Air Force pilot training to continue in Manitoba community for next 25 years

The Southport Air Force Training Program is getting a new training program to help Canada's military pilots. CTV’s Harrison Shin explains.

Canada’s future defenders of the sky start their journey in Southport, located in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, Man. — and with a recent reboot of the military training program, renewed economic confidence has returned to the region.

Allied Wing, a consortium of four companies—KF Aerospace, Bluedrop Training & Simulation, Canadian Base Operators and Canadian Helicopters—has been training all future pilots of the Canadian Armed Forces for about 20 years under the Contracted Flight Training and Support program (CFTS).

“Every single Canadian Armed Forces pilot begins their flying career here in Portage la Prairie,” said Jeff Fletcher, site manager for KF Aerospace.

“For those that are successful in that training—a large portion of those pilots will conclude their initial pilot training here in Portage and obtain their Canadian Armed Forces wings.”

Now, the training program is rebooted into the Future Aircrew Training program (FAcT), and under the new program, Southport will continue to play a major role in Canada’s air defence.

In April, Skyalyne—a consortium of KF Aerospace and CAE—chose Southport for the FAcT site services, finalizing its FAcT contract awarded in 2024. The program will run for the next 25 years, according to a news release.

Under CFTS, phase one training—the first stage of pilot training—was done in Southport, making Portage la Prairie the first stop in all CAF pilots’ flying careers.

With FAcT, Skyalyne’s Moose Jaw, Sask., site will host basic flying training; however, the Southport site will host rotary wing and multi-engine training, with new aircraft and more pilots, said Bill Ryan, site manager for Skyalyne.

“We’re getting all new buildings, all new aircraft, all new everything. It’s actually going to be as big, or bigger than, the current operation,” he told CTV News on Tuesday.

Ryan said they have five years to build five different fleets of aircraft, totalling around 71 aircraft. In addition, more than 70 types of simulators will be added.

‘More economic activity for us’: Reeve

Roy Tufford, reeve of the RM of Portage la Prairie, said the CFTS program brought “around 600 jobs out there,” describing it as an economic driver.

“We now know that it’s not going to go away,” he said.

“If anything, there’s going to be an expansion. The new monies that are going to be there to spend on infrastructure are going to enable it to expand its capabilities to do more, even more economic activity for us.”

Sharilyn Knox, mayor of the City of Portage la Prairie, said the city, RM and Southport are working together on a new fieldhouse in the area, which will cost around $20 million in total.

“We already have support from the province of Manitoba. It’s a $5 million support from (Southport), and we’re looking at doing an equal partnership for that facility out there,” she said.

“We know that we need that type of recreation facility in our region, and having Southport as a partner is just a bonus for us.”

Fletcher, born and raised in Portage la Prairie, said the operation has been “foundational” to the community.

“It’s something that a lot of us grew up with, and those that are new to town very quickly recognize as a fixture, a foundation, a pillar within the community.

“Portage has been foundational to the community in terms of not just the economic potential, but the contribution of the community to the Canadian Armed Forces and to the people of Canada.”