Episode 60: The CAPCOM: Earning the Elsie MacGill Award, flying the CH-146 Griffon, and working with NASA in Houston Part 1 - Erin Edwards
How does a MARS Officer and Ship’s Team Diver become a Special Operations helicopter pilot? What does it take to get through the intense rigours of Phase III helicopter training — and then make the leap to 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron?In this episode, we sit down with Captain Erin Edwards, a SOF Aircraft Commander, recipient of the prestigious Elsie MacGill Award, and currently serving as a CAPCOM at NASA in Houston.We explore her remarkable journey through the Canadian Armed Forces — from her early days at sea to commanding aircraft with Special Operations Forces. Erin shares personal stories of perseverance, leadership, and what it truly means to earn your place among the best.
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Episode 59: The Seeker: Fixed Wing Search and Rescue and flying the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules Part 2 - Dan Conway
What did it take to fly Search and Rescue in the venerable (but aging) CC-115 Buffalo? What does it feel like to return to 3CFFTS as a seasoned pilot, ready to learn about the world of instructing? What's it like to be taught by your former students as you learn to fly the CC-130H Hercules? Today we sit down for part 2 of our interview with Major Dan Conway, a fixed-wing SAR pilot with over 4000 hours of experience. We'll talk about all these topics as well as the future of fixed-wing SAR with the CC-295 Kingfisher.
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Episode 58: The Seeker: Fixed Wing Search and Rescue and flying the CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules Part 1 - Dan Conway
What is it like to attend RMC and go through flight training in the RCAF? Why was the CC-115 Buffalo in Comox a desirable posting even with the airplane entering its sunset years? Major Dan Conway is the current Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO) of 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Greenwood NS, and soon to be the DCO of 3CFFTS in Portage la Prairie, MB. He has over 4000 flying hours including lots of fixed-wing SAR on the CC-115 Buffalo and the CC-130H Hercules. Today we sit down with Dan to talk about his early days in RMC and going through RCAF flight training, up to the time he was selected to fly the CC-115 Buffalo.
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Episode 57: The Culture: The Evolution of Culture in the Canadian Armed Forces and flying the CH-146 Griffon Part 3 - Jeannot Boucher
What does it take to take on the responsibility of being the Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (COS CPCC) in the wake of the larger culture change effort that the Canadian Armed Forces has pursued over the last 10 or more years? Why is culture change necessary, and what does it even mean within the context of the military? Major-General Jeannot Boucher is a helicopter pilot with over 3000 flight hours. He has the experience at the tactical and command level to understand what it means to operate, but also has dedicated himself to learning about our culture and what it means to change and evolve. Today we will discuss his current position as COS CPCC as well as a larger discussion on culture change within the Canadian Armed Forces, and finally we will end with some questions from the audience.
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Episode 56: The Culture: The Evolution of Culture in the Canadian Armed Forces and flying the CH-146 Griffon Part 2 - Jeannot Boucher
What does it feel like to deploy as the Commander of Task Force Jerusalem in support of OP PROTEUS in the West Bank? What does it take to take over various commands in the Tactical Helicopter force? What goes into developing a defence policy update like "Our North Strong and Free" (ONSAF)? Today we sit down for part 2 of our chat with Major-General Jeannot Boucher, an experienced helicopter pilot with over 3000 flight hours and the current Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (COS CPCC). We'll talk about his early command roles and his work with OP PROTEUS as well as his work on ONSAF.
The Pilot Project Podcast is an aviation podcast that aims to help new pilots learn what it takes to succeed in the world of flight, to help people in the flight training system learn what they may want to fly, and to give Canadians and the world a peek into life on the flight deck in the RCAF. We want to help pilots succeed and thrive! We interview real RCAF pilots for their exciting stories as well as the lessons they've learned along the way. We'll learn their tips to develop resilience and the tools it takes to make it in flight training.
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