Life in the Air: FNTI’s Flight Students Fly Home To Serve

First Peoples' flight training is based on the indigenous "way of knowing."

Friday, December 03, 2021 at 06:19 PM ET

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Rainbow Ford, Daniella Petitti and pilot examiner Jo-Anne Tabobandung after the program’s first flight test by all-Indigenous women. Courtesy FNTI

Key Takeaways:

The First Peoples’ Aviation Technology Program at Ontario’s First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) trains Indigenous students to become commercial pilots.
The program's primary goal is for graduates to serve their remote First Nations communities by providing essential air transport for people and supplies, rather than pursuing mainstream airline careers.
FNTI's aviation curriculum uniquely integrates Indigenous traditions, language, and cultural "ways of knowing," fostering a deep connection to nature and community service.
Since its establishment in 1989, the program has significantly increased Indigenous participation in aviation, including achieving nearly 40% female enrollment, promoting inclusivity in the field.

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On a hilltop overlooking a river canyon somewhere in Canada many generations ago, a First Nations elder might have watched an eagle soar gracefully along on the winds and wondered what it would be like if he too could fly. That would respect his Indigenous belief that humans are deeply connected to everything they see—the wind, water, animals, sky and the Earth itself.

Fast-forward to today, and the First Peoples’ Aviation Technology Program at Ontario, Canada’s First Nations Technical Institute is making that wish a reality. For many of the flight students in the program, their ultimate goal is not to end up with an airline job; instead, they desire to become certified by Transport Canada so they can go back home and serve their communities as commercial pilots.