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Checking Out Eye on the sky Story by Derek Gagnon


Flight service specialists keep track of the constantly changing weather patterns for all air travel around Winnipeg.


a weather briefing before they even get into a plane. Te last thing a pilot wants to do is worry about what the


A


weather is going to be like between Point A and Point B so they rely on a team of specialists to keep them in the know. Flight Service Specialists working in NAV CANA- DA’s Flight Information Centres around the country are the team that ensures pilots have all the necessary information on what the skies have in store for them. Just like mom used to do. Te FIC in Winnipeg is one of eight that NAV CANA-


DA – the company that provides air navigation services for Canadian civil airspace – operates across the country. NAV CANADA also owns and operates the air traffic control tower at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport and the nearby area control centre (see Te Hub, Spring 2015). Te Winnipeg FIC is responsible for the airspace over Manitoba, Saskatchewan, northern Ontario and most of the western side of Nunavut. Te Flight Service Specialists working in the FIC have to


be proficient in a number of services. With a number of roles to fill within the centre, each specialist must be able to do each job, as the positions rotate.


74 • Fall 2015


s a kid, before you left for school, your mom would check the weather in case you needed to pack an umbrella or extra jacket. While they may be all grown up, pilots are required to check in for


• Weather Briefings: When pilots call in to check on the


weather conditions, specialists give up to date conditions be- tween their point of departure and their destination. Tey are able to accurately report this information due to their in-depth meteorological training, which allows them to in- terpret the data and pass it along. Tis is especially important in parts of the country that do not have easy access to the In- ternet and cannot simply check the weather on their phones. • Flight Planning: When a large thunderstorm looms be-


tween you and your destination, going through it is not an option. Pilots and flight service specialists work together to plan routes that get you to your destination as quickly and safely as possible. Te specialists file the flight plans, which are mandatory in Canada and provide alerting services or ensure the pilot makes it to their destination. • En route advisories: We all know how quickly the


weather can change. Skies that were blue can turn ugly and turbulent in minutes. Te Flight Information Centre is al- ways available to give in-flight updates, so pilots can amend their flight plans to avoid inclement weather. • Emergency Services: Sometimes, things don’t go ac-


cording to plan. Planes take longer to get to their destina- tion than they should, pilots don’t check in at the appropriate place and time or an emergency occurs. When a plane is overdue or appears to be missing, flight service specialists are the first ones to start investigating the location of the


The Hub


All photos courtesy of NAV CANADA.


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