#ykf

“You don’t know what you’re capable of until you’re faced with adversity. Deciding to fly a helicopter as a profession has taken me on a wonderful journey.”

Name: Stan Mance Location: YKF - Region of Waterloo International Airport Occupation: Helicopter Pilot   We’ve all heard a similar story – the downturn in the automotive industry affected local jobs and the economy. In 2005, Stan Mance was self-employed in the tool and die trade and he saw the writing on the wall. The level of adversity in the industry that he’d been a part of for 20 years became stifling. Unhappy in his profession, Stan started to do some soul searching and reviewed his transferable skills, which included being able to manage himself and others. The one thing he did know was that if he was going to face adversity professionally, he would rather face it doing what he loved. Stan realized that he had never considered his passion a career choice. Always fascinated by planes and helicopters as a child watching as they flew overhead, when Stan was in his mid-20s he decided to take up flying as a hobby. All that was available at the Waterloo/Wellington Airport (now The Region of Waterloo International Airport) at the time was fixed wing aircraft training (planes). He quickly realized that he loved flying. The exhilaration of so much happening at once with his situational awareness peaking was completely dynamic. He was energized by the challenge of navigating, communicating and “aviating” all at the same time. Great Lakes Helicopter eventually established itself at the local airport. Stan decided to take the training. The flight training and theory was like brain food for him. After a year and a half, he became a licensed commercial helicopter pilot. It was exciting and unnerving; a major adrenaline rush. Choppers are a more versatile aircraft and more challenging to control then fixed wing. Stan loved the challenge to his physical dexterity and the sensation of hovering, which is so unique compared to the forward movement of a fixed wing aircraft. During training Stan realized that he was about 20 years older than the other trainees. And it made him think about how he could place himself in this industry. At the time, Great Lakes Helicopter was a young company looking to grow. Stan realized that his past experience gave him something more to offer the company: business development and management skills. He loved prospecting and developing new customers and areas of helicopter use, and with the training he received from Great Lakes Helicopter he had the technical knowledge too. Today, Stan enjoys going to work every day and sharing his passion with customers while he helps develop the business. And he gets to fly a chopper whenever he wants. Always looking to the future, one of Stan’s goals is to become a flight instructor and train others to enjoy their passion for flying. Because if he’s learned anything, it’s do what you love.