December 7 is International Day of Civil Aviation, a day that brings awareness worldwide to the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of nations.
Craig and Selena are members of the Babcock community who work on our Civil Aviation Teams. To celebrate, we asked them about their roles working in civil aviation, and what this day means to them.
Meet Craig:
Since 2019, Babcock has managed and maintained Manitoba’s fleet of seven amphibious water bomber aircraft and three Twin Commander 690 “bird-dog” aircraft.
In 1997, Craig was hired by Calm Air for his first apprenticeship, which led to a 21-year career with the company. In 2000, Craig received his license and became a fully endorsed engineer, working on the SAAB 340s and the fleet of HS748s. Calm Air expanded in 2007, opening a hangar in Winnipeg where Craig became the Crew Chief. Following his time at Calm Air and prior to joining Babcock, he worked with the Government of Manitoba on the water bomber program.
Craig has been a member of Babcock’s Aerial Firefighting Team since the inception of our wildfire suppression services contract. His current role is Chief Engineer, where he plans and oversees the maintenance of the aircraft.
A challenge Craig has faced while working in civil aviation at Babcock, is the pressure to consistently deliver a safe aircraft for scheduled flights with minimal delays. Craig’s team in Manitoba is always hard at work supporting the efforts to combat wildfires through the delivery of a mission-ready fleet, ultimately ensuring we are playing our part in keeping Manitoba’s people, communities, and natural resources safe.
Throughout the years, Craig has had several rewarding experiences working in civil aviation:
“This is a small industry, and you always see familiar faces. One time I went to take a training course, and I ran into an old school friend I hadn’t seen in years. It’s always rewarding getting to work and stay in touch with friends and old co-workers in the industry. Additionally, knowing that the work you do is making a difference for the people of Manitoba and Canada is extremely meaningful.”
As someone who has had years of experience working in civil aviation, Craig shares his advice to someone looking to pursue a career in the civil aviation industry:
“If you are someone looking for a fun and rewarding career, this is the career for you. You get to work with many kinds of aircraft and people, all working to help protect our nation. The aviation industry is a close-knit group of people, and it is a supportive community.”
Meet Selena:
In 2023, Babcock was delighted to be awarded a 10-year multi-million dollar contract by Ascent Helicopters Ltd. (Ascent) to support Ascent in their delivery of rotary-wing air ambulance services to British Columbia Emergency Health Services. Selena joined Babcock in 2024, near the beginning of mobilization for the British Columbia Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (BCHEMS) program. Her current role is Technical Records Clerk and Aviation Management Software Administrator, where she focuses on quality control of the documentation of maintenance completed on the aircraft.
Selena was inspired to join the aviation industry by her husband, who wanted to learn how to fly. She found a job opening for an Office Manager at her hometown aerodrome, where she fell in love with aviation. Furthering her education and qualifications, she obtained an Air Operator Certification which led to her career advancement to Person Responsible for Maintenance Control and Operations Manager. In this role, she operated a 702/703 charter operation alongside her husband.
The biggest challenge Selena has faced working in the civil aviation industry is the high barrier to entry.
“It is a highly regulated industry, and unique in how it works between Air Operator Certificate holders, Approved Maintenance Organizations, and Transport Canada. There is a significant amount of information to know and learn, and so many different responsibilities, not only to your company, but also to the government. You need to understand the regulations and standards for operating, how to complete work to meet those regulations, and how to prove it through quality assurance.”
Additionally, Selena has had several great achievements throughout her time at Babcock:
“My greatest achievement within Babcock would be the impact I have made on the BCHEMS operations by creating the workflow processes in the new Aviation Management System. This was a new process for Babcock as it differs from our system currently in place to support our operations in Manitoba. I had to familiarize myself with the new software to create new workflow processes that ensured we are aligned and compliant with Canadian Aviation Regulations.”
Selena shares her advice to someone looking to pursue a career in the civil aviation industry:
“Familiarize yourself with the Canadian Aviation Regulations and know how it applies to you in the position you wish to pursue within the civil aviation industry.”
On International Civil Aviation Day, we thank Craig, Selena, and all members of the civil aviation industry, for their hard work and dedication.
At Babcock, we are proud to help protect Canada’s people, communities, and natural resources.
