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Air Traffic: Only Up, from the director’s chair

On January 11, a private premiere of the film Only Up was played to a sold-out theatre in Edmonton, Alberta. It is a night I most certainly will never forget and I hope a night that spreads more inspiration for people to enter the aviation industry.  

“This documentary is the absolute most amazing boost of confidence a person can watch when it comes to a woman in aviation,” says Carine Bariteau. “My husband and I are now looking forward to starting formation flying with our RV aircraft.” 

This film started with a dream. The kind of dream you think about most every day, that distracts you from other tasks and gives you a nudge to remember when you have not thought about it for a day or two. In 2019, after being told my dream was nearly impossible, I boarded an airplane going from YEG to YYZ. I offered my window seat to a man sitting uncomfortably in the middle and settled into what would be a flight that would change the trajectory of my journey and help fulfill my dream. After that flight, I became the director of a feature length documentary. My dream would come true. Sitting on the aisle was the CEO of Super Channel, Don McDonald. We had an incredible chat and, long story short, his passion to help women in film rivalled my own passion for woman in aviation. After that flight Only Up was born.

The movie is comprised of six segments, each featuring different women who highlight the diverse careers in aviation. The goal of the movie was twofold. First, to showcase aviation careers in a way that would entice not only women, but also students, young adults – everyone really – to enter the world of aviation. To open their eyes to possibilities that exist and to be excited about the thought of flying an airplane, working a radar screen or ensuring the safety of aircraft. 

Second, to showcase incredible women who are passionate about their careers and on a journey we want to cheer for. These women are passionate about pursuing their dreams and we want the audience to feel that, capture that feeling, and implement it in their own lives to give them strength and encouragement to follow their own dreams.

Only Up followed six aviation careers paths, including the training of ATCs Emily Meyer and Erika Henke. (Photo: Kendra Kincade)

One of the stories we follow are of two young women, Emily Meyer and Erika Henkel, as they go through air traffic control training. We get a behind-the-scenes look at the training that has a reputation of being one of the most stressful jobs in the world. We follow an all female maintenance team led by aircraft maintenance engineer, Cassandra Hepp, that travelled to an international maintenance competition to see how they rank among what could be the most male-dominated section of the aviation industry. We also take to the skies in a helicopter with SAR Tech, Katherine Hanak, and see the intensity of the training involved when you risk your life working over water.  

“Only Up takes you into the aviation world through the lens of women. It’s inspiring, funny, emotional and sheds light on the impact that the gender gap has on the industry,” says Laura Sinclair, COO and CFO of Elevate Aviation.

I’ll never forget this first foray into movie making. From the pandemic shut down to filming for a year across Canada and into the United Stated on my days off from working as an air traffic controller, to meeting new people inside the aviation industry and meeting a whole new group of people in a different industry, film.

It was a talented team of people who came together to make this dream a reality and I’m grateful for them all. Each one of them taught me something that I will take with me into the future.

Kendra Kincade is the Executive Director of Elevate Aviation.