Author: Tom Paul

July 24, 2024

Opinion Piece Response: The Real Value of Skilled Maintenance Engineers in Aviation

After reading Ashley Nunes’ opinion piece, “WestJet mechanics make only $109,000 on average. Oh, the humanity,” I feel compelled to point out how short-sighted and unhelpful this opinion is. The author expresses shock at the salary aircraft maintenance engineers earn, framing it as excessive compared to the average Canadian income. However, this perspective ignores the significant expertise, responsibility, and risks...

Categories Aviation

December 21, 2023

Rethinking Team Dependency: A Blueprint for Volunteer Organizations

In many teams, a common yet often unintentional pattern emerges: a heavy dependence on individual members rather than on the collective team and its processes. While this might seem manageable in the short term, especially during transitional phases, it’s a risky and unsustainable strategy in the long run. This is particularly true in volunteer environments, where organizational structures and resources...

Categories Volunteer Leadership

December 14, 2023

Can aviation achieve net zero by 2050?

The year 2050 is only 26 years away! That’s not much time to achieve the ambitious goal of net zero. The industry, represented by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has committed to this significant goal, but the question is: how do we plan to get there? The challenge For perspective, according to the International Energy Association (IEA), between 2000...

Categories Aviation

January 1, 2023

Flight Disruptions of December 2022

Flight disruptions in December were awful. I talk about what happened and give some tips on surviving your next delay.

Categories Aviation/Travel

May 28, 2021

Safe restart of travel is near

There is some exciting news for the safe reopening of travel in and out of Canada. The COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel recently released a report detailing how Canada’s border testing and quarantine measures should evolve. The Panel breaks down travelers into five groups; full vaccinated, partially vaccinated, non-vaccinated, recovered from previous COVID infection, and exempt travelers. Below...

Categories TP's Blog/Uncategorized

January 1, 2021

Tough start to Canadian aviation in 2021

I am very nervous about the implications of the COVID testing concept before travelling to Canada, which comes into effect on January 7, 2021. I am also frustrated that since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been no federal testing program to screen visitors entering Canada other than the ones established by private industry and select provinces frustrated with...

Categories Aviation

December 28, 2020

Fundraising in a COVID world

Most non-profits are hurting. The money coming in has been reduced while the need for their help is increasing. 2021 will likely not see an improvement in this situation. Organizations need to be ready for change and challenges, but there is hope.

Categories Fundraising/NoAd

April 30, 2020

Cash is king during COVID-19

Cash is king during COVID-19. Can airlines weather the cash squeeze? The economic repercussions could be devastating to the economy if airlines are not supported soon.

Categories Aviation/NoAd

April 29, 2020

TP’s Blog is now Creative Commons Licensed

When I create content for my blog, I want people to both enjoy the content, but also share it. I also want people to use my content to create more content as long as it can continue to be shared and used as I intended. Using a Creative Commons License for my blog makes it easier for people to use...

Categories TP's Blog

April 15, 2020

Best Case Northern Lights

By Best Case Beers O.G. 1.044-48 | F.G. 1.010-12 | ABV 5% | IBU 14 Inventory Code: 420 Schedule April 15, 2020 – steep, boil, yeast added April 18, 2020 – rack into the secondary fermentation container April 27, 2020 – bottling and carbonation May 8, 2020 – chilling Process Notes I keep the lid on the fermentation containers as...

Categories Brewing

January 2, 2020

How to survive hotel germs, bedbugs, noise, & light

Ah, hotel rooms, home away from home where you can make a mess and someone else will clean up after you. But it’s late and you have to get a good night sleep for that big meeting tomorrow. Geez, hope that sea of kid’s heads in the tiny hotel pool aren’t on your floor. As I am lucky/unlucky enough to...

Categories #crewlife/Aviation/NoAd

December 30, 2019

SPECIs explained

Sometimes weather is so special it gets its own SPECI.

Categories Aviation/Flight Training/MET - Meteorology/NoAd