TITLE:
AVIATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
IN THE CANADIAN FORCES
I’m Master Corporal Ray Cowell from Winnipeg, Manitoba, an Aviation Systems Technician currently posted at 4 Wing Cold Lake.
And I’m Master Corporal Dan Héroux from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec. I’m an Aviation Systems Technician at 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Saint-Hubert.
COWELL: The modern fighter jet, long-range transport, or ship-based helicopter is one of the most complex machines in the world. Keeping those aircraft in perfect flying condition – and keeping our flight crews safe and secure – is what Aviation Systems Techs are proud to do every day.
HÉROUX: We work on the engines, the propulsion systems, the airframes, landing gear, all the systems related to the mechanical side of the aircraft.
COWELL: Every job that I do on the aircraft, I have to make sure that I gather the appropriate paperwork, get the appropriate experts that I may need to assist me in that job, to make sure I put out an airworthy and safe aircraft.
HÉROUX:Wherever we go, we’re out on the ramps every day, towing, parking and re-fuelling the aircraft, and jumping on board to fix any last-second snags.
COWELL: You’ll find AVN Techs assigned to squadrons across Canada. But we also sail with the Navy in support of our maritime helicopters. And if the Army needs air support on overseas deployment, we’re there, too.
HÉROUX: Especially when – missions like in Afghanistan – when you know the guys are out there, or they’re waiting for the plane to come and pick them up, or… They’re counting on you a lot, and it makes you feel good, knowing that you fixed that plane to make sure they can make it up there.
COWELL: I think the coolest part of the job is actually sitting in the jet. I think sitting in the jet, doing functionals, working and… Working on the aircraft is like working on a NASCAR. You know, like a sports car or something like that, but it’s a fighter-jet. It’s not something that everybody gets to do.
HÉROUX: When I was on the Herc, the CC130-Herc, I was doing the engine run-ups on the plane, actually getting to start-up all four engines. You know, 20 000 pounds of torque each engine… it was a great feeling. And then, the other part is the missions. Going away on missions all around the world, and knowing that you’re actually making a difference somewhere.
COWELL: Being able to have hands-on time with the aircraft, to effectively communicate with the pilots and the ground crew, to make sure that the mission is carried out…
I’ve been to Afghanistan, Haiti… up north in Alert, or even for the Olympics year for Op Podium. It was a lot of good missions that we did there.
COWELL: Being right out there on the tarmac with the fighters and the big transports, and knowing that you helped get that plane ready to fly, that never stops being really cool to me.
COWELL: When you join the Air Force, you’re going to start with your Basic Military training, and then you’ll move on to your aviation systems course.
HÉROUX:You’ll spend a little more than a year at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering in Borden, Ontario.
COWELL: At Borden, they’ll take you through the nuts and bolts of an aircraft from nose to tail. Materials and metallurgy; propulsion, electricity and hydraulics. There’s a lot to learn and they’ve got some great instructors to teach it.
HÉROUX: Coming out of Borden, you’ll be assigned to an air squadron and a specific airframe, whether it’s fixed or rotary-wing, jet or turbo-prop.
But when you get to your first aircraft, you start learning right away and the experienced technicians really show you around. And then you make a name for yourself. They know you. They can start trusting you. So they let you actually do the job, and then they just look at it and sign for it. And after a couple years, then you actually get your qualifications, and you get to sign for your first job… Best feeling, just knowing that you actually fixed it and you’re signing for your own job. The confidence really builds up fast.
COWELL:Sailing with the Navy, fighting with the Army, on deployments for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance: the missions are incredibly diverse, but our commitment to safety never changes.
HÉROUX: For me, it’s more the challenge of getting the aircraft ready for the next day, or finding out what the problem is. When the aircrew come in and say “Is that working right?”. You want to make it work right, and seeing the results makes you feel great.
COWELL: I’m excited to come to work. I think my job is extremely rewarding in the fact that I’m helping protect Canada.
HÉROUX: You get to travel, see the world. You get to work on many different aircraft and all the new aircraft coming in now. You get to work on the newest technologies every day. It’s… it’s amazing.
TITLE:
AVIATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
IN THE CANADIAN FORCES