Inheriting a Love of Flight

Story appeared in the 2018 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.

BY HAYLEY PICARD, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
ALUMNI BRITTANY MAYO (‘12)

“Check it out!” Brittany Mayo gushes as she proudly shows off her latest tattoo. The image of four spitfire planes cruising over the fields of Britain graces her upper right arm in fresh black ink. “I love these planes. It would the fields of Britain graces her upper right arm in fresh black ink. “I love these planes. It would be incredible to be involved in a project on one of these…or a hurricane. I love classic planes.”

“I feel happy when I’m flying. It’s so quiet and peaceful. It’s an escape.”

When asked where she gets her passion for planes, Brittany lights up immediately. “My grandpa!” she responds emphatically.

Brittany is the granddaughter of Rajindi Singh Mayo, a Cowichan Valley entrepreneur, pleasure pilot and member of the Quiet Birdmen, a secretive organization of male aviators. Singh loved flying so much that he built a landing strip on the family property in Paldi, Vancouver Island. There, he owned his very own Beechcraft Bonanza V-Tail plane and shared stories of flying with his granddaughter as she grew. His excitement inspired Brittany at a young age, motivating her to become a member of the Air Cadets. “I wanted to fly too,” says Mayo. “You have to understand that grandpa’s airstrip in Paldi was an incredibly challenging one due to strong cross-winds, trees, and power lines. He was a very talented pilot and I looked up to him.”

Mayo’s time in Air Cadets only fueled her love for wanting to soar above the clouds. She trained with the Victoria Flying Club and earned her private pilot’s license at 18, during her first semester at the University of Victoria. “I feel happy when I’m flying. It’s so quiet and peaceful. It’s an escape.”

It was around this time when Brittany realized her love of planes, her true passion for flying, and that she was on the wrong educational path to pursue her dreams. With the support of her family, Brittany successfully applied to Northern Lights College’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Program in Dawson Creek, BC.

Brittany’s story is more remarkable when you consider that only 2% of aircraft maintenance staff in Canada are women and less than 6% are pilots. In a male dominated industry, Brittany felt completely ready for the challenge. “QMS set me up for success. I pushed the boundaries in school without fear of recrimination. I was always supported and encouraged to be unique.”

Mayo laboured hard to earn her stripes, even taking one summer to work on the Canso PBY-5A airplane made famous by the reality TV show Buffalo Joe. The plane’s colourful history includes hunting for enemy submarines during WWII and fighting forest fires in Canada’s far north before it crashed into the frigid waters of Sitidgi Lake near Inuvik in 2001. Brittany joined a team of mechanics and volunteers to restore the plane for flight. “It was really fun working on that plane,” shares Brittany. “The farmers who salvaged it really adore that aircraft so it was exciting to be part of the process.” Thanks to Mayo, and others who participated in the nine-year project, the plane took flight again on Father’s Day 2017.

Today, Brittany works for Kenn Borek Air Ltd. based in Calgary. The company specializes in remote polar services with one of the largest Twin Otter fleets in the world. “I’m happy doing what I love. I work on multi-million dollar aircraft and people’s lives are in my hands,” laughs Mayo. “I have to balance life, stress and fatigue but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Aviation is in my blood.”

What’s next for this maverick of the sky? Brittany sighs and looks up in thought. “One day I would like to study for my next level in aircraft engineering which would be my Transport Canada M2 license. This would allow me to work on everything from jets to spacecraft.”

However, this grad of 2012 happily admits to preferring planes from aviation’s past—planes with radial engines, loud voices and huge character. Does Brittany plan to have her new spitfire tattoos coloured in to look more modern? “Not a chance,” she says. “Old school all the way.”