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00:00A Toronto Pearson International Airport,
00:05safety and training go hand in hand.
00:07There's always an unknown.
00:09You don't know what's going to happen out here.
00:11Season staff take it to the limit.
00:13The compensation package has increased.
00:15It is now $1,200.
00:17A routine repair...
00:18It just cracked a little bit.
00:20...goes wrong.
00:22What if my mother was flying on this plane?
00:23What if she was sitting in this seat?
00:25A junior firefighter faces her biggest test yet.
00:29And a four-legged rookie...
00:33Stop.
00:34...is put through his paces.
00:35This doesn't bode well.
00:39This is Canada's biggest gateway to the world.
00:42An elite force of 50,000 working non-stop.
00:46A lot of departments that sit here are like marionette puppeteers
00:50and make sure that everything happens.
00:52Keeping flights across six continents moving...
00:55...while battling the elements...
00:57That's what we get paid for.
00:58To do the impossible.
01:00...and facing the unexpected.
01:02There's a medical going on right now on our aircraft.
01:04And they're doing it around the clock to keep Toronto International on track.
01:10Whether it's icy winter or blooming spring...
01:22...Toronto Pearson International Airport needs to operate at the highest level...
01:28...to handle the almost 130,000 passengers who flow through it everyday.
01:35Bye-bye.
01:36Hello, bonjour.
01:37How are you?
01:38It's 50,000 staff use their training to deal with the unexpected.
01:41In Terminal 1, Seasoned Air Canada customer experience specialist Daryl Lalonde knows how important it is to be prepared for anything.
01:57Customer service is important.
01:59But let's face it, every service industry is going to have failures from time to time.
02:03That's how you recover them.
02:04That leaves a more lasting impression sometimes.
02:06So I'm big on recovery.
02:08And his next flight will put that experience to the test.
02:13Okay.
02:14Give me a couple moments and I'll look at it for you, okay?
02:17Okay, bye.
02:18Potential oversold situation on a Montego Bay flight.
02:23So if it's oversold, then I'm going to have to go solicit for a volunteer to go on another flight.
02:27Possibly tomorrow and get a compensation package.
02:30But I need just to double check the numbers.
02:33Airlines sometimes oversell seats as insurance against no-shows.
02:38There is a percentage of passengers that don't show up based on different criteria.
02:42A, they didn't show up, they checked in online, but they just never came to the airport.
02:46They could be coming in from a flight from Vancouver or another destination that that flight is delayed.
02:50Now they're not going to show up, so those seats are going to open.
02:53But that strategy can backfire when, on rare occasions, every passenger shows up.
02:59Showing that I have a couple passengers that don't have seat numbers yet.
03:02So at this moment, we're going to be potentially oversold by two passengers on this flight.
03:06I will just have to go over and try and do some magic and get two people to volunteer to go on tomorrow's flight.
03:12With 37 years of service, Daryl is well versed in how to find a solution.
03:18Most times, passengers are happy to do it, but sometimes they're not.
03:24We had a situation yesterday where we didn't get any volunteers.
03:27So there were four people that were left behind who were not very happy, obviously.
03:30We were able to get them out on alternate routes.
03:33But generally speaking, you have to kind of promote it in a way that is enticing for people.
03:39Daryl can offer compensation in the form of electronic credits for future travel, attempting prospect for many travelers.
03:47May I have attention, please.
03:49For the information of passengers that are traveling on our account of flight 982 this morning, service from Montego Bay.
03:55We are potentially oversold by two passengers on this flight this morning.
03:59We're looking for two passengers who have some travel flexibility, who would be willing to give up your seat.
04:05We are offering a compensation package of $800 future travel credits.
04:11Daryl kicks off the bidding with an offer he hopes will get a bite.
04:19I got a taker. Okay, can I see your boarding pass, man?
04:22Yeah.
04:23Okay, so if you're willing to volunteer, it would be the same flight tomorrow morning.
04:27You're okay with that?
04:28Yeah.
04:29All right, so what I want you to do is nothing at the moment, okay?
04:32So, the reason I say that is because I just want you to not make any change of plans.
04:37Okay.
04:38In case at the last minute I have two people that do not show up.
04:40Okay.
04:41Okay, you can keep this.
04:42Okay.
04:43It has your bag tag on it, so just hold on to it for now.
04:45And we will be in touch with you very shortly, okay?
04:48Thank you very much.
04:49Thanks, Michelle.
04:50Okay, good.
04:51This was a last minute thing, so...
04:53I'm going home with my family.
04:55My family, yeah, family's there and like maybe someone else who lives here and doesn't have
05:00that option, so...
05:02It's going to be nice.
05:05Darryl has reeled in one volunteer, but as the minutes tick down to boarding, he needs a
05:10second one.
05:12I'll wait a few minutes and then what I'll do is that I'll end up increasing the amount
05:15of compensation and generate more interest in it.
05:18And one, do we have any more options?
05:21Are we ready to go?
05:22Darryl still has cards up his sleeve.
05:24We are ready to go.
05:25But elsewhere in the airport, Safe Operation calls for instant response.
05:34On the front line of one of the busiest airports in the world is Toronto Pearson's very own
05:40fire department.
05:41We don't know what we need, so we take everything.
05:46Every airport has their specialized aircraft rescue firefighting.
05:49Just help mitigate anything before it gets too serious.
05:53It's one of the largest fire departments in all of Canada, with a staff of nearly 100 highly trained
06:00professionals and a dedicated training facility.
06:03So we're heading over to FESTI right now.
06:04It's Fire and Emergency Service Training Institute.
06:09Our fire ground training area has a specialized ARF area, aircraft rescue firefighting area, as well
06:15as area to train municipal firefighters.
06:18Pearson's crew have access to the latest simulation technology.
06:22And Cam Tullis is behind the wheel of the newest addition to their arsenal.
06:27The ultimate firefighting machine, the Rosenbauer Panther.
06:34We've got six front-run Panther vehicles.
06:37They're all equipped with approximately 12,000 liters of water.
06:40Each Panther can pump over 2,000 gallons per minute, almost five times more than a standard fire truck.
06:49There's almost 16,000 liters of specialized firefighting foam and 225 kilograms of dry chemical.
06:56They can get up to speeds of almost 124 kilometers an hour.
06:59And that moves the almost 40,000 kilograms of weight incredibly rapidly to get to an emergency incident.
07:06With a 750 horsepower engine, the 44-ton Panther can reach almost 80 miles per hour.
07:15It can be operated by a single firefighter and comes equipped with the latest in infrared thermal imaging.
07:23So even if fog or reduced visibility was a factor here at the airport,
07:26we can still respond and get to an aircraft where an emergency is occurring.
07:30Today, one of these state-of-the-art fire trucks will be needed for a driving test.
07:39Rookie firefighter Brittany Kublik has been training for this moment for months.
07:44Today, we're going to be doing my D driving test.
07:48And, yeah, I've been waiting a while to get this thing done, so I'm excited to do it.
07:52Nervous, but excited.
07:54And, yeah, I hope it goes well.
07:57It will. It will.
08:00She's memorized routes and rehearsed radio calls,
08:03all in preparation for traveling across a live airfield,
08:08where every movement is carefully choreographed by both air traffic and ground control.
08:14With a plane taking off or landing roughly every couple of minutes,
08:26Brittany will be learning to drive in one of the most high-pressure environments in the world.
08:31Okay.
08:32Stay first.
08:33Yeah.
08:34Before her test begins, this rookie gets some last-minute tips from a veteran firefighter of 27 years, Andy Armstrong.
08:44Do a quick walk around, make sure nothing's messed up or out of place.
08:48Yep.
08:49We just check everything, go into the truck, make sure all the compartments are closed all the way.
08:53And I'll set myself up. I'll hop inside, get my radio the way I want it,
08:58make sure that everything's just kind of set up so that when I'm ready to go,
09:02I don't have to get in and go, oh, adjust the seat and do all this kind of stuff.
09:05Yeah.
09:06So it's always a good thing to kind of come in and get your house set up, as I call it,
09:09and then you're ready to rock and roll.
09:11We're still looking for another passenger who has some travel flexibility
09:18and willing to travel on the flight tomorrow morning instead of today,
09:22as we are potentially oversold by two passengers.
09:25With the oversold flight preparing for departure, Daryl is still one volunteer short.
09:31As a last resort, he'll need to bump someone.
09:34But his years of experience tell him he can make the offer more tempting.
09:39We are offering a compensation package.
09:41The compensation package has increased.
09:43It is now $1200 due to travel credit.
09:46Per person, if you're interested in volunteering your seat,
09:49come and see me right away at the front of 1877.
09:52Daryl is using his sales skills,
09:54but it seems the first volunteer might end up being shortchanged.
09:59We will also provide you with a hotel here in Toronto and food vouchers as well.
10:06Yeah, that's all.
10:09There are still no takers.
10:14It's a business.
10:15Obviously, we want 100% occupancy, but sometimes we get caught,
10:20and everybody does show up, and every connection is valid.
10:22So that's where our salesmanship come in.
10:26It's time for boarding.
10:28One more chance to up the ante.
10:30We are still looking for more passengers to volunteer your seats and travel on the plane tomorrow.
10:36Our maximum amount of compensation that is going to be offered here is in the amount of $2000 future travel credit per person.
10:44Can you see me run away over the front of DB77?
10:47I'll work for the passengers.
10:48We're running to travel on the plane tomorrow and take advantage of the compensation package.
10:53There's still no volunteer forthcoming.
10:59We will be starting boarding with zone number one.
11:02Daryl must now decide which passenger will miss this flight.
11:06With boarding underway on the oversold flight to Montego Bay.
11:15I do have one seat, but I need another one.
11:19I need another one.
11:20Daryl's time to find a second volunteer has nearly run out.
11:25If they volunteer and they have a seat number now, they will take their bags off the flight.
11:30We will wait till the very end just in case we have no-show passengers.
11:34So even though everybody's showing that they've checked in, not everybody shows up.
11:38Go ahead and do zone two for me, okay? Zone two.
11:43But before he bumps a passenger, experience tells Daryl to check the system.
11:50Actually, do you know what?
11:53We might be okay with the one.
11:55You unloaded everybody, right?
11:57Okay, so there's one seat still here and I have one volunteer, so we should be fine.
12:01Okay, so it looks like we're going to be fine.
12:03Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
12:06Hello, bonjour. Zone two over here, please.
12:11The strategy has paid off.
12:14At the 11th hour, one passenger has not turned up for the flight.
12:18It looked like we were needing two of them, but once the flight closes and finalized,
12:22we only needed one.
12:24Anybody else? Montego Bay?
12:26Okay.
12:27Just want to make sure they're not boarding the wrong flight.
12:29You don't want to do the walk of shame.
12:31That's all.
12:32With the flight fully boarded, just one more job remains.
12:36We need to start a sequence for the one passenger, okay?
12:39Okay, have your attention, please.
12:40Paging passenger.
12:41Melanie Shaw.
12:42You can see me at the front of the E-77 again, please.
12:45Ms. Shaw?
12:46Right here.
12:47Okay, so you volunteered.
12:48It looks like we're going to use you, but you're not going to get $800.
12:51You're going to get $2,000 credit instead.
12:53Are you okay with that?
12:54Yep.
12:55I would hope you would be okay with that.
12:56It's more money than was offered.
12:58Okay.
12:59Daryl makes sure the volunteer passenger has a happy ending.
13:04Her luggage will be removed from the hold, and her travel will be rebooked.
13:10This is Ms. Shaw.
13:12So she's going to go on a flight tomorrow, okay?
13:14It's $2,000.
13:15All right?
13:16You're in good hands, okay?
13:18She's not going to send you to Honolulu, I promise, okay?
13:20She was happy about it.
13:22Got some money.
13:23So it was pretty good.
13:24It was a good morning.
13:29At the fire station, it's time for Brittany's skills to be tested as she prepares to drive
13:35across a live airfield in the Panther.
13:40These things are massive.
13:41They drive like tanks.
13:43They're loud.
13:44They're so cool, though.
13:46I'm going to go over to the apron, Terminal 1, and meet my instructor.
13:49I've taken the back roads so that I'm not going on the airfield.
13:53And I'm going to pick him up, and we're going to go on our test.
13:58If she fails, it will set her training back, and she'll have to be put on the waiting list
14:03before she can try again.
14:08And then the instructor, Robert De Mesa, will be overseeing Brittany's test.
14:12We basically govern, enforce, and train our airport traffic directives.
14:17So basically how people drive around the airport, around aircraft, and around each other.
14:20We keep the airport a safe place, because at the end of the day, this is our workplace,
14:23and we want to go back home to our families, our friends.
14:26It's no ordinary driving test.
14:28Runways don't have conventional traffic lights, and 100-ton planes don't yield.
14:34Brittany must pay close attention to instructions from ground control,
14:38relaying back runway codes and identifiers over the radio.
14:44And Robert will assess her response.
14:46So today, we're going to be going to the maneuvering area for your tests.
14:50You can use the map as well, as long as that doesn't interfere with your driving,
14:53and anything I do must say will result in an automatic failure, okay?
14:56Roger.
14:57All right.
14:58So let's head to Alpha Mike access room for your first stop.
15:01Sounds good.
15:04A lot of people do think that, you know, you have your license, you can drive here,
15:07but that's not the case.
15:09All right, just up to the stop sign is fine.
15:10Okay.
15:11It's a very special license.
15:13We want to make sure everyone's safe.
15:14We want to make sure everyone in the aircraft is safe,
15:16and that's what we aim for,
15:18and that's why it's a special license we have here at the airport.
15:21Road 3, coming up for some training.
15:24Ground Road 3, affirmative.
15:26We're at Alpha Mike access road, requesting North service road.
15:29Road 3, we're going to take Alpha Delta,
15:32and then hold short runway 248.
15:34Alpha Delta, hold short, 24 right.
15:38Road 3.
15:40Oh.
15:41Oh.
15:42See, I must, I must.
15:45That's okay.
15:46Brittany hesitates, pulling away from the taxiway.
15:49This way.
15:51I'm sure you can take Charlie.
15:52Left turn, Charlie, short of 24 right.
15:54As ground control relays instructions, uncertainty sets in.
15:59Thank you, ground Charlie, short of, uh, 24 right.
16:03Charlie.
16:04Charlie.
16:05What was I thinking?
16:06I'm so sorry.
16:07One wrong turn, and the Panther could end up on a live runway without clearance.
16:13Oh, part of my down.
16:14One second.
16:15I actually haven't done this before.
16:28Brittany has frozen on one of the airport's taxiways.
16:33As ground control give her a route she is unfamiliar with, she follows protocol.
16:40Can you say again, Red 3?
16:41And request clarification from the tower.
16:44Okay.
16:45Red 3, uh, yeah, you meet the left there on Charlie.
16:48Left all the way down Charlie and short of 24 right.
16:50Yeah.
16:51Left on Charlie, short of 24 right.
16:53Red 3.
16:54Red 3, cross runway 24 right and hold short of the approach line for runway 24 left.
16:59Cross 24 right and hold short of the approach line to 24 left.
17:03Red 3.
17:07Right in this little bubble.
17:09Can you proceed on runway 24 left?
17:11Proceed onto runway 24 left, Red 3.
17:14After an uncertain start, Brittany looks more comfortable.
17:21All right, I'm just going to turn this tank around.
17:26Making it safely across the airfield.
17:30So I think what was good was that if you're disoriented, you just stopped.
17:34That's just the proper thing, and you did it.
17:36So good job.
17:37Perfect.
17:38To continue on with the test, we're going to go from the north service road west of 1-5 right.
17:42We'll head down to Delta Victor.
17:43Delta Victor.
17:44Delta Victor.
17:45You got it.
17:46The final part of the test is as intense as it is challenging.
17:51Brittany must navigate behind a commercial jet.
17:55You can follow KLM and then cross runway 24 right.
17:59It's 50,000 horsepower engines generating immense thrust and deafening noise.
18:05And what other job are you going to follow behind an aircraft in a fire truck?
18:11That's pretty cool.
18:16With the plane safely out of her path, Brittany puts her foot on the gas.
18:20See how fast this thing can go?
18:22Okay, 80 kilometers.
18:30Even though she doesn't reach the Panthers' top speed of almost 80 miles per hour, her ability to safely handle the 44-ton beast is put to the test.
18:39Ground bridge bridge is coming off of 2-4 right.
18:42We're crossing north service road.
18:431-3 proceed at Delta Fox truck to the north service road cross from way 3-3 left.
18:48Time to head back to base, where Brittany will find out.
18:54Is it a pass or a fail?
18:57I think it was a way on the side, maybe beside that.
19:00Yeah.
19:01That truck there.
19:03All right, Brittany.
19:08Congratulations on passing your D test.
19:10Thanks so much.
19:11Fantastic.
19:12All right.
19:13Thanks so much.
19:14No problem.
19:15Until next time, two years.
19:16Two years.
19:17I'll see you in two years.
19:18Brittany was great.
19:19She really did all that she had to do.
19:21Her radio communication was good.
19:23She read all the runways off.
19:25And a success, basically.
19:27And just what we want from our firefighters here at the GTAA.
19:32Brittany has taken a big step in her journey towards becoming a fully qualified Toronto Pearson firefighter.
19:40Oh, my goodness.
19:42It was just, it felt great.
19:44It's what you want.
19:45You want to feel good out there, so.
19:46Excellent.
19:47There's a go!
19:48All right.
19:49You're done.
19:50Yep.
19:51Let's do it.
19:52Let's do it.
19:53Across the tarmac, in Air Canada's maintenance hangar, a problem has been reported onboard one
20:03of the airline's 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
20:07Down a bit?
20:08I'm going to have to get a couple of clips in.
20:12The 846 came in with a report of multiple windows are fogging up in the rear cabin.
20:18And my guys are on board trying to research why they're fogging up.
20:24Cabin windows are not glass.
20:26They are made up of multiple layers of acrylic.
20:3016 of the 106 windows on the Dreamliner are displaying excess condensation between these layers
20:38that could indicate a serious problem.
20:43Hey, Mark.
20:44Engineer Mark Whitson evaluates exactly how serious this problem is.
20:48What actually we're finding here, this seal here, I don't know if you can see.
20:51Okay.
20:52It's pretty obvious, but it was very loose and it's coming out.
20:55Yeah.
20:56So this is obviously a problem.
20:57Moisture's going to come in there and freeze up.
20:59So this here, we're definitely going to have to replace this seal.
21:04These are plug-type windows fitted from the inside.
21:08Cabin pressure pushes them even tighter into place.
21:11But over time, the silicone seals around them can stretch.
21:16If they aren't repaired, they have the potential to leak.
21:19This could trigger a drop in cabin pressure during a flight, putting everyone on board at risk.
21:24So I don't know if we're going to have a problem with every single seal.
21:27I haven't got that far yet.
21:28But the first two or three that we're looking at have some issues, unfortunately, that we'll have to address.
21:34Visible moisture between the panes is a clear warning sign that the team cannot ignore.
21:40All problems start small and migrate into bigger problems.
21:46So we're here to capture the small problem before it turns into a big problem.
21:49Right 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.
21:57And then try and come up with a game plan for how long it's going to take.
22:02The Dreamliner is already scheduled on its next flight.
22:06Our small little challenge to overcome is that this aircraft is scheduled to fly tonight to Sao Paulo in Brazil.
22:15And being a 787 for a long haul, it holds around 300 people.
22:22The flight to Sao Paulo is a priority flight.
22:25With most of the passengers having onward connections, to avoid hundreds of unhappy customers, it must leave on time.
22:35At major airports like Toronto Pearson, mechanics are responsible for more than just repairs.
22:41They also taxi aircraft between gates and hangars, without the need for pilots.
22:46And from there, we're going to taxi to spot number 3.
22:51You'll be in the left seat, so taxi training for you as well.
22:55All right, let's go.
22:57Mechanics need to be certified for any plane they're going to move.
23:01Okay.
23:02Today, as part of a test, an Airbus A220 will be taxiing across the runways.
23:10With engineer Dale Gofton at the controls for the very first time.
23:15It's a good feeling.
23:17Not everybody gets to be able to do this.
23:19And there's always something to learn.
23:25Trainer Fred Roy and engineer Jeremy Ellis ready the plane for Dale's training.
23:30Sir?
23:31A.P.U. to run.
23:33And you're clear for A.P.U.
23:37Copy.
23:38This job is great because you can, you see how the airplane works.
23:42You maintain the airplane.
23:44All the parts that nobody else gets to see, we get to touch.
23:47And then we also get to do, you know, the stuff up here that the pilots get to.
23:52It's a rewarding career.
23:54We're not in the limelight like the pilots, but we are majorly important, you know, for the operation.
24:01And the safety of everybody, including the pilots.
24:04It's a big day for Dale.
24:07Every plane handles differently.
24:09So the A220 will be a tough new test.
24:13The very first time I can direct you, it's nerve-wracking.
24:16And because you're in, it's not familiar.
24:19But as you continuously do it like any other task, it gets much easier to do.
24:24It's still a little bit nerve-wracking because there's always an unknown.
24:27You don't know what's going to happen out here.
24:29And, yeah, that's why we do our safety checklist.
24:33Engine A.P.U. gen switches unlatched. All unlatched.
24:37And our parking brake is on.
24:39Parking brake set right there.
24:40So if something does go wrong, we are prepared and we're not going to have any surprises.
24:45Dale is all set.
24:49Fred checks in with ground control for permission to begin the training.
24:53A backup of heavy aircraft traffic means there's no clear path across the airfield.
25:12It's a costly delay and a blow for the whole team.
25:19He just called the tower.
25:21They said no?
25:22No.
25:23Call back in an hour.
25:26But especially for Dale.
25:29His test is suspended with no clear answer as to when.
25:33I don't think we're going anywhere, though.
25:35Or if it might resume.
25:37Fortunately, I don't think we may not be going anywhere today.
25:40In the aircraft maintenance hangar, which they can then also do tonight here, engineer Martin Trojan is also at a standstill.
25:54A 787 Dreamliner due to flight tonight is grounded by some faulty window seals.
26:00Now, the factors which come at play is that we've got around 300 people looking forward to flying to Sao Paulo.
26:09And this airplane is in the hangar being fixed, so we have to make sure that we get this fixed on time to get it back out online to the terminal so that every customer is happy being on the airplane on their way to the destination.
26:21There she comes.
26:22Excellent.
26:23There we have it.
26:24Structural window.
26:25Aircraft maintenance engineer Mark knows there's a ticking clock, but he has other priorities.
26:36If this aircraft is on the ground, it's making no money, it's getting our passengers that we value nowhere.
26:42And so, you know, I'm always trying to get this done in a timely fashion, but it is kind of secondary to my focus.
26:49Safety is always first.
26:51You know, I imagine what if my daughter was flying on this plane? What if my mother was flying on this plane? What if she was sitting in this seat?
26:56You know, do I have full confidence that I follow the appropriate regulations?
27:00I represent the safety and safety trumps productivity every time.
27:06It's a huge job to ensure the Dreamliner is ready for its priority departure to Sao Paulo.
27:12But with just a few hours to go before takeoff, a fresh challenge catches the team off guard.
27:19It was very rigid and it just cracked a little bit. So this one here is going to have to be replaced.
27:26An inner plastic window has cracked while being removed by the engineers.
27:31These don't jeopardize plane safety, but are a lot trickier to replace.
27:36Yeah, I just talked to the LG desk.
27:38Okay.
27:39Basically, okay, they're going to order those parts, but we're not going to get them for a couple of days.
27:43For a couple of days.
27:49Spring has sprung across the airport, but warmer weather brings with it a host of new challenges.
27:56It's nesting season and bird numbers are growing.
28:02European starlings are definitely very common and they're starting to pop up again.
28:06Numerous birds of prey. We have red-tailed hawks are the most common.
28:10Waterfowl are really common.
28:14Wildlife control officer Jacob Towns is conducting a threat assessment around the airfield.
28:19There's a few birds just on the other side of the fence.
28:23Most of those are European starlings and at least one American robin.
28:30Aircraft are more vulnerable to bird strikes during takeoff and landing.
28:35But if a bird hits a plane just on the body, it's not going to do a whole lot of damage.
28:39But if even one of them gets in the engine, it can cause a lot of problems.
28:42This would be a very serious risk.
28:49Bird strikes don't only jeopardize safety.
28:52They cost airlines millions of dollars a year.
28:56And the increased bird activity has already had its latest casualty.
29:06A 777 has been brought into the hangar for a line maintenance check.
29:09Expecting this right-hand engine, we found out that we had a bird close per light.
29:16As you can see, there's quite a large hole here.
29:19And you can see the evidence of the feathers of the bird itself.
29:25So in this particular case, this one is probably going to be much too large for repair.
29:31And if we're not allowed to carry out a repair, then we will end up replacing the parts that are damaged beyond limits.
29:36To combat this growing threat to aircraft safety, over in the Wildlife Control Division, the airport is training up a new recruit.
29:47Go, Chase!
29:51Good boy!
29:53This is Zeus. He's in our canine training program.
29:56He's three quarters of the way through his training.
29:59Come!
30:01Zeus will mostly be pursuing birds like ducks and geese, especially.
30:05Zeus will provide another layer of support to anti-bird strike measures.
30:11A non-lethal alternative that will discourage waterfowl from making the airport their home.
30:16Good dog!
30:18But the nearly three-year-old Belgian Malinois is still a rookie.
30:23Effective duck scaring means responding to commands.
30:26Okay.
30:27Good recall.
30:28And Zeus is only in the early stages of his training.
30:32So it obviously requires a very high level of discipline on his part.
30:37And focus.
30:40Heel.
30:44Dangerously close to several runways, ducks have been spotted nesting in a nearby retention pond.
30:50These ponds temporarily hold extra storm water to help manage flooding.
30:59There's several of them about.
31:01They're necessary, but they also pose a wildlife hazard.
31:04And the one we're going to happens to be only about 100, 150 feet away from the runway.
31:09Close to airplane traffic, Zeus will get to put his recall training into practice for the first time.
31:16We're not sure how or what he'll do.
31:20He may go in the water and chase the ducks.
31:22He may choose to remain on the shore.
31:25This is his very first time chasing ducks in this area.
31:29We'll see how it goes.
31:31Good boy, come.
31:33Zeus with me.
31:35Hey!
31:36Stop.
31:38Zeus?
31:40Stop.
31:42An excitable Zeus struggles to follow Noah's instructions.
31:47This doesn't bode well.
31:49Zeus?
31:50Come.
31:52Zeus's journey to becoming Toronto Airport's official duck scarer...
31:56No.
31:57...could be over before it's even begun.
32:00Ah, ah, ah, ah!
32:02Stop.
32:03At the maintenance hangar, cracked inner windows threaten to derail the speedy repair of the 787 Dreamliner.
32:15Hey, Mark.
32:17Martin.
32:18The inside window, which we need to be placed further forward.
32:23Can we reinstall the one that we have, as it is not an airworthiness item, and put an NEF on it?
32:30With a cracked one?
32:31With a cracked window, the inside, we're going to put an NEF on it.
32:34NEFs are identified by airlines as non-essential equipment and furnishings.
32:39Items within a plane that, if they're broken, do not impact flight safety.
32:45Technically, the aircraft can still operate with a cracked inner window if the surrounding seals are intact.
32:52But there's multiple cracked ones. You would want to send it that way?
32:56How many? If...
32:57There's three.
32:58Yeah. They are looking for three of them. Yeah, put three individual NEFs on it.
33:03Why? We can't find any?
33:04It's not that we can't find any there.
33:05We can't find any there.
33:06This won't be in time.
33:07If we find the passengers, it won't be like that.
33:08Yeah, it'll look pretty bad.
33:10I don't know what passengers would want to sit there and feel comfortable thinking.
33:13Like, they don't know what we know.
33:16Although the aircraft would be completely safe, passengers may not see it that way.
33:23And the NEFs may cause alarm.
33:28His concern is that the passengers who are sitting next to it are going to see a broken window, basically,
33:33because they don't know what they're looking at.
33:36The final decision on whether this plane leaves tonight is now out of Martin's hands.
33:42In essence, they have to now turn around and potentially let people down which are at the airport waiting for the flight.
33:49But when Air Canada management calls back, the verdict is clear.
33:53All right, thanks.
33:54Right now, it will stay overnight until we receive these items so we can reinstall new ones.
34:06Passenger perception wins out.
34:09The Dreamliner won't be leaving for Sao Paulo tonight.
34:12Heel.
34:19Stop.
34:21Heel.
34:23Wildlife control rookie Zeus and his handler Noah spot several ducks at one of the airport's retention ponds.
34:29Pearson is hoping Zeus will be a valuable asset, helping to expand their efforts to control the wildlife.
34:36So this area here is a huge attraction for wildlife, especially ducks and geese.
34:41And the runway happens to be just on the other side of the fence over there.
34:46So it's a safety concern if ducks are present here.
34:50It's nesting season.
34:52And if these ducks remain here, they pose a risk to departing and arriving flights.
34:56Unless Zeus can scare them off.
35:01Go chase!
35:03With the ducks in his sights, instinct kicks in.
35:08The boy!
35:09The boy!
35:11The dog!
35:13Zeus successfully removes the problem ducks before they can build a nest.
35:17They now view him as a predator and will not quickly return.
35:22The boy!
35:24The boy!
35:26Turns out he likes to chase ducks and is not afraid to go in the muddy water.
35:30So that's a huge plus for us.
35:32I'm very happy with him.
35:33Good boy!
35:34Oh, good boy!
35:35He's gonna do great.
35:37But Zeus' training is far from over.
35:41He has a desire to chase wildlife, but his control and response needs to improve.
35:46So it's gonna be a while before he's certified level four and free to roam.
35:51Good boy!
35:52Good boy!
35:54Yes!
35:55He gets to be tired and he gets to get some love.
35:59An important step in Zeus' journey to becoming Toronto Pearson's newest canine wildlife officer.
36:04And we're hoping that the dog will prove a more effective tool for this job.
36:14And another weapon in the airport's anti-bird strike arsenal.
36:17It's been an hour's wait outside the Air Canada hangar, and engineer Dale is anxious to start his test in the Airbus A220.
36:29All the bridge with one stone.
36:30No, they're not gonna give us a gate.
36:31They will not give us a gate.
36:32Even if it's illicum just allow us to taxi once around the airport.
36:41Then, a call from the tower comes in, and Dale's training is back on.
36:50It's a controlled area driving out here.
36:52You have to listen to the control tower, do as they say, and they tell you where to go, just like all the other airplanes that are out there.
37:00Landing gear lever down.
37:02Landing gear lever is down.
37:03Engine start selector auto.
37:04Engine start switch auto.
37:05Even though the aircraft will never leave the ground, it's almost 80 tons of pure power, and moving it requires precise handling and control.
37:16I'm responsible for monitoring the systems to make sure everything's running smoothly, and constantly switching between frequencies, talking to the tower, the apron, the coordinator.
37:29All right, pre-taxi checklist, ground crew clearance.
37:31Okay, hydraulic panel auto.
37:33Ready for engine start.
37:34Seatbelts on, seatbelts are on, everybody's buckled up.
37:37Go for start.
37:41Starting right-handed.
37:43Okay.
37:44Go ahead behind the United now.
37:46Bravo.
37:47Short of Romeo.
37:49Under the watchful eye of trainer Fred, Dale begins to carefully steer the Airbus along a network of painted lines, with Jeremy manning the radio.
37:59Continue down Bravo to Charlie.
38:02Gonna be a left turn on Charlie.
38:04Moving a plane with an estimated value of 90 million US dollars, Dale needs to keep his nerve.
38:12Yeah, so you're not gonna turn.
38:13So this is Delta.
38:14I'm going to Charlie, right?
38:15This is Delta.
38:16You're going to Charlie, next one.
38:17Charlie.
38:18Yep.
38:19I'll be that.
38:20Remember what Fred said, you gotta go past the sign, right?
38:21Yeah.
38:22You might see it, but you gotta go past it.
38:23So this first one is Victor, actually.
38:25Yep.
38:26You're good.
38:27The turn speed, do you like?
38:28Ten?
38:29Five to ten knots.
38:30Okay.
38:31Dale is off to a good start, but he must manage his speed carefully through each turn.
38:39So we're turning here.
38:41Any faster than ten knots, and the aircraft could veer off its planned path, risking a collision with signage or ground vehicles.
38:49Yep.
38:50You're good.
38:51After successfully navigating the turns, Dale holds at the gate, before making the return journey back to the hangar.
39:06His test on the Airbus A220 is complete.
39:14Any feedback here on my taxi?
39:17Yeah, perfect.
39:18Very good.
39:19All right.
39:20This was my first time doing it in this aircraft type.
39:23I never actually imagined that I would actually be able to do this, taxi around an airplane with people on board and my coworkers and drive them around safely.
39:32It's actually quite rewarding, and I enjoyed it a lot.
39:36So Dale did very well, so moving forward, Dale is taxi qualified to on the Airbus A220.
39:44So it's a good day.
39:53In the hangar, the 787 Dreamliner with the damaged windows has had an unexpected change in fortune.
40:00There was something that transpired while we've been working in that there's been an aircraft that's the same 887, same type of aircraft, that unfortunately was damaged in another hangar.
40:10So it's going to be on the ground for a little while, but that's going to be able to provide for us some parts that we need.
40:15So the outlook of this aircraft might just change right now and it might be able to go a little sooner than anticipated.
40:22Even with parts from a lower priority aircraft suddenly becoming available, it's still going to be a race against time to ensure the Dreamliner makes it to Brazil on schedule.
40:33I got Steve, Jamie, and Ewan over here right away.
40:38Perfect.
40:39And then we can make magic happen.
40:40Love you, brother.
40:41All right, brother.
40:44After constantly trying to pivot on the point and come up with ideas on how to fix the situation on hand, how to overcome obstacles.
40:53So everybody's working together on this to make this airplane so as well and make that flight tonight to its destination on time.
41:01So we've got three hours left to go at 6 o'clock now.
41:04With the extra crew, they rush into action.
41:07If it's going to make the slot, the plane must be ready for its hundreds of passengers to board at 9 p.m.
41:14I 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 and that's going to help us big time.
41:22These guys that are coming on here, they're good with their hands, they know this job.
41:26And, yeah, I feel pretty confident that we can get this thing going so it can make its flight tonight.
41:41With just minutes to spare, the Dreamliner is ready to leave the hangar and head over to the gate.
41:47It'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.
41:58To be able to kind of win as one, I know it sounds a little cliche, but it is good.
42:02We win together when we do this and this is the reason we do the job.
42:05We love doing it and today everyone will pull together.
42:08We love doing it and today everyone will pull together.
42:12We love doing it.
42:13We love doing it.
42:14We love doing it.
42:15We love doing it.
42:16We love doing it.
42:17We love doing it.
42:18We love doing it.
42:19We love doing it.
42:20We love doing it.
42:21We love doing it.
42:22We love doing it.
42:23We love doing it.
42:24We love doing it.
42:25We love doing it.
42:26We love doing it.
42:27We love doing it.
42:28We love doing it.
42:29We love doing it.
42:30We love doing it.
42:31We love doing it.
42:32We love doing it.
42:33We love doing it.
42:34We love doing it.
42:35We love doing it.
42:36We love doing it.
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