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- I'm Samantha Schaus from Trenton, Ontario,
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an Avionics Systems Technician
here at 424 Search and Rescue Squadron
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at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.
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- In the Royal Canadian Air Force,
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if it flies, you can be sure it's loaded
with a complex array of state-of-the-art avionics.
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That's the communications, computer,
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radar, electrical, and guidance systems
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that are the nerve centre of every fighter jet,
long-range patrol aircraft or transport,
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and life-saving helicopter.
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(Schaus): Avionics Systems Technicians
are the electricians of the aircraft.
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Essentially anything electronic,
we are in charge of.
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- Avionics Systems Technicians, or AVS Techs,
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are the technical experts who install,
test and maintain everything
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from search radar to navigational transponders;
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from flight control to fire control,
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even the famous "black box" flight recorders
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on every Canadian military aircraft.
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(indistinct radio chatter)
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(Schaus): Not only do I do the electrical
maintenance on the aircraft,
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but I also do servicing. So that would include
liquid oxygen on the aircraft
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for when we're flying, fuelling the aircraft.
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You'd also have to make sure
that the plane is serviceable
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just by doing a general visual inspection
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to ensure that it is safe to fly.
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The first time I walked into
the C-130 Hercules cockpit,
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I was overwhelmed.
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I was overwhelmed by how many buttons,
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lights, switches, doodads,
what-have-you inside the cockpit.
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And the first time you go in,
you're not going to know,
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and then the more and more you go through,
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you'll get to know that, oh yeah,
this button turns on the heater.
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This one turns on the engine.
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This one will turn the spoolie.
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It can be overwhelming for sure, but it's great.
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- AVS Techs are posted to every
RCAF squadron in Canada.
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But you'll also find AVS Techs
aboard Royal Canadian Navy ships,
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supporting maritime helicopters.
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And they go with the Army wherever they're
deployed and need tactical helicopter support.
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(Schaus): As an Avionics Systems Technician,
you're not assigned to just one aircraft.
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You could actually broaden your horizons
on other aircraft platforms.
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So in my career, I could end up
working on the F-18.
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I could end up working on the Snowbirds.
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I could end up working on the Chinook.
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The possibilities are endless.
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As an Avionics Systems Technician,
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sometimes we have to go on the road
as either a servicing tech or for our trade.
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I actually had a great opportunity last month
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to go to Comox for a week.
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We were there to train some pilots
that do a lot of mountain flying.
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It is super cool to fly through
the mountains with this large aircraft.
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Actually, it's quite maneuverable
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and it's even cooler when you have
the loadmasters allow you
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to walk out on the back
of the platform and look out at the mountains.
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- On completion of their military
and occupation training,
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Avionics Systems Technicians
get posted to an RCAF Wing in Canada
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where they'll join the Avionics team
for a period of on-the-job training
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followed by aircraft-specific training.
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- When you first get posted,
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one of the greater things that happens
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is you will be assigned a mentor or a sponsor.
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A lot of the time they will show you around:
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this is what your job is,
this is what the expectations are,
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and it's okay to ask questions.
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Technicians here are very welcoming
and are very knowledgeable.
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And a lot of times you can take that knowledge
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and they're more than happy to share it with you.
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- Technicians can be assigned to first-line units
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that handle repairs and maintenance
that can be completed with the equipment
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still installed on the aircraft.
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They can also be assigned to second-line units
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that handle more complicated repairs
in a shop environment.
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And there are postings available
at other specialized units like ATESS,
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the Aerospace and Telecommunications
Engineering Support Squadron,
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a one-stop shop capable
of taking new projects from the idea stage
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through the drawing, prototyping,
testing and production phases.
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(Schaus): What I really enjoy
about this career is the camaraderie,
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the teamwork, and I really,
really thrive on a challenge.
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My previous job in an office
was eight hours a day,
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40 hours a week,
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sitting and clicking at a computer.
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I wanted a challenge and I wanted something
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that was not in my comfort zone,
not within my wheelhouse.
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I am very happy that I joined the military
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as an Avionics Systems Technician,
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and I almost wish I would have done it sooner.