Mount Royal University aviation career expo well attended, weeks after fatal crash

Less than a month after two instructors were killed in a plane crash, Mount Royal University's aviation program held its fourth annual career expo Saturday for current and prospective students.

Program chair Leon Cygman says if anything, airlines have shown added support for the school.

"We've really felt aviation love for the past month," he said.

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Cygman says no students dropped out of the program following the Feb. 13 crash near Waiparous, which killed instructors Jeffrey Bird and Reynold Johnson.

Second-year student Monica Mytroen attended Saturday's event to network with job recruiters.

She says the recent tragedy hasn't affected her career prospects.

"It's still super positive. It's still a really good thing to have MRU on the resume just because you get so much experience unique experience," she said. "Things happen all the time, companies know that this happens and it doesn't affect the reputation at all."

Cole Tuzaalso says classmates want to stick with the program in honour of the late pilots.

"We know that the instructors would want us to continue, they wouldn't want us to give up and quit," he said.

"Both instructors were very experienced, well-liked instructors and they loved giving to the community."

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