Canadian Vertical Flight Industry Update with Ken Swartz, Michel Dion, and David Farman

VFS Montreal-Ottawa Presentation by Ken Swartz, Michel Dion and David Farman
December 10, 2025

Program
Canada is home to the world's second largest civil helicopter fleet, major helicopter manufacturers including Bell and Airbus, and poised for growth in both the civil and military helicopter and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sectors.

Former Vertical Flight Society (VFS) board member and leading helicopter/AAM industry reporter Ken Swartz will provide an online update on the state of the Canadian VTOL industry.

Ken will be joined by Michel Dion, CEO of Strix and David Farman, Head of Training at SkyAlyne for this one hour "lunch and learn" virtual presentation.

Guest Speakers

Ken Swartz
President, Aeromedia Consultants
Ken Swartz is an aerospace market and communications consultant and an award-winning aviation and vertical flight journalist. He began his career managing marketing and communications for Candain regional airlines and helicopter operators before joining the commercial aircraft marketing team at Bombardier. Ken was a VFS board member (2018-2024), Senior Editor of VFS’ Vertiflite magazine and co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Electric VTOL News site (2018-2025). He runs Aeromedia Consultants in Toronto.
• LinkedIn page:   / kenneth-i-swartz-b3395719  

Michel Dion
CEO, Strix

Michel Dion has led Strix since January 2024. Strix is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting innovation and collaborative research in the Canadian aerospace & defence industries and related sectors. Strix’s first program is the Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT).

Michel has held several leadership roles at Bell Textron Canada and within consortia such as CRIAQ, CARIC and GARDN. Before joining Bell, Michel led various projects under the CF-18 program at L-3 Communications (L3 MS) Military Aircraft Services and the Bombardier Aerospace Defense Services Division.

Michel holds a bachelor’s degree in Space Sciences from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario as well as a master’s degree in project management from the University of Quebec in Montreal ,Quebec He is currently studying to obtain a Master of Business Administration for Executives at the University of Fredericton, New Brunswick).
• LinkedIn page:   / michel-dion-strix  
• Strix website: https://strix.aero/
• Strix LinkedIn company page :   / strix-canada  

David Farman
Head of Training, SkyAlyne

David Farman joined SkyAlyne in January 2024 to take up the role of Head of Training for all five aircraft fleets/all sites for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s FAcT program.

SkyAlyne was formed in 2018 as a partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace. It’s team of defence, training, simulation, and aviation industry experts assembled from across Canada, working to prepare the next generation of RCAF Aircrew as the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) provider.

David graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida in 1990 with a BSc in Aviation Technology, which included Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor licences and qualifying as an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic. In 1991 he moved to the UK and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force where he flew helicopters in SAR, Combat Support and pilot training roles until 2013. After seven years as a civilian RAF Squadron Standards Instructor in the UK, he joined CAE in Montreal in 2018 as a Test and Evaluation pilot, Test Director, and finally as the test group leader.

• LinkedIn page:   / david-farman-bsc-cfs-raf-bb146b50  
• SkyAlyne website: https://skyalyne.ca
• SkyAlyne LinkedIn company page:   / skyalyne  


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