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Real life stories as a flight service specialist (FSS): Iqaluit FSS

Iqaluit FSS and the Christmas of a Saab-Scania pilot

(Precedent story: Iqaluit FSS and the Persian Gulf War)

Book and message sent by a Saab-Scania pilot to the Iqaluit flight service specialists
Book and message sent by a Saab-Scania pilot to the Iqaluit flight service specialists

I still have fond memories of a pilot who came up to visit the flight service specialists (FSS) at the Transport Canada flight service station in Iqaluit, in1990, during an icy Christmas evening. This Saab-Scania pilot had arrived from United States and he intended to cross the Atlantic toward Europe.

But the extreme cold prevailing in Iqaluit, on Baffin Island,  had complicated the ground operations. The pilot’s tight schedule as well as the reduced services in effect for the Christmas holidays had given him all sorts of problems. Through his entire ordeal, he kept a professional attitude and we did everything possible to get him out of trouble.

Just before he left the flight service station, he asked us our name and mailing address in Iqaluit. Finally, once all his problems had been taken care of, he took-off from Canada towards his next stopover. Weeks went by and one day, my colleague and I each received a package from Sweden. It was a book about the Saab-Scania story and, inside, there was this little note: “With thanks for the help at Christmas”!

(Next story: A freelance demolition worker in Iqaluit)

For more real life stories as a FSS in Iqaluit, click on the following link: Flight service specialist (FSS) in Iqaluit