# My nephew just got his wings



## Nestor_Kelebay (Jan 24, 2010)

My nephew Blair just passed his Transport Canada flying test to complete his qualifications as a commercial pilot last week.  He is now working as pilot (co-pilot or first officer, actually) for Perimeter Aviation in Winnipeg (where he's worked loading/unloading aircraft and as night manager for the past three years).







In the above photo, Blair is wearing his official pilot's uniform, which is simply a pair of black pants and a black tie.  The shirt is an ordinary white shirt except for the fact that it has the things on the shoulders that allow him to put on his pilot's stripes (which are the black things with the three gold bars on them).

He flies a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner II from Winnipeg to the native reservations in the norther half of the province.  Those flights are both cargo and passenger flights as they supply those reservations with food, fuel, medical supplies and other goods, and also bring people from those reservations to Winnipeg for medical treatment and to attend school/university in Winnipeg.

The model airplane he's holding is a model of a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner II aircraft, and by coincidence it happens to have the same call number as the plane he took his Transport Canada flight test in.  That model was a gift from his girlfriend.

Perimeter Aviation in Winnipeg operates a fleet of 33 airplanes, all of which are turboprops and 20 of which are Metroliner II's or Metroliner III's.  Both Metroliners have the same airframe, but the Metroliner III has extended wings so that it can carry more weight.  Also, both airplanes can carry up to 19 passengers because according to Canadian law, once a plane is rated at 20 passengers or more, it has to have an onboard flight attendant to attend to the passengers during the flight.  So, small commercial aircraft like the Metroliners are rated at 19 passengers to avoid the legal requirement of having a stewardess on board.

Here is a picture of a real Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner II coming in for a landing at the airport in Thompson, Manitoba.


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## oldognewtrick (Jan 24, 2010)

Nestor, tell Blair CONGRATULATIONS from Tennessee!


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks, Oldog/Newtrick, I'd do that.


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## SJNServices (Jan 25, 2010)

::beer:


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## inspectorD (Jan 25, 2010)

Nice.
http://www.houserepairtalk.com/f55/airline-crews-mechanics-778/


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks guys.
Inspector, those were hilarious.  I particularily liked:

Problem logged: "Left inside tire almost needs replacement."
Solution logged: "Almost replaced left inside tire."


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## TxBuilder (Jan 26, 2010)

Congratulations to your nephew. That's quite an accomplishment.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks, TxBuilder.

I was fixing my sister's snowblower today and he was helping, and I told him that lots of the people that knew me on the internet were sending their congratulations.  He said he didn't feel any different because he could see this coming every step of the way since he started taking flying lessons.

I guess it's like building a house.  It's not like you pick a lucky number and suddenly there you are sitting in your own brand new house.  If you buy the lot, plan the floorplan, hire the contractors and keep on top of things every step of the way, then once the house is finished, it's not like it's a surprise.  You're thinking that this is the way things SHOULD be, not that you're lucky that they turned out that way.  And so I can understand that he doesn't feel "lucky" or that he accomplished very much, more that things turned out the way they were supposed to, and that any different outcome would have been a disappointment.


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## oldognewtrick (Jan 27, 2010)

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> Thanks, TxBuilder.
> You're thinking that this is the way things SHOULD be, not that you're lucky that they turned out that way.  And so I can understand that he doesn't feel "lucky" or that he accomplished very much, more that things turned out the way they were supposed to, and that any different outcome would have been a disappointment.



Nestor, luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Lucky? no, your nephew should be proud of his accomplishment. It's good to see good things like this happen.


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## kaytav (Apr 16, 2011)

That's really nice.. at last i read something good this day phew..
Well, Congratulations Nestor_Kelebay 
 you can be proud of your nephew now..


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