In 1970, Barry Lapointe – an aviation enthusiast since childhood and an aircraft maintenance engineer by trade – launched a small aircraft repair business, originally known as Kelowna Flightcraft. The company started as a one-man show; however, Lapointe’s entrepreneurial spirit allowed him to push limits and take chances, leading to the iteration of the company known today as KF Aerospace.

As Canada’s largest commercial maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company, KF Aerospace services major airlines and aircraft manufacturers, corporate fleets, and military aircraft. In addition to its MRO business, the company also offers a broad range of aerospace engineering services, cargo operations, charter services, and aircraft leasing. Since 2005, the company has also led a group of partner contractors to provide pilot training and in-service support for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

“Over the decades, KF Aerospace has evolved to encompass so many facets of aviation,” says KF’s Engagement, Communications and Marketing Lead, Matt Stone.

The company works closely with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) and Okanagan College in Kelowna on aviation-related education and skills training programs, as well as with the Centre for Aviation Technology at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.

“UBCO has an aerospace engineering stream now, so we’re really excited about that”, states Stone. “We have worked with Okanagan College for years, with students working out of class space located in our Kelowna facilities, so collaborating with UBCO further solidifies Okanagan as an aerospace region.”

“Relationships with these and other local organizations, like the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, YLW, and the City of Kelowna, are beneficial for the company”, says Stone.

“It is critical to continue to work together to create jobs and nurture economic opportunities”, he adds. “I think the Okanagan can lead BC to emerge as a real leader in aerospace excellence at a national and international level, if we can expand on the successful collaboration we’ve seen here regionally.”

Today, KF Aerospace employs around 1,200 people between its head office and MRO maintenance facility in Kelowna, its facility in Ontario, and its military flight training program in Manitoba, and smaller operations in Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa to support other various programs and business initiatives.

In response to labour shortages faced by businesses nationwide, KF Aerospace has sought innovative solutions to support and retain its team members. In 2023, for example, KF Aerospace collaborated as a funding partner alongside the Government of BC, the City of Kelowna, Kelowna International Airport (YLW), and the YMCA to build and open a childcare centre at the airport, which provides dedicated early childcare spots for KF Aerospace employees and members of the community.

The business has recently expanded to Ottawa thanks to a landmark contract to jointly manage the RCAF’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program.

This Government of Canada contract, set to last for 25 years with a value of $11.2 billion, was awarded to SkyAlyne, a joint partnership between KF Aerospace and Canadian company CAE (originally known as Canadian Aviation Electronics Ltd.), a global leader in civil aviation and defence and security.

“Through SkyAlyne, we will be training all future RCAF pilots, navigators and sensor operators for the next two decades”, says Stone. “This is an opportunity to build on the 20 years of expertise and experience we’ve acquired managing the current pilot training program in Manitoba, and it positions our company to expand its defence support business.”

The company’s defence work will also include handling maintenance for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) project. This project will see the Government of Canada acquire 16 P-8A aircraft from Boeing to upgrade the military’s capabilities in several defence areas.

Thanks to KF Aerospace’s longstanding relationship with Boeing and commitment to its customers, the company was recognized as one of Boeing’s top-performing suppliers in the Safety and Quality category at the 2023 Supplier of the Year event.

Through KF Aerospace’s collaborative, long-term business relationships and with so many exciting developments in the works, aerospace will undoubtedly remain a key economic sector in the Central Okanagan for the foreseeable future.

“Today, our company’s capabilities are so unique in the industry. We can do just about anything in aerospace. Our team’s comprehensive and complete aerospace expertise is unmatched in Canada.”

“We continue to expand and have great demand for our services, so we want to raise awareness of the career opportunities”, states Stone. “It’s a pretty great time to consider an aviation career.”

SKYTRAC’s Autonomous Distress Tracking (ADT) was the first GADSS-compliant product to go to market. From there, the Kelowna-based company signed a partnership with Embraer, the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, to add GADSS technology to all new E1 and E2 jets.

This ADT system is just one example of SKYTRAC rising to the challenge for its customers and the industry.

“The reason Embraer selected us was for our superior technical expertise and commitment to quality. We stood out as the only company working with previous years of flight data and aircraft tracking. We were the only company agile enough to meet the rapid timelines required for such a project.

The company was founded in Penticton by a group of experienced aviators who wanted to explore the possibilities of GPS technology being used for non-military purposes. Since its humble beginnings, SKYTRAC has brought to market products in tracking, flight data monitoring, and satellite communications. Their work touches law enforcement, aerial firefighting, emergency medical services, the oil and gas industry, and government sectors.

In addition to its work on GADSS, SKYTRAC partnered with Iridium to offer some of the fastest Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity to manned and unmanned aviation through the Iridium Certus service.

As one can imagine, these game-changing technologies have led to exponential growth for the company. SKYTRAC now has more than 120 employees in its Kelowna, Ottawa, and Victoria offices.

“It has really been a success story going from a startup in a basement to a globally-renowned aviation data company,” Manson says.

Even as they have gotten bigger, SKYTRAC keeps the same level of expertise, says Head of Marketing, Reuben Mann. “We’re a true all-in-one provider. We don’t just give you the box, we give you the connectivity, all the different capabilities. If someone wants a new capability, we’re literally creating it for them and going to market with it,” he says.

But what makes SKYTRAC unique amongst other large avionic companies is its commitment to the Central Okanagan. Manson himself is a product of Okanagan College. “We’re not shipping people in from other markets. We’re hiring locally and training people up,” he says. 

The future of aerospace is fast paced, and the real-world implications are truly lifesaving.

“It is definitely an interesting ride. Buckle up. Every day is exciting and there’s always something different,” Mann says. “I can’t imagine working somewhere else, it’s fun and challenging and I feel like we’re making a difference.”

“I’ve travelled with this company and been to a lot of places. In the Okanagan Valley, there’s a culture with the talent we hire that is different from other locales. It’s a hidden gem.”

Starting with just four employees in 1990, Alpine Aerotech is a perfect example of the success that can be achieved in the Okanagan.

Today, the company is one of the largest helicopter customer support centres in the world, employing 150 people between their two BC facilities, including their main headquarters in West Kelowna.

“We chose the Central Okanagan because of the many established helicopter operators in the region; the Okanagan is also home to some of the longest-standing operators in Canada,” says President, Jeff Denomme. “The region has a variety of companies that work internationally but still call the Okanagan home, providing a significant contribution to our local economy.”

It was these established helicopter operators that contributed, in part, to the company’s success, adds Denomme.

“There was a need to provide heavy maintenance and overhaul services to help support the local industry, providing innovative solutions through our manufacturing capabilities and fostering relationships with our customers has made [Alpine] Aerotech what it is today.”

Thanks to its best-in-class reputation, Alpine Aerotech now provides services to some of the most successful companies in the world from its almost 100,000 square feet of combined manufacturing and office space. The company has been a recognized service centre for Italy’s Leonardo Helicopters since 2017 and is one of the largest and most reputable support facilities for Texas-based Bell Helicopters.

“The Okanagan is full of opportunity and continues to grow,” adds Denomme. “All you have to do is take a drive through the Valley to see the diverse industries and companies that have succeeded here.” 

Of course, you can always see it by helicopter, too.

“The Okanagan offers a great work/life balance. You don’t have to travel far to take in all the amenities the region has to offer. The local community is also very personable and very willing to work together.”

Renowned worldwide for the aircraft audio communications equipment they design and manufacture, Jupiter Avionics has been recognized as one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies for each of the last three years.

Jupiter was founded in 2011 after Northern Airborne Technology (NAT) closed due to restructuring. Several senior executives from NAT saw a new door ready to be opened as one was closing and assembled the Jupiter team with well-respected avionics professionals who had previously contributed to NAT’s success.

The products Jupiter designs and manufactures, which are produced mainly for mission-oriented helicopters (think medical transport, firefighting, law enforcement, and emergency search and rescue), include audio controllers, wireless intercoms, and a multitude of accessories and interfaces.

“Virtually all our products are exported, and our customers hail from every corner of the globe,” says President, Mitch Stinson. “Although we do not have a high local profile, we are well-known worldwide
in our market.”

Stinson adds that the company’s strategy is to provide highly customizable products while maintaining short lead times. They have developed a “nimble and adaptive approach to meeting market needs,” he says, which combined with the longstanding expertise of its founders, is surely a contributor to the company’s reputation and success.

As Jupiter Avionics carries on its growth trajectory, there is no doubt that the impact of the company’s work will continue to be felt throughout the world.

“The core of our team has lived in the Kelowna area for more than 30 years. When we decided to form our own company, it was a no-brainer to base ourselves in Kelowna… we knew we’d be able to attract new employees to the area given its wide range of year-round activities.”

They say when one hangar door closes, another one opens. The Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp. (AEM) story began in 2009 when respected avionics company, Northern Airborne Technology, ceased business after thirty years. Employees saw an opportunity to purchase it and have since grown the new company AEM into a vertically integrated provider of specialty aviation solutions, and they’ve never looked back.

Today, AEM is an approved OEM supplier to aircraft manufacturers such as Bell, Boeing Rotorcraft, Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters, Sikorsky, and Embraer. Out of their 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Kelowna’s north end, more than 115 specialized people design, develop and manufacture avionics products for the aviation industry’s Special Mission sector – aerial law enforcement, aerial firefighting and aerial search and rescue. Products such as aircraft communication and loudspeaker systems, avionics consoles, mission radios, and caution/warning panels.

The growing business also develops, manufactures, sells, and supports Comparative Vacuum Monitoring (CVM™) sensor technology and equipment, which help commercial airlines meet crack detection and inspection requirements for certain metal components of commercial airframes. Working in collaboration with Delta Air Lines and Boeing, CVM™ is the first FAA approved airframe crack detection compliance sensor solution for use on select B737 aircraft.

“We’re considered a small to medium sized business,” explains GM Taylor Wylie. “We operate in a niche market, so most of our products compete with only two or three key competitors. Our employees’ commitment to high standards and continuous improvement are instrumental in achieving a high level of customer satisfaction.”

“The aerospace industry has become a key economic driver in the region and Kelowna is an attractive place for emerging talent looking to develop their careers. We find that many non-local applicants want to move here because of the relaxed, vacation-style setting in a growing city full of opportunity.”