it is way more fun than High School, but Grade 12 was one of the requirements before she could become a pilot.

“I'm planning on flying up north with one of the Sky Wings planes, sometime after I get back to the North. The coolest thing I learnt is that when you’re flying cross the country, we can listen to music on our headsets through radio stations.” Her younger sister Jerrie is so inspired, she wants to become a pilot too!

5. Her “ceiling painting” at Samuel Hearne High School. Lanita said, “Which gave me a high mark and a place in the yearbook! I couldn’t have thought of anything cooler to do. This plane is awesome, I just know its around when I hear a Harley Davidson ripping the skies.”