They say parents need to give their children roots to help them grow and later, when the time is right, wings to help them fly.
It seems that Tara Granson (nee Meikle) has received both and is now happily pursuing her dream career in aviation.
The 24-year-old grew up in Ponoka and graduated from St. Augustine School. She also spent several years as a member of the Ponoka Air Cadets, where she discovered many activities and opportunities to learn about aviation.
That is also where she met her future husband — Matthew Granson from Bluffton — when they were both members of air cadets. The couple met at 15 and began dating when they turned 17. The young couple then both pursued aviation careers.
Granson very much enjoyed air cadets, especially all the activities related to aviation.
“I loved it and I decided that when I graduated, I would pursue a career in aviation,” she said.
That decision took her to southern Manitoba, where she completed training for her commercial pilot license.
As it turned out, obtaining her pilot’s license sparked an interest in another aspect of the field of aviation and one not many women tend to pursue.
Granson discovered that she wanted to learn more about the machines she was flying, so she began hanging out at the flight school’s maintenance shop, asking questions and learning everything she could.
Her curiosity paid off and the engineers were helpful and informative.
Looking back, she explained it was their patience and eagerness to provide her with the best information possible that led her to another important career decision — going into aviation maintenance.
It has turned out to be a great decision for Granson, who is now employed by Keewatin Air — headquartered in Winnipeg and services remote northern territories including Iqaluit in Nunavut.
She is also enrolled in the aircraft maintenance journeyperson program at Red River College and is currently an apprentice in Yellowknife, where she is living with her husband.
“Yellowknife is beautiful. It’s like living in a postcard,” she added.
As an apprentice, Granson is able to get up close and personal with the machines that she loves.
“It’s very hands on,” she stated, “I love that I get to work on the machines and that I learn something new every day.”
Granson encourages other young woman to look at aviation as a career choice and credits her parents — Sheane and Bonnie Meikle — for their unconditional love and support as she followed her dream career.
“They should see careers in aviation as something that is achievable,” Granson added.
She is also grateful to her in-laws, Leonard and Diane Granson, whom she says has also been most supportive and encouraging.