first officer

captain

aeronautical engineer

sales coordinator

safety manager

Sunwest Aviation

In my first week at Sunwest Aviation, I have been welcomed into a company with an inspiring culture that fosters positivity and inclusivity. 

Here are some key highlights:

Company Values: Sunwest Aviation stands out as a company that prioritizes safety, diversity, and innovation. These values are deeply embedded in every aspect of the organization, creating an environment that is both forward-thinking and supportive.

Inclusive Environment: Sunwest Aviation actively promotes diversity and inclusion, ensuring that every employee feels respected and valued. The company's commitment to creating a diverse workforce encourages collaboration and the exchange of unique perspectives.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Teamwork is celebrated at Sunwest Aviation. Employees are encouraged to work together, contributing their individual strengths to achieve common goals. This collaborative spirit fosters a sense of unity and camaraderie among colleagues.

Supportive Management: The management at Sunwest Aviation exemplifies strong leadership and open communication. They actively listen to employee feedback, provide support, and encourage professional growth. The management's dedication to fostering a positive work environment sets a solid foundation for success.

Employee Well-being: Sunwest Aviation recognizes the importance of employee well-being. They prioritize work-life balance and provide resources to support the physical and mental health of their employees. This focus on employee well-being creates a harmonious and fulfilling work environment.

Recognition and Rewards: Sunwest Aviation values the contributions of its employees and has established company-wide recognition programs. These initiatives celebrate achievements and encourage a culture of appreciation, further motivating employees to excel in their roles.

In conclusion, my initial week at Sunwest Aviation has been a testament to the vibrant culture and values that the company upholds. I am thrilled to be part of an organization that prioritizes safety, diversity, and innovation while fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. The commitment to employee well-being and the culture of recognition further enhance the overall experience at Sunwest Aviation.

What is the best part of working at the company?
"Just" company culture. I've worked for several companies in different types of careers. Some were large corporate companies, and some were smaller private companies. People will come and go during a decade: co-workers, supervisors, managers, and even the top executives. But I see that this company I work for keeps thriving and has survived the downfall of the provincial economy (oil patch) era and the COVID era. The company rating as FBO has improved, becoming one of the top in Western Canada in recent years. Any company would have pros and cons, but I find the fairness of each staff, the open doors of supervisors and management in the maintenance department are the biggest reasons why I stay and maintain my motivation to work hard and train my newcomers and new apprentices for years to come.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Departure support. When aircraft calls for assistance while customers already on board, sometimes I'll be able to make quick service to make the aircraft not missing the flight. But there are times I have to make decision as ACA, and ground the aircraft. That means cancel the flight and all passengers to off board from the aircraft. Quick decision counts. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Unique group of people from many different back grounds, very Calgary local company. Less political issues in the company lead by CEO who likes to fly Piper Chieftain on weekends. Due to pre and post-Covid shift in the industry, there were a lot of changes. People come and go, but this is one of the company that some do come back and contributing by playing key roles. And I think that's rare.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Never I had spent a boring day. Each day is unique, and always feels good to be back at work. Maybe because our hanger is facing towards east that gives us the great sunshine every morning. More than a dozen type of aircraft currently in service, squeezing in the hanger which measures 170,000 sq ft in size.

typical day for an apprentice is servicing.
Not much mentoring or respect towards apprentices.
The CEO is a great guy, but unfortunately unaware how management is treating new hires.
Company is understaffed, and the ratio between apprentices and AME's is off; basically apprentices training apprentices.
Most difficult part of the job is fitting in and finding your place.

Company has a high turn over, so if you are moving across country, reconsider moving north then working your way down towards the city centres.

I took on the job of Training Manager as a new position within the company.  There was a lot of technical information that I had to learn, primarily to do with Pilot training.  Not being a Pilot myself, I found that I had to start at the very beginning, to learn the terms, the requirements and qualifications, and when recurrent training was required.  My co-workers were great people; they all had pilot backgrounds and were very patient with me while I learned.  The hardest part of the job was trying to implement new procedures with a management team whose focus was elsewhere.

Wide range of aircraft helps you home your troubleshooting skills. Avionics don't get course training which is a negative but the people who are coursed are more than willing to help. Lots of overtime available but that's mainly due to lack of staffing. 
The people on maintenance are an awesome group and you'll learn a lot. Company does lag behind industry for competitive pay but benefits are good

Each department seems to have a good team feel to them. Could improve on interdepartmental communication but that can be difficult given the nature of the business.

Overall the people are nice so that makes it a good place to work.

The company is well organized and has good procedures.

If you like aviation, it's definitely work considering.

Best experience I ever had in this industry. A bit slow moving apprentices up the ladder but otherwise a great place to work. Only reason I left was the cost of living at the time was too high for apprentice wages.

Busy department, short on staff due to lay offs.  Management is focused and detailed, and most staff keep their heads down to work, not a lot of socializing.  Processes in place, easy to catch on as replacement for someone.  Fantastic safety culture.

I worked at Sunwet Aviation in Ramp Operations for 4 years. I loved working on the ramp and refueling many different aircrafts.
My hours in the AM were superb and management treated me well.

It felt like even though there were 3 people in our department, the other two never felt like they had to do anything so I got a little dumped on. Still one of the best paying jobs I had so I never complained.
A little bitter that I was laid off.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
First officer 2 salaries reported	$67,750 per year
Captain 2 salaries reported	$103,750 per year
Aeronautical engineer 1 salary reported	$38.75 per hour
Sales coordinator 1 salary reported	$55,000 per year
Safety manager 1 salary reported	$88,500 per year

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