From May 21 to May 31, 2024, Elevate Aviation soared across Canada on its 8th annual Cross Country Tour, visiting 25 cities from coast to coast.
This isn’t just a tour—it is a mission to ignite a passion for aviation in our youth, who will make up our future aviation workforce! Imagine free full-day events where students get up close and personal with aviation professionals including pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and even Royal Canadian Air Force heroes. After hearing about these amazing careers; they experienced them firsthand with exclusive tours of local aviation facilities including air traffic control centers, aircraft hangars, airport facilities, and much more! It was all about showing them the ropes and demonstrating that the sky is not the limit in aviation.
With a focus on showcasing female role models, every presenter and guide on the tour was a successful woman in aviation, breaking barriers and showing youth that aviation is for everyone.
Participants from coast to coast saw women rocking traditionally male-dominated roles, paving the way for a more inclusive future in aviation. Behind the scenes,
Together with their volunteer teams in each city, they created an environment where every student felt welcomed and inspired to chase their dreams, regardless of gender or background.
Let us share a thrilling story from our Vancouver, BC stop! Erika Holtz, Engineering and Quality Manager at Harbour Air was pivotal in organizing this leg of our tour. Thanks to her efforts, students had the opportunity to witness the world’s first fully electric E-Plane in action—live and buzzing with innovation! Imagine the excitement and inspiration that sparked among these future aviators.
But that’s not all! Marcia Strang, who works in airside operations at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), teamed up with us to give students an unforgettable peek behind the scenes. They got airside access to YVR, where they got to see a ton of cool equipment—from ginormous jets to airport firetrucks. It was hands-on learning at its finest, igniting curiosity among our young visitors.
Now, let’s talk about the unforgettable stop in Whitehorse, Yukon. The Chief Commercial Officer of Air North personally showed the participants aircraft from their fleet! Air North is a great supporter of the Cross Country Tour, and their involvement brought an added layer of excitement and inspiration. Additionally, Joyce Rempel, who grew up and went to school in the Yukon, was a guest speaker at the Whitehorse stop. She is a student pilot and lead ramp agent at Alkan Air. It was incredibly inspiring for the youth to see locals raised in the area working in an aviation career!
And let’s not forget our incredible event in Inuvik, Northwest Territories! This was the first year we visited Inuvik, the most northern stop on our Canadian tour, and it was full! The participation from local companies was phenomenal. We had two full classes in attendance and one student who read about the tour online and took it upon herself to sign up. She had a fantastic day learning about aviation, told us she wanted to be a pilot when she grew up, and even won a free discovery flight with North Wright Air!
We are so proud to be providing immersive aviation learning experiences for youth, especially in places such as Inuvik, where opportunities to engage with the aviation industry can be rare. By bringing our tour to these remote locations, we aim to ignite the same passion and excitement for aviation that fuels our journeys. The joy and inspiration we see in the eyes of these young participants remind us why we do what we do!
The overall impact of the Cross Country Tour was incredible! Tours were hosted in 25 cities with the assistance of 40 City Leads and more than 300 volunteers united to empower nearly 1,000 students. Even more amazingly, we’ve had leads tell us that students have returned, saying they chose aviation because of their experience with us. Others even came back seeking summer jobs. Now that’s the kind of effect we live for!
Looking ahead, Elevate Aviation remains committed to uplifting women and underrepresented groups in aviation, ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive in this dynamic industry. Our Cross Country Tour isn’t just any event—it’s a movement towards a brighter, more diverse future in aviation.
Want to know more? Stay tuned for updates on our future tours at Elevate Aviation Cross Country Tour. Join us in shaping the future of aviation!
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