- 2 hours ago
Toronto Airport Uncovered - Season 1 Episode 9 -
Ready for Anything
Ready for Anything
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Safety and training go hand in hand.
00:03There's always an unknown.
00:04You don't know what's going to happen out here.
00:06Seasons staff take it to the limit.
00:09The compensation package has increased.
00:11It is now $1,200.
00:12A routine repair...
00:14It just cracked a little bit.
00:16...goes wrong.
00:17What if my mother was flying on this plane?
00:19What if she was sitting in this seat?
00:21A junior firefighter faces her biggest test yet.
00:24Oh.
00:27And a four-legged rookie...
00:29Stop.
00:30...put through his paces.
00:31This doesn't bode well.
00:35This is Canada's biggest gateway to the world.
00:38An elite force of 50,000 working non-stop.
00:42A lot of departments that sit here are like marionette puppeteers...
00:46...and make sure that everything happens.
00:48Keeping flights across six continents moving...
00:51...while battling the elements...
00:53That's what we get paid for.
00:55To do the impossible.
00:57...and facing the unexpected.
00:59There's a medical going on right now on an aircraft.
01:02And they're doing it around the clock...
01:04...to keep Toronto International on track.
01:07Whether it's icy winter...
01:17...or blooming spring...
01:19...Toronto Pearson International Airport...
01:22...needs to operate at the highest level...
01:25...to handle the almost 130,000 passengers...
01:28...who flow through it every day.
01:31Bye-bye.
01:32Hello.
01:33How are you?
01:34It's 50,000 staff use their training...
01:37...to deal with the unexpected.
01:46In Terminal One...
01:47...Seasoned Air Canada Customer Experience Specialist...
01:50...Darrel Lalonde...
01:51...knows how important it is to be prepared for anything.
01:55Customer service is important...
01:57...but let's face it...
01:58...every service industry is going to have failures...
02:00...from time to time.
02:01It's how you recover them...
02:02...that leaves a more lasting impression sometimes.
02:04So I'm big on recovery.
02:06And his next flight...
02:08...will put that experience to the test.
02:10Okay, give me a couple moments...
02:13...and I'll look at it for you, okay?
02:15Okay, bye.
02:16Potential oversold situation...
02:19...on a Montego Bay flight.
02:21So if it's oversold...
02:22...then I'm going to have to go solicit...
02:23...for a volunteer to go on another flight...
02:25...possibly tomorrow...
02:26...and get a compensation package.
02:28But I need just to double-check the numbers.
02:31Airlines sometimes oversell seats...
02:33...as insurance against no-shows.
02:36There is a percentage of passengers...
02:38...that don't show up based on different criteria.
02:40A, they didn't show up.
02:41They checked in online...
02:42...but they just never came to the airport.
02:44They could be coming in from a flight from Vancouver...
02:46...or another destination...
02:47...that that flight is delayed.
02:48Now they're not going to show up...
02:49...so those seats are going to open.
02:51But that strategy can backfire...
02:53...when, on rare occasions...
02:55...every passenger shows up.
02:57Showing that I have a couple passengers...
02:59...that don't have seat numbers yet.
03:00So at this moment...
03:01...we're going to be potentially oversold...
03:03...by two passengers on this flight.
03:05I'm going to just have to go over...
03:06...and try and do some magic...
03:08...and get two people to volunteer...
03:09...to go on tomorrow's flight.
03:11With 37 years of service...
03:13...Daryl is well versed...
03:15...in how to find a solution.
03:17Most times passengers are happy to do it...
03:20...but sometimes they're not.
03:23We had a situation yesterday...
03:24...where we didn't get any volunteers...
03:26...so there were four people...
03:27...that were left behind...
03:28...who were not very happy obviously.
03:29We were able to get them out...
03:31...on alternate routes.
03:32But generally speaking...
03:34...you have to kind of...
03:36...promote it in a way...
03:37...that is enticing for people.
03:39Daryl can offer compensation...
03:41...in the form of electronic credits...
03:43...for future travel...
03:44...attempting prospect...
03:45...for many travelers.
03:46May I have attention please...
03:47...for the information of passengers...
03:48...that are traveling...
03:49...on our Canada Flight 982...
03:50...this morning...
03:51...service from Montego Bay.
03:52We are potentially oversold...
03:53...by two passengers...
03:54...on this flight this morning.
03:55We're looking forward...
03:56...two passengers...
03:57...who have some travel...
03:58...flexibility...
03:59...who would be willing...
04:00...to give up your seat.
04:01We are offering...
04:02...a compensation package...
04:03...of $800...
04:04...for future travel credits.
04:05Daryl kicks off the bidding...
04:07...with an offer...
04:08...he hopes...
04:09...will get a bite.
04:10I got a taker.
04:11Okay.
04:12Can I see your boarding...
04:13...passway?
04:14Yeah.
04:15Okay.
04:16So if you're willing...
04:17...to volunteer...
04:18...it would be...
04:19...the same flight...
04:20...tomorrow morning.
04:21You're okay with that?
04:22Okay.
04:23All right.
04:24So what I want you to do...
04:25...is nothing at the moment, okay?
04:26So...
04:27...the reason I say that...
04:28...is because...
04:29...you're okay with that?
04:30All right.
04:31So what I want you to do...
04:32...is nothing at the moment, okay?
04:33So...
04:34...the reason I say that...
04:35...is because I just want you to...
04:36...um...
04:37...not make any change of plans...
04:38...in case at the last minute...
04:39...I have two people...
04:40...that do not show up.
04:41Okay.
04:42Okay, you can keep this.
04:43Okay.
04:44It has your bag tag on it...
04:45...so just hold on to it for now...
04:46...and...
04:47...we will be in touch with you...
04:48...very shortly, okay?
04:49Thank you very much.
04:50That's mine.
04:51Thanks, Michelle.
04:52This was a last minute thing, so...
04:54...I'm going home for my family.
04:56I have families there...
04:57...and like...
04:58...maybe someone else...
04:59...who lives here...
05:00...and doesn't have that option, so...
05:02...it's going to be nice.
05:06Daryl has reeled in one volunteer...
05:08...but as the minutes tick down to boarding...
05:10...he needs a second one.
05:13I'll wait a few minutes...
05:14...and then what I'll do...
05:15...is that I'll end up increasing...
05:16...the amount of compensation...
05:17...and generate more interest in it.
05:19Daryl still has cards...
05:24...up his sleeve...
05:25...but elsewhere in the airport...
05:29...safe operation...
05:30...calls for instant response.
05:32On the front line...
05:33...of one of the busiest airports...
05:34...in the world...
05:35...is Toronto Pearson's...
05:36...very own fire department.
05:37We don't know what we need...
05:38...so we take everything.
05:39Every airport has their...
05:40...specialized aircraft...
05:41...rescue firefighting...
05:42...just help mitigate anything...
05:43...before it gets too serious.
05:44It's one of the largest fire departments...
05:45...in all of Canada...
05:46...with a staff of nearly 100...
05:48...highly trained professionals...
05:50...and a dedicated training facility.
05:51So we're heading over to FESTI right now...
05:53...it's a Fire and Emergency Service...
05:54...training institute.
05:55Our fire ground training area...
05:56...has...
05:57...has...
05:58...has...
05:59...has...
06:00...has...
06:01...has...
06:02...has...
06:03...has...
06:04...has...
06:05...has...
06:06...has...
06:07...has...
06:08...has...
06:09...has...
06:10...has...
06:11...has...
06:12...has...
06:13...has...
06:14...specialized ARF area...
06:15...aircraft rescue firefighting area...
06:16...as well as...
06:17...area to train municipal firefighters.
06:19Pearson's crew have access...
06:22...to the latest simulation technology...
06:24...and Cam Tullis...
06:25...is behind the wheel...
06:26...of the newest addition...
06:27...to their arsenal.
06:29The ultimate firefighting machine...
06:32...the Rosenbauer Panther.
06:34We've got six front-run Panther vehicles...
06:39...they're all equipped with approximately...
06:41...12,000 liters of water.
06:44Each Panther can pump over...
06:46...2,000 gallons per minute...
06:48...almost five times more...
06:50...than a standard fire truck.
06:52There's almost 16,000 liters...
06:54...of specialized firefighting foam...
06:56...and 225 kilograms of dry chemical.
06:59They can get up to speeds...
07:00...of almost 124 kilometers an hour...
07:02...and that moves the almost...
07:03...40,000 kilograms of weight...
07:05...incredibly rapidly...
07:06...to get to an emergency incident.
07:08With a 750 horsepower engine...
07:12...the 44-ton Panther can reach...
07:15...almost 80 miles per hour.
07:17It can be operated...
07:19...by a single firefighter...
07:21...and comes equipped with the latest...
07:22...in infrared thermal imaging.
07:24So even if fog or reduced visibility...
07:28...was a factor here at the airport...
07:29...we can still respond and get to an aircraft...
07:31...where an emergency is occurring.
07:38Today, one of these state-of-the-art...
07:40...fire trucks will be needed...
07:41...for a driving test.
07:43Rookie firefighter Brittany Kublik...
07:45...has been training for this moment...
07:47...for months.
07:48Today, we're going to be...
07:50...doing my D driving test.
07:52And yeah, I've been waiting a while...
07:54...to get this thing done.
07:55So I'm excited to do it.
07:56Nervous, but excited.
07:58And yeah, I hope it goes well.
08:01It will, it will.
08:05She's memorized routes...
08:06...and rehearsed radio calls...
08:08...all in preparation for traveling...
08:10...across a live airfield...
08:12...where every movement...
08:14...is carefully choreographed...
08:16...by both air traffic...
08:17...and ground control.
08:19With a plane taking off or landing...
08:29...roughly every couple of minutes...
08:31...Brittany will be learning to drive...
08:33...in one of the most high-pressure...
08:34...environments in the world.
08:36Say first.
08:40Yeah.
08:41Before her test begins...
08:43...this rookie gets some last-minute tips...
08:45...from a veteran firefighter of 27 years...
08:48...Andy Armstrong.
08:50Do a quick walk around...
08:51...make sure nothing's...
08:52...messed up or out of place.
08:54Yep.
08:55We just check everything...
08:56...go into the truck...
08:57...make sure all the compartments...
08:58...are closed all the way.
08:59And I'll set myself up...
09:01...I'll hop inside...
09:02...get my radio the way I want it...
09:04...make sure that everything's...
09:06...just kind of set up...
09:07...so that when I'm ready to go...
09:08...I don't have to get in and go...
09:09...just a seat...
09:10...and do all this kind of stuff.
09:11Yeah.
09:12So it's always a good thing...
09:13...to kind of come in...
09:14...and get your house set up...
09:15...as I call it...
09:16...and then you're ready to rock and roll.
09:21We're still looking for another passenger...
09:23...who has some travel flexibility...
09:24...and willing to travel on the flight.
09:25Tomorrow morning...
09:26...is set up today...
09:28...as we are potentially oversold...
09:29...by two passengers.
09:31With the oversold flight...
09:33...preparing for departure...
09:34...Daryl is still one volunteer short.
09:37As a last resort...
09:38...he'll need to bump someone.
09:40But his years of experience...
09:42...tell him he can make the offer...
09:44...more tempting.
09:45We are offering a compensation package...
09:47...the compensation package...
09:48...has increased...
09:49...it is about $1200...
09:50...future travel credit...
09:52...per person...
09:53...if you're interested...
09:54...in volunteering your seat...
09:55...come and see me right away...
09:56...by the county D-77.
09:58Daryl is using his sales skills...
10:01...but it seems the first volunteer...
10:03...might end up being shortchanged.
10:05We will also provide you...
10:07...with a hotel here in Toronto...
10:08...and food vouchers as well.
10:13Yeah, let's hope.
10:16There are still no takers.
10:18It's a business...
10:21...obviously we want 100% occupancy...
10:23...but...
10:24...sometimes we get caught...
10:27...and everybody does show up...
10:28...and every connection is valid...
10:29...so that's where our salesmanship come in.
10:33It's time for boarding.
10:35One more chance to up the ante.
10:37We are still looking for more passengers...
10:40...to volunteer your seats...
10:41...and come along at length tomorrow.
10:43Our maximum amount of compensation...
10:45...that is going to be offered here...
10:47...is in the amount of $2,000...
10:50...future travel credit per person.
10:52Please see me run away...
10:53...with the front of D-77.
10:54We're looking for passengers...
10:56...who are running to travel...
10:57...on at length tomorrow...
10:58...and take advantage of the compensation factors.
11:04There's still no volunteer forthcoming.
11:07We will be starting boarding...
11:08...with zone number one.
11:10Daryl must now decide...
11:11...which passenger will miss this flight.
11:17With boarding underway...
11:19...on the oversold flight to Montego Bay...
11:23I do have one seat...
11:25...but I need another one.
11:27I need another one.
11:28Daryl's time to find a second volunteer...
11:30...has nearly run out.
11:32If they volunteer...
11:34...and they have a seat number now...
11:36...then we'll take their bags off the flight.
11:38We will wait till the very end...
11:40...just in case we have no-show passengers.
11:42So even though everybody's showing...
11:44...that they've checked in...
11:45...not everybody shows up.
11:49Go ahead and do zone two for me, okay?
11:51Zone two.
11:52But before he bumps a passenger...
11:54...experience tells Daryl...
11:56...to check the system.
11:57Actually, do you know what?
12:00We might be okay with the one.
12:03We've unloaded everybody, right?
12:05Okay.
12:06So there's one seat still here...
12:07...and I have one volunteer...
12:08...so we should be fine.
12:09Okay.
12:10So it looks like we're going to be fine.
12:12Sorry.
12:13Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
12:14Our air can apply in 982.
12:17Zone number two, please.
12:18Hello, bonjour.
12:19Zone two over here, please.
12:20The strategy has paid off.
12:22At the eleventh hour...
12:24...one passenger has not turned up...
12:26...for the flight.
12:27It looked like we were needing two of them...
12:29...but once the flight closes and finalized...
12:31...we only needed one.
12:33Anybody else?
12:34Montego Bay?
12:35Okay.
12:36Just want to make sure...
12:37...they're not boarding the wrong flight.
12:38They don't want to do the walk of shame.
12:40That's all.
12:41With the flight fully boarded...
12:43...just one more job remains.
12:45We need to start a sequence...
12:47...for the one passenger, okay?
12:48Hey, have your attention, please.
12:4915 passengers.
12:50You're not in each shop.
12:51You're not in each shop.
12:52You can see me at the front...
12:53...of the E77 again, please.
12:54The shop?
12:55Right here.
12:56Okay.
12:57So, you volunteered.
12:58It looks like we're going to use you...
13:00...but you're not going to get $800.
13:01You're going to get $2,000 credit instead.
13:03Are you okay with that?
13:04Yep.
13:05I would hope you'd be okay with that.
13:06It's more money than was offered.
13:09Okay.
13:10Daryl makes sure the volunteer passenger...
13:12...has a happy ending.
13:14Her luggage will be removed from the hold...
13:17...and her travel will be rebooked.
13:20This is Ms. Shaw.
13:22So, she's going to go on a flight tomorrow, okay?
13:24It's $2,000.
13:25All right?
13:26You're in good hands, okay?
13:28She's not going to send you to Honolulu, I promise, okay?
13:30She was happy about it, got some money.
13:33So, it was pretty good.
13:34It was a good morning.
13:39At the fire station, it's time for Brittany's skills to be tested...
13:43...as she prepares to drive across a live airfield in the Panther.
13:47These things are massive.
13:48They drive like tanks.
13:49They're loud.
13:50They're so cool, though.
13:51I'm going to go over to the apron, Terminal 1, and meet my instructor.
13:52I'm taking the back roads so that I'm not going on the airfields.
13:53And I'm going to pick them up, and we're going to go on our test.
13:54If she fails, it will set her training back, and she'll have to be put on the waiting list before she can try again.
14:15Instructor Robert DeMessa will be overseeing Brittany's test.
14:21We basically govern, enforce, and train our airport traffic directives.
14:28So, basically how people drive around the airport, around aircraft, and around each other.
14:31We keep the airport a safe place, because at the end of the day, this is our workplace, and we want to go back home to our families, our friends.
14:37It's no ordinary driving test.
14:40Runways don't have conventional traffic lights, and 100-ton planes don't yield.
14:46Brittany must pay close attention to instructions from ground control,
14:50relaying back runway codes and identifiers over the radio.
14:56And Robert will assess her response.
14:59So today we're going to be going to the maneuvering area for your test.
15:02You can use the map as well, as long as that doesn't interfere with your driving, and anything I deem unsafe will result in an automatic failure, okay?
15:09Okay.
15:10All right.
15:11So let's head to alpha mic access for your first stop.
15:13Sounds good.
15:17A lot of people do think that, you know, you have your license, you can drive here, but that's not the case.
15:21All right. Just up to the stop sign is fine.
15:23Okay.
15:24It's a very special license. We want to make sure everyone's safe. We want to make sure everyone in the aircraft is safe.
15:29And that's what we aim for, and that's why it's a special license we have here at the airport.
15:35Red 3 coming out for some training.
15:38Ground Road 3 affirmative. We're at Alpha Mike Access Road requesting North Service Road.
15:42Red 3, we're going to take Alpha Delta, and then hold short around my 248.
15:48Alpha Delta, hold short, 24 right.
15:51Red 3.
15:57Ah, see, I must have, I must have.
15:59That's okay.
16:00Brittany hesitates, pulling away from the taxiway.
16:05This way.
16:06You can take Charlie, left turn, Charlie, short of 248.
16:08As Ground Control relays instructions, uncertainty sets in.
16:13Thank you, Ground Charlie, short of 24 right.
16:17What was I thinking? I'm so sorry.
16:22One wrong turn, and the Panther could end up on a live runway without clearance.
16:29Oh, we're totally down.
16:32One second.
16:38I actually haven't done this before.
16:40Brittany has frozen on one of the airport's taxiways.
16:46As Ground Control give her a route she is unfamiliar with.
16:51She follows protocol.
16:53Please say again, Red 3.
16:55And requests clarification from the tower.
16:58I said, yeah.
16:59Red 3, yeah, you can meet the left there on Charlie.
17:02Left runway on Charlie and short of 248.
17:04Yeah.
17:05Left on Charlie, short of 248.
17:07Red 3.
17:08Red 3.
17:09Cross runway 248 and hold short of the approach line for runway 24L.
17:14Cross 24 right and hold short of the approach line to 24L.
17:17Red 3.
17:18Right in this little bubble.
17:233, proceed on runway 24L.
17:26Proceed onto runway 24L.
17:27Red 3.
17:28After an uncertain start, Brittany looks more comfortable.
17:32All right, we've just got to turn this tank around.
17:37Making it safely across the airfield.
17:44So I think what was good is that if you're disoriented, you just stop.
17:49That's just the proper thing.
17:50And you did it.
17:51So good job.
17:52Perfect.
17:53To continue on with the test, we're going to go from the north service road west of 1-5-Ride.
17:57We'll head down to Delta Victor.
17:59Delta Victor.
18:00You got it.
18:01The final part of the test is as intense as it is challenging.
18:07Brittany must navigate behind a commercial jet.
18:10You can follow KLM and then cross runway 248.
18:15It's 50,000 horsepower engines generating immense thrust and deafening noise.
18:21And what other job are you going to follow behind an aircraft in a fire truck?
18:27That's pretty cool.
18:30With the plane safely out of her path, Brittany puts her foot on the gas.
18:36Is there a path this thing can go?
18:38I'm sure.
18:39I'm sure.
18:40I'm sure.
18:41Okay, 80 kilometers.
18:45Even though she doesn't reach the Panthers' top speed of almost 80 miles per hour,
18:51her ability to safely handle the 44-ton beast is put to the test.
18:56Ground bridge bridge is coming off of two-floor right.
18:59We're passing north service road.
19:01Ground three, proceed.
19:02A Delta box truck to the north service road.
19:05Cross from way three through that.
19:08Time to head back to base, where Brittany will find out.
19:12Is it a pass or a fail?
19:14I think it was on the side, maybe beside that.
19:17Yeah.
19:18The truck there.
19:19All right, Brittany.
19:22Congratulations on passing your D test.
19:27Thanks so much.
19:28Fantastic.
19:29All right.
19:30Thanks so much.
19:31No problem.
19:32Until next time, two years.
19:33Two years.
19:34Brittany was great.
19:35She really did all that she had to do.
19:38Her radio communication was good.
19:40She read all the runways off and a success basically.
19:44And just what we want from our firefighters here at the GTA.
19:49Brittany has taken a big step in her journey towards becoming a fully qualified Toronto Pearson firefighter.
19:55Oh, my goodness.
19:56It was just about great.
19:57It's just what you want.
19:58You want to feel good out there.
19:59So that's that.
20:00There's a go.
20:01All right.
20:02You're done.
20:03Yep.
20:04Okay.
20:05Let's do it.
20:06Across the tarmac in Air Canada's maintenance hangar, a problem has been reported onboard one
20:20of the airline's 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
20:25Down a bit.
20:27I'm going to have to get a couple of clips in.
20:30The 846 came in with a report of multiple windows are fogging up in the rear cabin.
20:37And my guys are on board trying to research why they're fogging up.
20:42Cabin windows are not glass.
20:45They are made up of multiple layers of acrylic.
20:4916 of the 106 windows on the Dreamliner are displaying excess condensation between these
20:56layers that could indicate a serious problem.
20:59Hey, Mark.
21:02Engineer Mark Whitson evaluates exactly how serious this problem is.
21:07What actually we're finding here, this seal here, I don't know if you can see.
21:10Okay.
21:11It's pretty obvious, but it was very loose and it's coming out.
21:14Yeah.
21:15So this is obviously a problem.
21:16Moisture is going to come in there and freeze up.
21:18So this here, we're definitely going to have to replace this seal.
21:23These are plug type windows fitted from the inside.
21:27Cabin pressure pushes them even tighter into place.
21:30But over time, the silicone seals around them can stretch.
21:35If they aren't repaired, they have the potential to leak.
21:38This could trigger a drop in cabin pressure during a flight, putting everyone on board at risk.
21:44So I don't know if we're going to have a problem with every single seal.
21:47I haven't got that far yet.
21:48But the first two or three that we're looking at have some issues, unfortunately, that we'll have to address.
21:53Visible moisture between the panes is a clear warning sign that the team cannot ignore.
22:02All problems start small and migrate into bigger problems.
22:06So we're here to capture the small problem before it turns into a big problem.
22:11Right now what I'm going to do is take a full assessment and see exactly what parts we need, what we have available to us.
22:18And then try and come up with a game plan for how long it's going to take.
22:23The Dreamliner is already scheduled on its next flight.
22:27Our small little challenge to overcome is that this airplane is scheduled to fly tonight to Sao Paulo in Brazil.
22:36And being a 787 for a long haul, it holds around 300 people.
22:42The flight to Sao Paulo is a priority flight.
22:45With most of the passengers having onward connections, to avoid hundreds of unhappy customers, it must leave on time.
22:56At major airports like Toronto Pearson, mechanics are responsible for more than just repairs.
23:02They also taxi aircraft between gates and hangars without the need for pilots.
23:08And from there we're going to taxi to spot number 3.
23:13You'll be in the left seat, so taxi training for you as well.
23:17Alright, let's go.
23:18Alright.
23:19Mechanics need to be certified for any plane they're going to move.
23:23Okay.
23:26Today, as part of a test, an Airbus A220 will be taxiing across the runways.
23:32With engineer Dale Gofton at the controls for the very first time.
23:37It's a good feeling.
23:39Not everybody gets to be able to do this.
23:41And there's always something to learn.
23:47Trainer Fred Roy and engineer Jeremy Ellis ready the plane for Dale's training.
23:53Perp.
23:54A220.
23:55A220.
23:56A220.
23:57A220.
23:58A220.
23:59A220.
24:00Copy.
24:01This job is great because you see how the airplane works.
24:05You maintain the airplane.
24:07All the parts that nobody else gets to see, we get to touch.
24:11And then we also get to do, you know, the stuff up here that the pilots get to.
24:15It's a rewarding career.
24:17We're not in the limelight like the pilots, but we are majorly important, you know, for the operation.
24:24And the safety of everybody, including the pilots.
24:28It's a big day for Dale.
24:30Every plane handles differently.
24:32So the A220 will be a tough new test.
24:36The very first time I can tell you it's nerve-wracking.
24:39And because you're in, it's not familiar.
24:42But as you continuously do it, like any other task, it gets much easier to do.
24:47It's still a little bit nerve-wracking because there's always an unknown.
24:51You don't know what's going to happen out here.
24:53And, yeah, that's why we do our safety checklist.
24:57Engine APU gen switches unlatched.
24:59All unlatched.
25:00And our parking brake is on.
25:02Parking brake set.
25:03Right there.
25:04So if something does go wrong, we are prepared and we're not going to have any surprises.
25:09Dale is all set.
25:13Fred checks in with ground control for permission to begin the training.
25:18All right, okay.
25:19You can deny it right now, ma'am.
25:21Okay.
25:22All right.
25:23Can we put us anywhere else?
25:24Can we come back in power and we'll go from there.
25:26Okay.
25:27Bye-bye.
25:28A backup of heavy aircraft traffic means there's no clear path across the airfield.
25:37Yeah, they just denied it.
25:39It's a costly delay and a blow for the whole team.
25:43He just called the tower.
25:45They said no?
25:46No.
25:47Call back in an hour.
25:50But especially for Dale.
25:53His test is suspended with no clear answer as to when.
25:58I don't think we're going anywhere though.
26:00Or if it might resume.
26:02Fortunately, I don't think we may not be going anywhere today.
26:11In the aircraft maintenance hangar.
26:13Which they can then also do tonight here.
26:15Engineer Martin Trojan is also at a standstill.
26:19A 787 Dreamliner due to fly tonight is grounded by some faulty window seals.
26:26Now, the factors which come at play is that we've got around 300 people looking forward to flying to Sao Paulo.
26:34And this airplane is in the hangar being fixed.
26:36So we have to make sure that we get this fixed on time to get it back out online to the terminal
26:42so that every customer is happy being on the airplane on their way to the destination.
26:47There she comes.
26:50Excellent.
26:51There we have it.
26:53Structural window.
26:55Aircraft maintenance engineer Mark knows there's a ticking clock.
26:59But he has other priorities.
27:02If this aircraft is on the ground, it's making no money.
27:05It's getting our passengers that we value nowhere.
27:08And so, you know, I'm always trying to get this done in a timely fashion.
27:12But it is kind of secondary to my focus.
27:15Safety is always first.
27:17You know, I imagine what if my daughter was flying on this plane?
27:19What if my mother was flying on this plane?
27:20What if she was sitting in this seat?
27:22You know, do I have full confidence that I follow the appropriate regulations?
27:25But I represent the safety and safety trumps productivity every time.
27:30It's a huge job to ensure the Dreamliner is ready for its priority departure to Sao Paulo.
27:39But with just a few hours to go before takeoff, a fresh challenge catches the team off guard.
27:45It was very rigid and it just cracked a little bit.
27:48So this one here is going to have to be replaced.
27:52An inner plastic window has cracked while being removed by the engineers.
27:58These don't jeopardize plane safety, but are a lot trickier to replace.
28:03Yeah, I just talked to the LG desk.
28:04Okay.
28:05Basically, okay, they're going to order those parts, but we're not going to get them for a couple of days.
28:10For a couple of days.
28:12Spring has sprung across the airport, but warmer weather brings with it a host of new challenges.
28:24It's nesting season and bird numbers are growing.
28:29European starlings are definitely very common and they're starting to pop up again.
28:33Numerous birds of prey, we have red-tailed hawks are the most common.
28:37Waterfowl are really common.
28:39Wildlife control officer Jacob Towns is conducting a threat assessment around the airfield.
28:47There's a few birds just on the other side of the fence.
28:50Most of those are European starlings and at least one American robin.
28:57Aircraft are more vulnerable to bird strikes during takeoff and landing.
29:02But if a bird hits a plane just on the body, it's not going to do a whole lot of damage.
29:06But if even one of them gets in the engine, it can cause a lot of problems.
29:10This would be a very serious risk.
29:17Bird strikes don't only jeopardize safety.
29:20They cost airlines millions of dollars a year.
29:23And the increased bird activity has already had its latest casualty.
29:34A 777 has been brought into the hangar for a line maintenance check.
29:38Inspecting this right-hand engine, we found out that we had a bird go for light.
29:45As you can see, there's quite a large hole here.
29:49And you can see the evidence of the feathers of the bird itself.
29:54So in this particular case, this one is probably going to be much too large for repair.
29:59And if we're not allowed to carry out a repair, then we will end up replacing the parts that are damaged beyond limits.
30:06To combat this growing threat to aircraft safety, over in the Wildlife Control Division, the airport is training up a new recruit.
30:15Go chase!
30:21Good boy!
30:22This is Zeus.
30:23He's in our canine training program.
30:25He's three quarters of the way through his training.
30:28Come!
30:30Zeus will mostly be pursuing birds like ducks and geese, especially.
30:35Zeus will provide another layer of support to anti-bird strike measures.
30:40A non-lethal alternative that will discourage waterfowl from making the airport their home.
30:46Good job!
30:48But the nearly three-year-old Belgian Malinois is still a rookie.
30:53Effective duck-scaring means responding to commands.
30:56Okay.
30:57And good recall.
30:59And Zeus is only in the early stages of his training.
31:03So it obviously requires a very high level of discipline on his part and focus.
31:10You?
31:15Dangerously close to several runways, ducks have been spotted nesting in a nearby retention pond.
31:23These ponds temporarily hold extra stormwater to help manage flooding.
31:29There's several of them about.
31:31They're necessary, but they also pose a wildlife hazard.
31:34And the one we're going to happens to be only about 100, 150 feet away from the runway.
31:40Close to airplane traffic, Zeus will get to put his recall training into practice for the first time.
31:47We're not sure how or what he'll do.
31:51He may go in the water to chase the ducks.
31:53He may choose to remain on the shore.
31:56This is his very first time chasing ducks in this area.
32:00We'll see how it goes.
32:01Good boy, come.
32:03Zeus with me.
32:04Hey!
32:06Stop.
32:10Zeus, stop.
32:12Cue.
32:14An excitable Zeus struggles to follow Noah's instructions.
32:19This doesn't bode well.
32:21Zeus, come.
32:23Zeus's journey to becoming Toronto Airport's official duck scarer...
32:28No.
32:29...could be over before it's even begun.
32:32Ah, ah, ah, ah.
32:34Stop.
32:35At the maintenance hangar, cracked inner windows threaten to derail the speedy repair of the 787 Dreamliner.
32:48Hey, Mark.
32:49Martin.
32:50The inside window, which we need to be placed further forward.
32:55Yeah.
32:56Can we reinstall the one that we have, as it is not an airworthiness item, and put an NEF on it?
33:02With a cracked one?
33:03With a cracked window, the inside, we're going to put an NEF on it.
33:06NEFs are identified by airlines as non-essential equipment and furnishings.
33:12Items within a plane that, if they're broken, do not impact flight safety.
33:18Technically, the aircraft can still operate with a cracked inner window if the surrounding seals are intact.
33:26But there's multiple cracked ones. You would want to send it that way?
33:28How many?
33:29There's three.
33:30There's three.
33:31Yeah.
33:32Yeah.
33:33They are looking for three of them. Yeah, put three individual NEFs on it.
33:36Why? We can't find any?
33:37It's not that we can't find any there.
33:39We just won't be in time.
33:40We find the passengers who don't realize that.
33:42Yeah, it'll look pretty bad.
33:43I don't know what passengers would want to sit there and feel comfortable thinking.
33:47Like, they don't know what we know.
33:48Although the aircraft would be completely safe, passengers may not see it that way.
33:56And the NEFs may cause alarm.
34:01His concern is that the passengers who are sitting next to her are going to see a broken window, basically, because they don't know what they're looking at.
34:08The final decision on whether this plane leaves tonight is now out of Martin's hands.
34:15In essence, they have to now turn around and potentially let people down which are at the airport waiting for the flight.
34:21But when Air Canada management calls back, the verdict is clear.
34:27All right, thanks.
34:35Right now, it will stay overnight until we receive these items so we can reinstall new ones.
34:41Passenger perception wins out.
34:44The Dreamliner won't be leaving for Sao Paulo tonight.
34:52Heel.
34:54Stop.
34:56Heel.
34:57Wildlife control rookie Zeus and his handler Noah spot several ducks at one of the airport's retention ponds.
35:05Pearson is hoping Zeus will be a valuable asset, helping to expand their efforts to control the wildlife.
35:12So this area here is a huge attraction for wildlife, especially ducks and geese.
35:17And the runway happens to be just on the other side of the fence over there.
35:21So it's a safety concern if ducks are present here.
35:25It's nesting season, and if these ducks remain here, they pose a risk to departing and arriving flights.
35:32Unless Zeus can scare them off.
35:36Go chase!
35:38With the ducks in his sights, instinct kicks in.
35:42Good boy!
35:43Good boy!
35:44Good boy!
35:45Good boy!
35:46Good boy!
35:47Good boy!
35:48Zeus successfully removes the problem ducks before they can build a nest.
35:52They now view him as a predator, and will not quickly return.
35:58Good boy!
35:59Good boy!
36:00Good boy!
36:01Good boy!
36:02Turns out he likes to chase ducks and is not afraid to go in the muddy water.
36:06So that's a huge plus for us.
36:08I'm very happy with him.
36:09Good boy!
36:10Good boy!
36:11He's gonna do great.
36:13But Zeus' training is far from over.
36:15He has a desire to chase wildlife, but his control and response needs to improve.
36:22So it's gonna be a while before he's certified level four and free to roam.
36:27Good boy!
36:28Good boy!
36:29Yes!
36:30Yes!
36:31This is his reward.
36:32He gets to be tired, and he gets to get some love.
36:35An important step in Zeus' journey to becoming Toronto Pearson's newest canine wildlife officer.
36:45And we're hoping that the dog will prove a more effective tool for this job.
36:50And another weapon in the airport's anti-bird strike arsenal.
36:59It's been an hour's wait outside the Air Canada hangar,
37:02and engineer Dale is anxious to start his test in the Airbus A220.
37:07All the birds with one stone.
37:09No, they're not gonna give us a gate.
37:11They will not give us a gate.
37:14Even if Attila can just allow us to taxi once around the airport.
37:23Then, a call from the tower comes in, and Dale's training is back on.
37:28It's a controlled area, driving out here.
37:31You have to listen to the control tower, do as they say, and they tell you where to go,
37:36just like all the other airplanes that are out there.
37:39Landing gear lever down.
37:41Landing gear lever is down.
37:42Engine start selector auto.
37:43Engine start selector auto.
37:45Even though the aircraft will never leave the ground,
37:48it's almost 80 tons of pure power,
37:50and moving it requires precise handling and control.
37:55I'm responsible for monitoring the systems to make sure everything's running smoothly.
38:01And constantly switching between frequencies, talking to the tower, the apron, the coordinator.
38:07All right, pre-taxi checklist, ground crew clearance.
38:10Okay, hydraulic panel auto.
38:12Ready for engine start.
38:13Seatbelts on. Seatbelts are on. Everybody's buckled up.
38:16Go for start.
38:20Starting right-handed.
38:22Okay.
38:24Go ahead behind the United now. We're going to Bravo.
38:26Short of Romeo.
38:28Under the watchful eye of Trainer Fred, Dale begins to carefully steer the Airbus along a network of painted lines,
38:35with Jeremy manning the radio.
38:38Continue down Bravo to Charlie.
38:41It's going to be a left turn on Charlie.
38:44Moving a plane with an estimated value of 90 million U.S. dollars, Dale needs to keep his nerve.
38:51Yeah, so you're not going to turn.
38:53This is Delta, you're going to Charlie.
38:54Next one.
38:56Yep.
38:58Remember what Fred said, you've got to go past the sign, right?
39:01Yeah.
39:02You might see it, but you've got to go past it.
39:03So this first one is Victor, actually.
39:04Okay.
39:08The turn speed, do you like? Ten?
39:10Five to ten knots.
39:11Okay.
39:12Dale is off to a good start.
39:15But he must manage his speed carefully through each turn.
39:19So we're turning here.
39:21Any faster than ten knots, and the aircraft could veer off its planned path,
39:26risking a collision with signage or ground vehicles.
39:31Yep, you're good.
39:35After successfully navigating the turns, Dale holds at the gate,
39:40before making the return journey back to the hangar.
39:50His test on the Airbus A220 is complete.
39:53Any feedback here on my taxi?
39:57Yeah, perfect, very good.
39:58All right.
39:59This was my first time doing it in this aircraft type.
40:03I never actually imagined that I would actually be able to do this,
40:06taxi around an airplane with people on board and my coworkers,
40:11and drive them around safely.
40:13It's actually quite rewarding, and I enjoyed it a lot.
40:16Well, Dale did very well, so moving forward, Dale is a taxi qualified to arm the Airbus A220.
40:25So it's a good day.
40:26Have a good day.
40:34In the hangar, the 787 Dreamliner with the damaged windows has had an unexpected change in fortune.
40:40There was something that transpired while we've been working in that there's been an aircraft that's the same 887,
40:48same type of aircraft, that unfortunately was damaged in another hangar, so it's going to be on the ground for a little while,
40:54but that's going to be able to provide for us some parts that we need.
40:56So the outlook of this aircraft might just change right now, and it might be able to go a little sooner than anticipated.
41:05Even with parts from a lower priority aircraft suddenly becoming available,
41:10it's still going to be a race against time to ensure the Dreamliner makes it to Brazil on schedule.
41:17I got Steve, Jamie, and Iwan over here right away.
41:20Perfect.
41:21And then we can make magic happen.
41:23Love you, brother.
41:24All right, brother.
41:25In fact, you have to constantly, like, trying to pivot on the point and come up with ideas on how to fix the situation on hand,
41:34how to overcome obstacles.
41:36So everybody's working together on this to make this airplane servile and make that flight tonight to its destination on time.
41:44So we've got three hours left to go at 6 o'clock now.
41:47With the extra crew, they rush into action.
41:49If it's going to make the slot, the plane must be ready for its hundreds of passengers to board at 9 p.m.
41:55I think it's going to be pretty close, but we have, as I'm talking to you right now, guys are coming on board willing and ready to help.
42:03And that's going to help us big time.
42:05These guys that are coming on here, they're good with their hands.
42:07They know this job.
42:08And, yeah, I feel pretty confident that we can get this thing going so it can make its flight tonight.
42:15With just minutes to spare, the Dreamliner is ready to leave the hangar and head over to the gate.
42:34It's a huge relief. And with the help of my guys on the aircraft, we were able to bring it back into service on time and on its flight.
42:40To be able to kind of win as one, I know it sounds a little cliché, but it is good.
42:46We win together when we do this, and this is the reason we do the job.
42:48We love doing it, and today, everyone pulled together.
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