- 6 hours ago
Toronto Airport Uncovered - Season 1 Episode 9 - Ready For Anything
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Short filmTranscript
00:00At Toronto Pearson International Airport, safety and training go hand in hand.
00:08There's always an unknown. You don't know what's going to happen out here.
00:11Seasons staff take it to the limit.
00:14The compensation package has increased. It is now $1,200.
00:17A routine repair...
00:19It just cracked a little bit.
00:21...goes wrong.
00:22What if my mother was flying on this plane? What if she was sitting in this seat?
00:25A junior firefighter faces her biggest test yet.
00:29Oh.
00:32And a four-legged rookie...
00:34Stop.
00:35...is put through his paces.
00:36This doesn't bode well.
00:40This is Canada's biggest gateway to the world.
00:43An elite force of 50,000 working non-stop.
00:47A lot of departments that sit here are like marionette puppeteers and make sure that everything happens.
00:53Keeping flights across six continents moving...
00:56...while battling the elements...
00:58That's what we get paid for.
01:00To do the impossible.
01:01...and facing the unexpected.
01:04There's a medical going on right now on an aircraft.
01:06...and they're doing it around the clock to keep Toronto International on track.
01:11Whether it's icy winter...
01:23...or blooming spring...
01:25...Toronto Pearson International Airport needs to operate at the highest level.
01:30To handle the almost 130,000 passengers who flow through it every day.
01:36Bye-bye.
01:38Hello, bonjour.
01:39How are you?
01:40It's 50,000 staff use their training to deal with the unexpected.
01:44In Terminal 1, Seasoned Air Canada customer experience specialist Daryl Lalonde knows how important it is to be prepared for anything.
02:00Customer service is important, but let's face it, every service industry is going to have failures from time to time.
02:06That's how you recover them.
02:07That leaves a more lasting impression sometimes.
02:09So, I'm big on recovery.
02:11And his next flight will put that experience to the test.
02:15Okay, give me a couple moments and I'll look at it for you, okay?
02:19Okay, bye.
02:21A potential oversold situation on a Montego Bay flight.
02:26So, if it's oversold, then we're going to have to go solicit for a volunteer to go on another flight, possibly tomorrow and get a compensation package.
02:33But I need just to double check the numbers.
02:36Airlines sometimes oversell seats as insurance against no-shows.
02:42There's a percentage of passengers that don't show up based on different criteria.
02:45A, they didn't show up, they checked in online, but they just never came to the airport.
02:49They could be coming in from a flight from Vancouver or another destination that that flight is delayed.
02:53Now, they're not going to show up, so those seats are going to open.
02:56But that strategy can backfire when, on rare occasions, every passenger shows up.
03:02Showing that I have a couple passengers that don't have seat numbers yet.
03:06So, at this moment, we're going to be potentially oversold by two passengers on this flight.
03:10I will just have to go over and try and do some magic and get two people to volunteer to go on a tomorrow's flight.
03:16With 37 years of service, Daryl is well versed in how to find a solution.
03:23Most times, passengers are happy to do it, but sometimes they're not.
03:28We had a situation yesterday where we didn't get any volunteers, so there were four people that were left behind who were not very happy, obviously.
03:34We were able to get them out on alternate routes, but generally speaking, you have to kind of promote it in a way that is enticing for people.
03:44Daryl can offer compensation in the form of electronic credits for future travel, attempting prospect for many travelers.
03:52Daryl kicks off the bidding with an offer he hopes will get a bite.
03:54Daryl says,
03:59Daryl's from Optico Bay.
04:00We are potentially oversold by two passengers on this flight this morning.
04:05We're looking forward to two passengers who have some travel flexibility who would be willing to give up your seat.
04:10We are offering a compensation package of $800 future travel credits.
04:15Daryl kicks off the bidding with an offer he hopes will get a bite.
04:20I got a taker. Okay, can I see your boarding pass, man?
04:27Yeah.
04:28Okay, so if you're willing to volunteer, it would be the same flight tomorrow morning.
04:33You're okay with that?
04:34Okay.
04:35All right, so what I want you to do is nothing at the moment, okay?
04:38So the reason I say that is because I just want you to not make any change of plans in case at the last minute I have two people that do not show up.
04:45Okay.
04:46Okay, you can keep this.
04:47Okay.
04:48It has your bag tag on it.
04:49So just hold on for now.
04:50And we will be in touch with you very shortly, okay?
04:53Thank you very much.
04:54Thanks, Michelle.
04:55This was a last minute thing, so I'm going home with my family.
05:01I have families there and like maybe someone else who lives here and doesn't have that option.
05:06So it's going to be nice.
05:09Daryl has reeled in one volunteer, but as the minutes tick down to boarding,
05:15he needs a second one.
05:17I'll wait a few minutes and then what I'll do is that I'll end up increasing the amount of compensation
05:22and generate more interest in it.
05:24And once we have any more calls, we already know.
05:28Daryl still has cards up his sleeve.
05:32Daryl.
05:33Daryl.
05:34Daryl.
05:35Daryl.
05:36Daryl.
05:37Daryl.
05:38Daryl.
05:39Daryl.
05:40Daryl.
05:41Daryl.
05:42Daryl.
05:43Daryl.
05:44Daryl.
05:45Daryl.
05:46Daryl.
05:47Daryl.
05:48Daryl.
05:49Daryl.
05:50Daryl.
05:51Daryl.
05:52Daryl.
05:53Daryl.
05:54Daryl.
05:55Daryl.
05:56Daryl.
05:57Daryl.
05:58Daryl.
05:59Daryl.
06:00Daryl.
06:01Daryl.
06:02Daryl.
06:03Daryl.
06:04Daryl.
06:05Daryl.
06:06Daryl.
06:07Daryl.
06:08Daryl.
06:09Daryl.
06:10Daryl.
06:11Daryl.
06:12I'm going over to FESTI right now, it's a Fire and Emergency Service Training Institute.
06:16Our fire ground training area has a specialized ARF area, Aircraft Rescue Firefighting area,
06:22as well as an area to train municipal firefighters.
06:26Pearson's crew have access to the latest simulation technology, and Cam Tullis is behind the wheel
06:32of the newest addition to their arsenal.
06:35The ultimate firefighting machine, the Rosenbauer Panther.
06:42We've got six front-run Panther vehicles, they're all equipped with approximately 12,000 liters
06:47of water.
06:48Each Panther can pump over 2,000 gallons per minute, almost five times more than a standard
06:56fire truck.
06:57There's almost 16,000 liters of specialized firefighting foam and 225 kilograms of dry chemical.
07:04They can get up to speeds of almost 124 kilometers an hour, and that moves the almost 40,000 kilograms
07:09of weight incredibly rapidly to get to an emergency incident.
07:13With a 750 horsepower engine, the 44-ton Panther can reach almost 80 miles per hour.
07:23It can be operated by a single firefighter, and comes equipped with the latest in infrared
07:28thermal imaging.
07:30So, even if fog or reduced visibility was a factor here at the airport, we can still
07:35respond and get to an aircraft where an emergency is occurring.
07:41Today, one of these state-of-the-art fire trucks will be needed for a driving test.
07:49Rookie firefighter Brittany Kublik has been training for this moment for months.
07:52Today, we're going to be doing my D driving test, and yeah, I've been waiting a while to
07:59get this thing done, so I'm excited to do it.
08:01Nervous, but excited.
08:03And yeah, I hope it goes well.
08:06It will.
08:07It will.
08:08She's memorized routes and rehearsed radio calls, all in preparation for traveling across
08:15a live airfield, where every movement is carefully choreographed by both air traffic and ground
08:22control.
08:23With a plane taking off or landing roughly every couple of minutes, Brittany will be
08:36learning to drive in one of the most high-pressure environments in the world.
08:42Before her test begins, this rookie gets some last-minute tips from a veteran firefighter
08:51of 27 years, Andy Armstrong.
08:54Do a quick walk around, make sure nothing's messed up or out of place.
08:59Yep.
09:00We just check everything, go into the truck, make sure all the compartments are closed
09:03all the way.
09:04And I'll set myself up, I'll hop inside, get my radio the way I want it, make sure that
09:10everything's just kind of set up so that when I'm ready to go, I don't have to get in and
09:14go, oh, adjust the seat and do all this kind of stuff.
09:16Yeah.
09:17So it's always a good thing to kind of come in, get your house set up, as I call it, and
09:20then you're ready to rock and roll.
09:22We're still looking for another passenger who has some travel flexibility and willing to
09:29travel on the flight tomorrow morning instead of today, as we are potentially oversold by
09:34two passengers.
09:36With the oversold flight preparing for departure, Daryl is still one volunteer short.
09:42As a last resort, he'll need to bump someone.
09:46But his years of experience tell him he can make the offer more tempting.
09:50We are offering a compensation package.
09:52The compensation package has increased, it's about $1,200 future travel credit.
09:57Per person, if you're interested in volunteering your seat, come and see me right away at the
10:01county 877.
10:04Daryl is using his sales skills, but it seems the first volunteer might end up being short-changed.
10:09We will also provide you with a hotel here in Toronto, and food vouchers as well.
10:17Yeah, let's hope.
10:20There are still no takers.
10:24It's a business, obviously we want 100% occupancy, but sometimes we get caught, and everybody
10:32does show up, and every connection is valid, so that's where our salesmanship come in.
10:37It's time for boarding.
10:40One more chance to up the ante.
10:42We are still looking for more passengers to volunteer your seats and travel on the
10:47plane tomorrow.
10:48Our maximum amount of compensation that is going to be offered here is in the amount
10:53of $2,000 future travel credit per person.
10:56Can you see me right away over the front of DB-77?
10:59We're looking for passengers.
11:00We're running to travel on the plane tomorrow and take advantage of the compensation package.
11:09There's still no volunteer forthcoming.
11:11We will be starting boarding with zone number one.
11:14Daryl must now decide which passenger will miss this flight.
11:23With boarding underway on the oversold flight to Montego Bay.
11:26I do have one seat, but I need another one, I need another one.
11:32Daryl's time to find a second volunteer has nearly run out.
11:37If they volunteer and they have a seat number now, then we'll take their bags off the flight.
11:42We will wait till the very end, just in case we have no-show passengers.
11:47So even though everybody's showing that they've checked in, not everybody shows up.
11:53Go ahead and do zone two for me, okay? Zone two.
11:56But before he bumps a passenger, experience tells Daryl to check the system.
12:03Actually, do you know what?
12:06We might be okay with the one.
12:08We've unloaded everybody, right?
12:10Okay, so there's one seat still here and I have one volunteer, so we should be fine.
12:14Okay, so it looks like we're going to be fine.
12:17Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
12:19For air can apply, 982 will start to Montego Bay.
12:22Hello, bonjour. Zone two over here, please.
12:24The strategy has paid off.
12:27At the 11th hour, one passenger has not turned up for the flight.
12:32It looked like we were needing two of them, but once the flight closes and finalized,
12:36we only needed one.
12:38Anybody else? Montego Bay?
12:40Okay.
12:41Just want to make sure they're not boarding the wrong flight.
12:43They don't want to do the walk of shame.
12:46With the flight fully boarded, just one more job remains.
12:50We need to start a sequence for the one passenger, okay?
12:53May I have your attention, please?
12:55Paging passenger, you're not in each shop.
12:56You can see me at the front of the 787 again, please.
12:59The shop?
13:01Okay, so you volunteered.
13:03It looks like we're going to use you, but you're not going to get $800.
13:06You're going to get $2,000 credit instead.
13:08Are you okay with that?
13:09Yep.
13:10I would hope you would be okay with that.
13:11It's more money than was offered.
13:13Okay.
13:14Daryl makes sure the volunteer passenger has a happy ending.
13:18Her luggage will be removed from the hold, and her travel will be rebooked.
13:24This is Ms. Shaw, so she's going to go on a flight tomorrow, okay?
13:29It's $2,000.
13:30All right?
13:31You're in good hands, okay?
13:33She's not going to send you to Honolulu, I promise, okay?
13:35She was happy about it, got some money, so it was pretty good.
13:39It was a good morning.
13:44At the fire station, it's time for Brittany's skills to be tested,
13:48as she prepares to drive across a live airfield in the Panther.
13:55These things are massive.
13:56They drive like tanks.
13:58They're loud.
13:59They're so cool, though.
14:01I'm going to go over to the apron, Terminal 1, and meet my instructor.
14:04Taking the back roads so that I'm not going on the airfield,
14:08and I'm going to pick him up, and we're going to go on our test.
14:14If she fails, it will set her training back,
14:17and she'll have to be put on the waiting list before she can try again.
14:23Instructor Robert DeMessa will be overseeing Brittany's test.
14:28We basically govern, enforce, and train our airport traffic directives.
14:32So basically how people drive around the airport, around aircraft, and around each other.
14:36We keep the airport a safe place, because at the end of the day, this is our workplace,
14:39and we want to go back home to our families, our friends.
14:42It's no ordinary driving test.
14:44Runways don't have conventional traffic lights, and 100-ton planes don't yield.
14:50Brittany must pay close attention to instructions from ground control,
14:54relaying back runway codes and identifiers over the radio.
15:01And Robert will assess her response.
15:03So today we're going to be going to the maneuvering area.
15:05Okay.
15:06For your tests.
15:07You can use the map as well, as long as that doesn't interfere with your driving,
15:10and anything I deem unsafe over a certain and automatic failure, okay?
15:13Okay.
15:14All right.
15:15So let's head to Alpha Mic access for your first stop.
15:17Sounds good.
15:21A lot of people do think that, you know, you have your license, you can drive here.
15:24But that's not the case.
15:25All right, just up to the stop sign is fine.
15:27Okay.
15:29It's a very special license.
15:30We want to make sure everyone's safe.
15:31We want to make sure everyone in the aircraft is safe.
15:33And that's what we aim for.
15:35And that's why it's a special license we have here at the airport.
15:39Red 3 coming up for some training.
15:42Ground Road 3 affirmative.
15:43We're at Alpha Mic access road, requesting North Service Road.
15:47Red 3, we're going to take Alpha Delta.
15:49And then hold short of runway 248.
15:52Alpha Delta, hold short, 24 right.
15:56Red 3.
15:57Oh, oh, oh.
16:02Oh, see, I must, I must.
16:03That's okay.
16:04Brittany hesitates, pulling away from the taxiway.
16:09This way.
16:10Red 3, you can take Charlie.
16:11Left turn, Charlie.
16:12Short of 248.
16:13As ground control relays instructions, uncertainty sets in.
16:18Thank you, ground Charlie.
16:19Short of, uh, 24 right.
16:22Charlie.
16:23Delta Eka, short of Sierra.
16:25What was I thinking?
16:26I'm so sorry.
16:28One wrong turn, and the Panther could end up on a live runway without clearance.
16:35Oh, what did I do?
16:36One second.
16:42I actually haven't done this before.
16:48Brittany has frozen on one of the airport's taxiways.
16:51As ground control give her a route she is unfamiliar with.
16:56She follows protocol.
16:58Please say again, Red 3.
17:00And requests clarification from the tower.
17:03Red 3, yeah, you meet the left there on Charlie.
17:06Left all the way on Charlie and short of 248.
17:08Yeah.
17:09Left on Charlie, short of 248.
17:10Red 3.
17:12Red 3, cross runway 248 and hold short of the approach line for runway 241.
17:14Red 3, cross runway 248 and hold short of the approach line for runway 24L.
17:19Cross 248 and hold short of the approach line to 24L.
17:22Red 3.
17:27Right in this little bubble.
17:29Street, proceed on to runway 24L.
17:31Proceed onto runway 24L.
17:33Red 3.
17:34After an uncertain start, Brittany looks more comfortable.
17:40All right, I'm just going to turn this tank around.
17:45Making it safely across the airfield.
17:50So, I think what was good is that if you're disoriented, you just stopped.
17:54That's just the proper thing and you did it.
17:55So, good job.
17:57Perfect.
17:58We're going to continue on with the test.
17:59We're going to go to the north, from the north service road, west of 1-5, right?
18:02We'll head down to Delta Victor.
18:03Delta Victor.
18:04You got it.
18:06The final part of the test is as intense as it is challenging.
18:11Brittany must navigate behind a commercial jet.
18:15You can follow KLM and then cross runway 248.
18:20It's 50,000 horsepower engines generating immense thrust and deafening noise.
18:25And what other job are you going to follow behind an aircraft in a firetruck?
18:32That's pretty cool.
18:36With the plane safely out of her path, Brittany puts her foot on the gas.
18:41So fast this thing can go?
18:43On the chart on the key.
18:48Okay, 80 kilometers.
18:51Even though she doesn't reach the Panthers top speed of almost 80 miles per hour,
18:55her ability to safely handle the 44-ton beast is put to the test.
19:01Ground bridge bridge is coming off of two-floor right.
19:04We're crossing north service road.
19:06Red 3, proceed.
19:07Delta box truck to the north service road.
19:10Cross from way 3 through that.
19:12Time to head back to base, where Brittany will find out.
19:16Is it a pass or a fail?
19:19I think it was on the side maybe beside that.
19:22Yeah.
19:23The truck there.
19:25All right, Brittany.
19:27Congratulations on passing your D test.
19:32Thanks so much. Fantastic.
19:33All right.
19:34Thanks so much.
19:35No problem.
19:37Until next time, two years.
19:38Two years. I'll see you in two years.
19:40Brittany was great.
19:41She really did all that she had to do.
19:43Her radio communication was good.
19:45She read all the runways off and a success basically.
19:49And just what we want from our firefighters here at the GTA.
19:54Brittany has taken a big step in her journey towards becoming a fully qualified Toronto Pearson firefighters.
20:00Oh, my goodness.
20:04It was just, it felt great.
20:06It's just what you want.
20:07You want to feel good out there.
20:08So, excellent.
20:09There's a go!
20:14All right, you're done.
20:15Yep.
20:16Let's do it.
20:20Across the tarmac, in Air Canada's maintenance hangar, a problem has been reported on board one of the airline's 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
20:30We're going to have to get a couple of clips in.
20:35The 846 came in with a report of multiple windows are fogging up in the rear cabin.
20:41And my guys are on board trying to research why they're fogging up.
20:47Cabin windows are not glass.
20:50They are made up of multiple layers of acrylic.
20:5316 of the 106 windows on the Dreamliner are displaying excess condensation between these layers that could indicate a serious problem.
21:05Hey, Mark.
21:07Engineer Mark Whitson evaluates exactly how serious this problem is.
21:11What actually we're finding here, this seal here, I don't know if you can see.
21:14Okay.
21:15It's pretty obvious, but it was very loose and it's coming out.
21:19Yeah.
21:20So this is obviously a problem.
21:21Moisture is going to come in there and freeze up.
21:23So this here, we're definitely going to have to replace this seal.
21:27These are plug type windows fitted from the inside.
21:31Cabin pressure pushes them even tighter into place.
21:35But over time, the silicone seals around them can stretch.
21:39If they aren't repaired, they have the potential to leak.
21:43This could trigger a drop in cabin pressure during a flight, putting everyone on board at risk.
21:48So I don't know if we're going to have a problem with every single seal.
21:51I haven't got that far yet.
21:53But the first two or three that we're looking at have some issues, unfortunately, that we'll have to address.
21:59Visible moisture between the panes is a clear warning sign that the team cannot ignore.
22:07All problems start small and migrate into bigger problems.
22:11So we're here to capture the small problem before it turns into a big problem.
22:14Right 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.
22:23And then try and come up with a game plan for how long this is going to take.
22:27The Dreamliner is already scheduled on its next flight.
22:32Our small little challenge to overcome is that this airplane is scheduled to fly tonight to Sao Paulo in Brazil.
22:40And being a 787 for a long haul, it holds around 300 people.
22:46The flight to Sao Paulo is a priority flight.
22:50With most of the passengers having onward connections, to avoid hundreds of unhappy customers, it must leave on time.
22:57At major airports like Toronto Pearson, mechanics are responsible for more than just repairs.
23:07They also taxi aircraft between gates and hangars, without the need for pilots.
23:12And from there, we're going to taxi to spot number 3.
23:17You'll be in the left seat, so taxi training for you as well.
23:21Alright, let's go.
23:23Mechanics need to be certified for any plane they're going to move.
23:28Okay.
23:30Today, as part of a test, an Airbus A220 will be taxiing across the runways,
23:36with engineer Dale Gofton at the controls for the very first time.
23:41It's a good feeling.
23:43Not everybody gets to be able to do this, and there's always something to learn.
23:51Trainer Fred Roy and engineer Jeremy Ellis ready the plane for Dale's training.
23:56Kirk.
23:58APU to roll.
24:00Are you clear for APU?
24:03Copy.
24:05This job is great because you can, you see how the airplane works.
24:09You maintain the airplane.
24:11All the parts that, you know, nobody else gets to see, we get to touch.
24:15And then we also get to do, you know, the stuff up here that the pilots get to.
24:19It's a rewarding career.
24:20We're not in the limelight like the pilots, but we are majorly important, you know, for the operation.
24:29And the safety of everybody, including the pilots.
24:32It's a big day for Dale.
24:35Every plane handles differently.
24:37So the A220 will be a tough new test.
24:40The very first time I can direct to you, it's nerve-wracking.
24:44And because you're in, it's not familiar.
24:46But as you continuously do it like any other task, it gets much easier to do.
24:52It's still a little bit nerve-wracking because there's always an unknown.
24:55You don't know what's going to happen out here.
24:57And, uh, yeah, that's why we do our safety checklist.
25:01Engine APU gen switches unlatched.
25:04All unlatched.
25:06And our parking brake is on.
25:07Parking brake set right there.
25:09So if something does go wrong, we are prepared and we're not going to have any surprises.
25:13Dale is all set.
25:14Fred checks in with ground control for permission to begin the training.
25:21All right, okay, so you can deny me now.
25:25Oh, okay, all right.
25:27Can we put us anywhere else?
25:29Okay, let's go back in the hour and we'll go from there.
25:31Okay.
25:33Bye-bye.
25:35A backup of heavy aircraft traffic means there's no clear path across the airfield.
25:40Yeah, they just denied us.
25:43It's a costly delay and a blow for the whole team.
25:47He just called the tower.
25:50They said no?
25:51No.
25:52Call back in an hour.
25:54But especially for Dale.
25:57His test is suspended with no clear answer as to when.
26:02I don't think we're going anywhere though.
26:04Or if it might resume.
26:07Fortunately, I don't think we may not be going anywhere today.
26:09In the aircraft maintenance hangar.
26:17Which they can then also do tonight here.
26:20Engineer Martin Trojan is also at a standstill.
26:23A 787 Dreamliner due to fly tonight is grounded by some faulty window seals.
26:30Now, the factors which come at play is that we've got around 300 people looking forward to flying to Sao Paulo.
26:39And this airplane is in the hangar being fixed.
26:41So 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.
26:52There she comes.
26:54Excellent.
26:56There we have it.
26:58Structural window.
27:00Aircraft maintenance engineer Mark knows there's a ticking clock.
27:04But he has other priorities.
27:07If this aircraft is on the ground, it's making no money.
27:10It's getting our passengers that we value nowhere.
27:13And so, you know, I'm always trying to get this done in a timely fashion.
27:17But it is kind of secondary to my focus.
27:20Safety is always first.
27:22You know, I imagine what if my daughter was flying on this plane?
27:24What if my mother was flying on this plane?
27:25What if she was sitting in this seat?
27:27You know, do I have full confidence that I follow the appropriate regulations?
27:29I represent the safety and safety trumps productivity every time.
27:35It's a huge job to ensure the Dreamliner is ready for its priority departure to Sao Paulo.
27:42But with just a few hours to go before takeoff, a fresh challenge catches the team off guard.
27:49It was very rigid and it just cracked a little bit.
27:52So this one here is going to have to be replaced.
27:54An inner plastic window has cracked while being removed by the engineers.
28:01These don't jeopardize plane safety, but are a lot trickier to replace.
28:07Yeah, I just talked to the LG desk.
28:09Okay.
28:11Basically, okay, they're going to order those parts, but we're not going to get them for a couple of days.
28:15For a couple of days.
28:16Spring has sprung across the airport, but warmer weather brings with it a host of new challenges.
28:28It's nesting season and bird numbers are growing.
28:33European starlings are definitely very common and they're starting to pop up again.
28:38Numerous birds of prey, we have red-tailed hawks are the most common.
28:42Waterfowl are really common.
28:43Wildlife control officer Jacob Towns is conducting a threat assessment around the airfield.
28:51There's a few birds just on the other side of the fence.
28:55Most of those are European starlings and at least one American robin.
29:02Aircraft are more vulnerable to bird strikes during takeoff and landing.
29:06But if a bird hits a plane just on the body, it's not going to do a whole lot of damage.
29:11But if even one of them gets in the engine, it can cause a lot of problems.
29:15This would be a very serious risk.
29:21Bird strikes don't only jeopardize safety.
29:24They cost airlines millions of dollars a year.
29:27And the increased bird activity has already had its latest casualty.
29:38A 777 has been brought into the hangar for a line maintenance check.
29:42Inspecting this right-hand engine, we found out that we had a bird go through it.
29:48As you can see, there's quite a large hole here.
29:52And you can see the evidence of the feathers of the bird itself.
29:58So in this particular case, this one is probably going to be much too large for repair.
30:04And if we're not allowed to carry out a repair,
30:07then we will end up replacing the parts that are damaged beyond limits.
30:11To combat this growing threat to aircraft safety,
30:15over in the Wildlife Control Division, the airport is training up a new recruit.
30:22Go chase!
30:23Good boy!
30:26This is Zeus.
30:27He's in our canine training program.
30:30He's three quarters of the way through his training.
30:33Come!
30:35Zeus will mostly be pursuing birds like ducks and geese, especially.
30:40Zeus will provide another layer of support to anti-bird strike measures.
30:45A non-lethal alternative that will discourage waterfowl from making the airport their home.
30:51Good dog!
30:52But the nearly three-year-old Belgian Malinois is still a rookie.
30:57Effective duck scaring means responding to commands.
31:00Okay.
31:01And good recall.
31:03And Zeus is only in the early stages of his training.
31:07So it's obviously requires a very high level of discipline on his part.
31:12And focus.
31:14Beal.
31:15Dangerously close to several runways, ducks have been spotted nesting in a nearby retention pond.
31:26These ponds temporarily hold extra storm water to help manage flooding.
31:31There's several of them about, they're necessary but they also pose a wildlife hazard.
31:39And the one we're going to happens to be only about 100, 150 feet away from the runway.
31:44Close to airplane traffic, Zeus will get to put his recall training into practice for the first time.
31:50We're not sure how or what he'll do.
31:56He may go in the water and chase the ducks.
31:58He may choose to remain on the shore.
32:00This is his very first time chasing ducks in this area.
32:04We'll see how it goes.
32:05Good boy, come.
32:08Zeus with me.
32:09Hey.
32:11Stop.
32:14Zeus.
32:15Stop.
32:17Cue.
32:19An excitable Zeus struggles to follow Noah's instructions.
32:23This doesn't bode well.
32:25Zeus.
32:27Come.
32:28Zeus's journey to becoming Toronto Airport's official duck scarer.
32:32No.
32:33It could be over before it's even begun.
32:38Stop.
32:44At the maintenance hangar, cracked inner windows threatened to derail the speedy repair of the 787 Dreamliner.
32:53Hey, Mark.
32:55The inside window, which we need to be placed further forward.
32:59Yeah.
33:00Can we reinstall the one that we have, as it is not an airworthiness item, and put an NEF on it?
33:06With a cracked one?
33:07With a cracked window.
33:08The inside, we're going to put an NEF on it.
33:11NEFs are identified by airlines as non-essential equipment and furnishings.
33:16Items within a plane that, if they're broken, do not impact flight safety.
33:22Technically, the aircraft can still operate with a cracked inner window if the surrounding seals are intact.
33:28But there's multiple cracked ones.
33:29You would want to send it that way?
33:30How many?
33:31There's three.
33:32Yeah.
33:33They are looking for three of them.
33:34Yeah.
33:35Put three individual NEFs on it.
33:36Why?
33:37We can't find any?
33:38It's not that we can't find any there.
33:39This won't be in time.
33:40The passengers won't realize that.
33:41Yeah, it'll look pretty bad.
33:42I don't know what passengers would want to sit there and feel comfortable thinking.
33:43Like, they don't know what we know.
33:44Although the aircraft would be completely safe, passengers may not see it that way.
34:00And the NEFs may cause alarm.
34:03His concern is that the passengers who are sitting next to her are going to see a broken
34:11window, basically, because they don't know what they're looking at.
34:14The final decision on whether this plane leaves tonight is now out of Martin's hands.
34:20In essence, they have to now turn around and potentially let people down which are at
34:25the airport waiting for the flight.
34:27But when Air Canada management calls back, the verdict is clear.
34:32All right.
34:33Thanks.
34:34Right now, it will stay overnight until we receive these items so we can reinstall new
34:45ones.
34:46Passenger perception wins out.
34:48The Dreamliner won't be leaving for Sao Paulo tonight.
34:53Heel.
34:58Stop.
34:59Heel.
35:02Wildlife control rookie Zeus and his handler Noah spot several ducks at one of the airport's
35:07retention ponds.
35:09Pearson is hoping Zeus will be a valuable asset, helping to expand their efforts to control
35:15the wildlife.
35:16So this area here is a huge attraction for wildlife, especially ducks and geese.
35:21And the runway happens to be just on the other side of the fence over there.
35:25So it's a safety concern if ducks are present here.
35:30It's nesting season.
35:31And if these ducks remain here, they pose a risk to departing and arriving flights.
35:39Unless Zeus can scare them off.
35:41Go chase.
35:43With the ducks in his sights, instinct kicks in.
35:48Good boy!
35:49Good boy!
35:50Good boy!
35:51Good boy!
35:52Good boy!
35:53Good boy!
35:54Zeus successfully removes the problem ducks before they can build a nest.
35:57They now view him as a predator and will not quickly return.
36:02Good boy!
36:03Good boy!
36:04Turns out he likes to chase ducks and is not afraid to go in the muddy water.
36:10So that's a huge plus for us.
36:12I'm very happy with him.
36:13Good boy!
36:14Oh, good boy!
36:15He's going to do great.
36:16But Zeus' training is far from over.
36:19He has a desire to chase wildlife, but his control and response needs to improve.
36:26So it's going to be a while before he's certified level four and free to roam.
36:31Good boy!
36:32Good boy!
36:33Yes!
36:34Yes!
36:35Come here!
36:36This is his reward.
36:37He gets to be tired and he gets to get some love.
36:39An 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.
36:54And another weapon in the airport's anti-bird strike arsenal.
37:03It's been an hour's wait outside the Air Canada hangar,
37:06and engineer Dale is anxious to start his test in the Airbus A220.
37:11All the birds with one stone.
37:13No, they're not going to give us a gate.
37:15They will not give us a gate.
37:16They will not give us a gate.
37:17One, two, three.
37:18Even if Attila can just allow us to taxi once around the airport.
37:22Okay.
37:23Then, a call from the tower comes in, and Dale's training is back on.
37:32It's a controlled area driving out here.
37:35You 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.
37:42Landing gear lever down.
37:44Landing gear lever is down.
37:45Engine start selector auto.
37:46Engine start switch auto.
37:47Even though the aircraft will never leave the ground, it's almost 80 tons of pure power, and moving it requires precise handling and control.
37:58I'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.
38:11All right.
38:12Pre-taxi checklist.
38:13Ground crew clearance.
38:14Okay.
38:15Hydraulic panel auto.
38:16Ready for engine start.
38:17Seatbelts on.
38:18Seatbelts are on.
38:19Everybody's buckled up.
38:20Go for start.
38:24Starting right-handed.
38:25Okay.
38:26Go ahead behind the United now.
38:28We're going to Bravo.
38:29Short of Romeo.
38:31Under the watchful eye of trainer Fred, Dale begins to carefully steer the Airbus along a network of painted lines, with Jeremy manning the rest.
38:40Jeremy manning the radio.
38:42Continue down Bravo to Charlie.
38:45It's going to be a left turn on Charlie.
38:47Moving a plane with an estimated value of 90 million U.S. dollars, Dale needs to keep his nerve.
38:55Yeah.
38:56So you're not going to turn.
38:57This is Delta.
38:58I'm going to Charlie.
38:59You're going to Charlie next one.
39:00Charlie.
39:01Yep.
39:02I'll do that.
39:03Remember what Fred said.
39:04You've got to go past the sign, right?
39:05Yep.
39:06You might see it, but you've got to go past it.
39:07So this first one is Victor, actually.
39:08Yep.
39:09The turn speed, do you like 10?
39:145 to 10 knots.
39:15Okay.
39:16Dale is off to a good start, but he must manage his speed carefully through each turn.
39:22So we're turning here.
39:24Okay.
39:25Any faster than 10 knots, and the aircraft could veer off its planned path, risking a collision with signage or ground vehicles.
39:34Yeah.
39:35Yep.
39:36You're good.
39:37Thanks.
39:38After successfully navigating the turns, Dale holds at the gate, before making the return
39:46journey back to the hangar.
39:51His test on the Airbus A220 is complete.
39:52Any feedback here on my taxi?
39:53Perfect.
39:54Very good.
39:55All right.
39:56This was my first time doing it in this aircraft type.
39:57I 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.
40:13It's actually quite rewarding.
40:14And I enjoyed it a lot.
40:15Well, Dale did very well.
40:16So moving forward, Dale is taxi qualified to on the Airbus A220.
40:28So it's a good day.
40:29In the hangar, the 787 Dreamliner with the damaged windows has had an unexpected change in fortune.
40:45There 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.
40:56So 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.
41:01So the outlook of this aircraft might just change right now and it might be able to go a little sooner than anticipated.
41:10Even 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.
41:22I got Steve, Jamie and Ewan over here right away.
41:25Perfect.
41:26And then we can make magic happen.
41:28All right, brother.
41:30We have to constantly like trying to pivot on the point and come up with ideas on how to fix the situation on hand, how to overcome obstacles.
41:40So everybody's working together on this to make this airplane servile and make that flight tonight to its destination on time.
41:48So we've got three hours left to go at six o'clock now.
41:51With the extra crew, they rush into action.
41:53If it's going to make the slot, the plane must be ready for its hundreds of passengers to board at 9 p.m.
42:01I think it's going to be pretty close.
42:03But we have, as I'm talking to you right now, guys are coming on board willing and ready to help.
42:08And that's going to help us big time.
42:09These guys that are coming on here, they're good with their hands.
42:11They know this job.
42:12And, yeah, I feel pretty confident that we can get this thing going so it can make its flight tonight.
42:19With 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.
42:45To be able to kind of win as one, I know it sounds a little cliché, but it is good.
42:50We win together when we do this, and this is the reason we do the job.
42:53We love doing it, and today everyone pulled together.
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