Businesswomen to Be Recognized By Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce's Luminary Awards Launch

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce are launching The Luminary Awards to celebrate women in business, which were announced on Wednesday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough and the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce.

The awards are to shine a light on the valuable contributions that women in business community have made, continue to push for, and inspire others to emulate according to a press release.

The Luminary Awards will celebrate the remarkable achievements of local women in business who inspire and shape our community. The event champions women who are named in leadership positions and those who lead from behind the scenes.

“Women in business face many unique hurdles and challenges. We are excited to launch this inaugural event that will not only recognize women, but also celebrate their amazing feats and achievements,” said Sarah Budd, Peterborough Chamber president and CEO.

The awards are open to all women who live or work in the City and County of Peterborough. Some categories have specific criteria, such as the minimum length of time a business has been active or an age requirement. Nominations are not limited to business owners, including managers and employees at all workforce levels. The awards luncheon will be on May 8 in the Great Hall at Champlain College at Trent University.

Nominations can be submitted at luminaryawards.ca.

There are five award categories:

• Trailblazer – Entrepreneur

• Barrier Buster – Employee

• One to Watch – Employee

• Emerging Entrepreneur

• Legacy

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Peterborough Airport 2023 Lineup of Destinations Announced

Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd. (BST Vacations) announces 2023 lineup of destinations through their Peterborough Departures program at the Peterborough Airport.

File photo.

BST Vacations will be travelling to their top four best selling destinations of all time and adding one new destination to the lineup this year. This includes flights to New York City, St. John's, Newfoundland, Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas.

“2022 was a very exciting and successful return to the program after not being able to run for 2 years during the pandemic. That success would not have been possible without the support of our past passengers,” says Scott Stewart, president of BST Vacations. “At the end of the 2022 season, we asked (passengers) for destination suggestions for 2023. Overwhelmingly our passengers asked us to return to cities that we visited previously over the past 9 years of the program.”

BST Vacations says passengers can expect the same, hassle free flights the service has always offered, minus the traffic that comes from travelling to Toronto for a flight.

Food and beverage is included with your flight, and is all locally sourced. BST’s “community first initiative” aims to support Peterborough local businesses rather than outsourcing the food and beverage to the airline. Continental breakfast and in-flight meals are hand picked and made to order the morning of the flight by the catering department at Sobeys on Lansdowne Street.

Spirits and beer on board are from local distilleries and craft brewers. BST Vacations served the Publican House Pet Pilsner onboard in 2022, and were able to collect $1,500 in donations for the Humane Society’s Pet Project.

They are also welcoming a new Airline Partner for the 2023 season, Nolinor Airlines. Founded in 1992, Nolinor Aviation is the largest airline carrier offering specialized commercial charter flights in Canada.

The Boeing 737-800 is the largest aircraft in their fleet, and can carry 189 passengers. This aircraft type is part of the Boeing 737 Next Generation series and is the aircraft that will be used for the 2023 season flights. BST says this is the largest passenger aircraft to ever land/take off from the Peterborough Airport.

“We have given the people what they want, added Austin as a new destination, and are able to accommodate more passengers with the larger aircraft. We look forward to an amazing season of travel and exploring,” says Stewart.

For more information like departures dates and times from the Peterborough Airport, visit the BST website.

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Buckhorn Community Centre To Host 40th Annual Craft Show In Person

After nearly two years of cancelled or virtual events the Buckhorn Community Centre (BCC) will host their Spring Craft Show May 21 and 22.

Photo courtesy of The Buckhorn Community Centre.

The show will take place at the Buckhorn Community Centre, assuming that COVID-19 restrictions will allow in-person events at that time.

The craft show will feature local makers and artisans from the Peterborough and Kawartha area. They will not allow resale or membership vendors.

“We are so excited to be back in person for the 40th annual Buckhorn Spring Craft Show,” said Jocelynn Vieira, coordinator.

Tickets will be on sale at the BCC in April.

To apply to be a vendor click here.

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Flying Colours Corp. Hosts Recruitment Event to Attract Paint Technicians

Flying Colours Corp. is hosting a recruitment event to attract talent for its paint technician team located in its state-of-the-art paint hangar at Peterborough Airport on Friday.

This Gulfstream G650 enjoyed a complete paint revamp incorporating mica paint for sparkle and a detailed swirling curves design. Photo courtesy of Flying Colours Corp.

The recruitment event will be held on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p. m. and aims to provide a platform where job seekers can take their next career step, and for Flying Colours Corp. to fill a number of positions including paint preparation and paint application technicians, as well as supervisory roles.

During the event job seekers will be shown around the facility to learn more about one of Peterborough’s most dynamic international companies.

The business is hoping to fill a significant number of roles and is anticipating that some applicants will have had experience as a paint professional in parallel industries including the automotive, boat/yachting or freight sector, while a number of the roles will be supported by on-the-job training.

“This type of recruitment event showcases the diversity of our business. We work on aircraft of all types from small propellor aircraft through to large private jets,” said Ian Ross, Flying Colours HR director. “Every paint job is different and requires a new approach which keeps our team engaged. With the recent growth of activity in the business aviation sector we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of aircraft passing through our paint hangar which is why we are seeking new talent to join our existing team. We’re interested in meeting everyone from recent grads who want the opportunity to develop a new career, to seasoned professionals, skilled painters, paint technicians and supervisors.”

Existing employees will be on hand to explain their roles, and management will respond to specific company questions while the HR team will be accepting resumes and organizing interviews

Flying Colours specializes in the custom completion and maintenance of mid to large size business jets and is the largest tenant at the airport. New recruits will be working in an environment representing the very latest in paint technology.

The fourth and largest paint shop was opened at the facility in 2020 and accommodates any size business aircraft including Bombardier Global 7500, Gulfstream G700 types, as well as narrow body executive airliners such as the A220 or B737-900 models.

Those attending the recruitment fair will also be able view a business aircraft and learn about how working at Flying Colours provides the opportunity to earn a good wage, excellent benefits and enjoy career progression, while performing interesting and varied work

The event will be held in building 95, 901 Airport Rd. To preschedule an interview, resumes can be sent in advance to HR@flyingcolourscorp.com with Paint Technician Event in the subject line.

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Flying Colours Corporation Completes 240 Month Heavy Inspection for Bombardier Global Aircraft

Flying Colours Corporation has completed another 240-month heavy inspection for a Bombardier Global aircraft announced Tuesday.

Flying Colours Corp. regularly conducts heavy inspections on Bombardier Global and Challenger airframes at its Canada and US bases. Photo courtesy of Flying Colours Corp.

The maintenance team regularly conducts heavy inspections for Global and Challenger types and used this extensive experience to complete a rigorous inspection of the Global Express jet at the Flying Colours Corp. Peterborough Ont., headquarters.

In addition, a landing gear overhaul along with a number of anticipated restoration tasks was also undertaken.

Running parallel with the maintenance tasks was a Collins Venue Cabin Management System installation which was blended with Alto Aviation switches. The controls are specifically designed to fit into previous switch panel location holes resulting in a solution that maximizes client budget and reduces installation time significantly.

To support the existing Ka-band connectivity upgraded routers were repositioned to support cabin and flight deck connectivity.

To optimize rest, relaxation and productivity the AIMSKYLAB soundproofing system was integrated, considerably reducing noise in the cabin. Externally the aircraft fuselage was stripped and repainted to deliver an as new look to the airframe.

“Our experience installing the blended Venue and Alto Switch offering and our capacity to fulfill maintenance, interior, paint and avionics tasks makes Flying Colours Corp. an attractive choice for aircraft owners. Undertaking all the work at a single venue reduces downtime and maximizes the budget which is also very appealing. For this customer the result was an improved ownership experience with improved connectivity, reduced noise levels and a new-look fuselage,” said Eric Gillespie, Executive VP, Flying Colours Corp.

The 240-month inspection involves completely stripping the aircraft down to the frame, enabling an in-depth look at the aircraft fuselage to check for signs of everything from stress fractures to corrosion, as well as other issues that may have affected the structural integrity of the aircraft.

The cabin was also laid bare, with panels, carpets, insulating surfaces floorboards, monuments, fairings, and side ledges removed for assessments and overhauls.

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Peterborough Continues To Put Itself On Aviation Map As Flying Colours Completes Trio Of Corporate Shuttles

Peterborough’s Flying Colours Corp. has redelivered a third modified Bombardier Challenger 850 to an undisclosed Fortune 500 company. The aircraft was originally completed from green by Flying Colours in an executive VIP layout and returned to Flying Colours for reconfiguration as a 19-passenger corporate shuttle this spring. 

The latest aircraft in the trio of corporate shuttles perfectly showcases the depth and breadth of Flying Colours Corp.’ spectrum of services. Sourcing of the aircraft originated at its Peterborough headquarters as three aircraft from around the globe were identified as potential candidates for the customer. Technicians were dispatched to evaluate the merits of each model, and on final selection Flying Colours worked as a liaison between the relevant parties—resulting in a successful pre-purchase inspection and sale.  

The vibrant paint work completed at the new Flying Colours Corp. paint shop in Peterborough (Photo courtesy Flying Colours)

The technical project including extensive maintenance work, avionics upgrades, and complete interior reconfiguration took place at Flying Colours’ St. Louis, Missouri facility, while the external paint application was completed at the recently opened state-of-the-art paint shop at Peterborough Aiport.

The seamless liaison between the two Flying Colours sites highlights the complementary natures of its North American facilities.

The interior now features corporate shuffle configuration for up to 19 passengers. (Photo courtesy Flying Colours.)

“Having completed the original green VIP completion back in 2011, it was interesting for our team to modify our own work to convert the aircraft into a hard-working corporate shuttle,” says Sean Gillespie, Executive VP of Flying Colours.

“The project provided a great showcase for our end-to-end service as there are not many organizations which can provide such an integrated offering,” he adds. “This is the third Challenger 850 conversion that we’ve made for this customer and it speaks volumes about our ability to innovate to meet the demanding expectations of our customers.”

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Flying Colours Corp. Completes 240-Month Global Express Heavy Inspection At Peterborough Headquarters

Flying Colours Corp. has completed a 240 month inspection for a Bombardier Global Express aircraft. The intense check took place at their headquarters at Peterborough Airport where a technical team with extensive heavy maintenance experience completed the twenty-year inspection.

Completely stripped back to the air frame, a thorough check for corrosion, stress fractures and other issues that may affect the structural integrity of the aircraft was undertaken. This was followed by a number of service bulletin updates.

In conjunction with the mandatory 240 month inspection tasks and landing gear restoration, additional hourly inspections were completed, as well as, multiple service bulletins to inspect for and correct flap corrosion. In the new fully computerised and climate controlled state-of-the-art paint shop which opened this March at the Canadian company’s headquarters, paint work touch ups rejuvenated the fuselage. 

Flying Colours performing heavy maintenance checks on Bombardier Global aircraft types (Photo courtesy Flying Colours)

The aircraft was already familiar to the Flying Colours Corp. team, having visited Peterborough just two years’ ago for a complete cabin refurbishment and new fuselage paintwork under previous ownership.

Minor touch ups to the cabinetry and soft furnishings were also undertaken in parallel with the latest maintenance. Confirming the company’s expertise on this platform, a further two Bombardier Global Express heavy maintenance checks are in the pipeline, with a 120- and 240-month scheduled in the next six months. 

“The 240 month inspection is extensive and requires extreme attention to detail to ensure the aircraft is structurally safe to enter back into service,” says Kevin Kliethermes, Director of Sales, Flying Colours Corp. With most early production Global aircraft still operating, Kliethermes says the team is pleased to be supporting future inspections. “As a Bombardier Authorized Service Facility, we are very well positioned to support owners of this airframe.”

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Peterborough Airport Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary With Epic Air Show

Peterborough Airport is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an Air Show featuring the most exciting lineup of aerial demonstrations that Peterborough has seen in decades. The show takes place on Saturday, September 21th and Sunday, September 22th.

Headlining the show are the Canadian Forces Snowbirds aerial demonstration team and the SkyHawks Canadian Armed Forces parachute team. The Air Show will also feature aerial demonstrations by Rick Volker, Todd Farrell, MKT Aerobatics and the Great War Flying Museum. Static aircraft displays, local food vendors and activities for kids will round out the show.

“We are thrilled with the line-up of performances we have assembled to celebrate the Airport’s 50th anniversary,” says Airport General Manager Trent Gervais. “There really is something for everyone—from heart-stopping excitement to graceful manoeuvres and everything in between.”

A variety of ticket options are available. Adult tickets are $30, a family pass is $70 and a VIP Experience is $200, plus applicable taxes and fees. Ticket pricing is also available for children, youth/students, seniors and veterans.

For more info on the show and tickets, go here.

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Peterborough's Flying Colours Corp. Is Celebrating 30th Anniversary

Flying Colours Corp.—the North American maintenance, repair, overhaul and completions business—is celebrating 30 years of successful MRO and interiors operations.

Launched as an aircraft painting business by current President, John Gillespie, the start-up developed into an aircraft sales business before evolving into a fully-fledged MRO and interiors business in 1989.

John Gillespie, Founder and President of Flying Colours Corp.

The privately owned, family run company has grown from a small hangar dedicated to painting turbo-props and small jets at Peterborough Airport to an international company known for:

-> its strong maintenance capabilities
-> creative cabin-interior design resulting in functional, yet stylish completions
-> refurbishments including Flying Colours branded CRJ ExecLiner
-> avionics expertise
-> ability to handle complex special mission projects

Flying Colours is now the largest airport tenant and is currently expanding its headquarter’s footprint with the addition of a fourth hangar measuring more than 100,000 squared feet.

A rendering of the new hangar due to open in mid-2019

“It’s a well-known fact that the business aviation sector is a competitive and challenging industry to succeed in, and we are extremely proud to be marking our 30th anniversary,” says John Gillespie, Founder and President.

Photo courtesy Flying Colours Corp.

“In some ways, it feels like we are just getting started as we still have a lot of exciting plans to implement over the next decades,” adds Gillespie.

“It goes without saying we would not have got to where we are without the support of our elite set of customers, our reliable long-term partners, and most importantly our highly motivated and skilled technical teams.”

Photo courtesy Flying Colours Corp.

Flying Colours is marking its 30th year with internal and external events with customers, partners and its growing in-house team to demonstrate its gratitude to those that have worked and supported the business through the years. 

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