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“Bill asked me if I would lease my helicopter “I was more or less retired, and they asked The school offers both private and
to them. I could still fly it as a private me to come in under the guise of general commercial helicopter licences, airplane
pilot, but they would use it for their flight manager, with the premise of an exit licence conversions, and specialty courses
school and operations like spraying,” says strategy,” he recalls. When the Leyburnes such as IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), Night
Dwayne. “They gave me a lease agreement, considered selling, Dwayne instead Rating, and a Winter Survival Course. It
and then I started asking about this spray purchased the company — including Rotor also delivers a unique training program in
thing.” Services — in 2020. Inspired by the people partnership with Conestoga College, giving
and culture, he introduced significant students a direct pathway into the aviation
Agricultural spraying was a changes, including carving out 30% industry.
service Great Lakes had begun to employee ownership. “If you want to become a commercial pilot,
explore, and having been trained Today, Great Lakes Helicopter operates you can come here and get your licence
in aerobatics as a pilot, Dwayne a fleet of 24 helicopters with 45 pilots in four or five months if you really buckle
was intrigued by the manoeuvres generally working from April through down,” Dwayne explains. “We cater to the
involved. October. In addition to tours and scenic pace of the student and their individual
flights from Muskoka, Grand Bend, situation.”
“It’s pretty aggressive flying, and what they Downtown Toronto, and beyond, the
call spray turns in a helicopter looks pretty company provides a wide range of utility Just as much as it invests in its students,
neat from the ground — and they’re fun to services: agricultural spraying, forestry Great Lakes Helicopter invests in its team.
do as a pilot,” he says and obtained the support, aerial seeding, mining, pipeline “The worst part of my business is when
necessary commercial licence from Great surveying, and fire suppression, with key employees aren’t happy. Period,” says
Lakes. “Learning that skillset was kind of several of its pilots recently flying out west Dwayne. “My employees are feeding the
on my bucket list.” to battle wildfires. monster that is this business, and when
they’re not happy, that keeps me up at
Dwayne later sold his helicopters to Great Lakes Maskwa Aviation, based in night.”
the company but remained close with Sault Ste. Marie, is a First Nations majority-
the Leyburnes. After selling his own owned partnership with the Missanabie For him, surrounding himself with the right
250-employee business to a Fortune 500 Cree First Nation and Great Lakes Helicopter, people has been key to success — and he
company and working for its new owners created to provide vital aviation support encourages entrepreneurs to embrace that
until 2018, he eventually joined Great to northern Indigenous communities. philosophy. “Never say no. If someone
Lakes full time. The company has also diversified into comes in and says, ‘Hey, can you do this?’
GLH Drones, combining the precision and You always say yes. Then you gather the
smart people around you and figure out
adaptability of drone platforms to offer how you’re going to deliver on that yes.”
integrated aerial solutions tailored to
each mission, as well as advanced drone Visit www.glhelic.ca to learn more.
manufacturing, producing some of the
highest-spec drones in North America. At
the same time, Great Lakes Helicopter has
developed a strong reputation as a flight
school that trains students of all ages,
from teens pursuing their first licence to
professionals seeking a new career.

www.cambridgechamber.com Fall 2025 33