Exposed to flight

Dominik Albany’s streamlined paper airplane flew right outside the hangar to win the paper airplane race at Wasaya Airway’s Pimesaywii Apitamahkaywin First Nations Youth Aviation Camp.
“It felt pretty good — I knew I would be the winner,” Albany said on the first day of the July 23-27 aviation camp, which is being held at the Confederation College Aviation Centre of Excellence in Thunder Bay.
The Kasabonika youth won the privilege of flying in the co-pilot’s seat of a Cessna 172 during an evening sightseeing flight around Thunder Bay.
“At Wasaya we are dedicated to supporting Aboriginal youth excellence, continuing education, and we are also avid enthusiasts in giving back to the communities in which we live and operate,” said Tom Morris, Wasaya Airway’s CEO/president. “Therefore, it is very gratifying to us as a company to offer a program that provides our youth with the opportunity to explore potential careers in aviation, furthering their education, ensuring their success in the future.”
A joint initiative between Wasaya Airways, the Kenny Foundation, Confederation College Aviation Centre of Excellence, Negahneewin College of Academic and Community Development and Wasaya Wee-Chee-Way-Win, the aviation camp is held annually for First Nations youth 13-15 years old to encourage them to pursue careers in aviation related fields.
Wunnumin Lake’s Archie Mekanak feels the aviation camp will provide his son with information on a possible career path in the future.
“It’s good for him to be more exposed out here (at) the aviation camp,” Mekanak said. “So he can decide which career he wants to go into after he finishes school.”
The aviation camp provides youth with opportunities to observe aircraft up close and in action, experience flight simulators and interact with pilots, mechanics and Confederation College students. They also get to learn about flying and aircraft repair as well as tour Wasaya Airways and the prop shop and visit Thunder Bay International Airport.