On the heels of the International Test Pilots School relocating its international tactical training centre from London to North Bay, another flight training school is expanding its pilot training centre to the Jack Garland Airport. Cygnet Aviation Academy, based in Kingston, began training students in 2023 to take to the sky. “This is something that’s going to be very positive,” the Cygnet president Lynne McMullen told CTV News Friday afternoon. Cygnet uses a modern fleet of diamond aircraft and advanced flight simulation technology to train pilots to fly commercial airplanes. The company plans to run its training program out of the old airport terminal in the next few weeks. “At the moment, we’re partnered with Jazz Aviation and Porter Airlines,” McMullen said. “We also have what we call our free agent program, which is students who have decided that they will come to train with us without being pre-selected, and then we’ll look for opportunities elsewhere in the industry.” The school teaches students with little to no flying experience to become airline-ready first officers. “We have somewhere in the range of 45 to 50 trainees happening at all times. We take in cohorts in January, May and August each year,” McMullen added. “It’s a continuous process -- the integrated program that we deliver lasts for 20 months.” She said factors that made North Bay a good fit include the city’s military and commercial aviation roots and the presence of its sister company, Voyageur Aviation Corp., which is also under holding company Chorus Aviation. “While we’ve been building our business, we are bringing our aircraft up to Voyageur Aviation in North Bay for maintenance,” McMullen said. “We’ve gotten to know the North Bay airport really well. We have had such a wonderful time collaborating with the airport management.” Airport manager Bryan Avery said Cygnet’s move “will open new opportunities” in the city. “Their decision and announcement demonstrate that YYB North Bay airport continues to be where businesses are able to expand their operations and successfully grow,” Avery wrote in a statement. “It’s why we’re excited they’ve decided to join others here already, augmenting existing local strengths and operations.” He added that “while they’ll continue their career path focused training”, the school will be “offering training and certification to the public, as well.” McMullen said data from major airlines and corporations points to a need for “tens of thousands” of pilots in Canada and North America in the next decade. “With North Bay being a gateway to the north, aviation is a lifeline for our northern communities,” she said. “There’s an ongoing need to supply pilots that are properly and well trained to manage those positions, as well.”
