British Columbia is increasingly interested in the aerospace sector, a trend highlighted by Boeing investing $61 million into two British Columbia aerospace enterprises.
Two companies contributing to the province’s aerospace ecosystem are KF Aerospace and SKYTRAC, both out of Kelowna. The firms were highlighted in a recent report analyzing the Okanagan’s tech sector.
While only a small portion of Okanagan’s tech ecosystem is aerospace and aviation—three percent, to be exact—KF Aerospace and SKYTRAC deliver outsize impact.
Founded in 1970 as Kelowna Flightcraft by Barry Lapointe, KF Aerospace has grown into Canada’s largest provider of commercial maintenance and repairs for the field. The company now employs more than 1,200 skilled workers.
Today, KF operates out of facilities in Kelowna in B.C. and Hamilton in Ontario, servicing corporate, commercial, and military clients worldwide, including the Royal Canadian Air Force.
SKYTRAC, meanwhile, is in the business of Low Earth Orbit satellite communications and intelligent connectivity, offering technology solutions to some of the world’s largest organizations.
Originally founded in Penticton in 1986, the Kelowna company’s work helps aerial firefighters save forests, allows search and rescue teams to navigate dangerous environments, and provides coast guards and militaries with mission-critical capabilities.
From custom software to hardware development, SKYTRAC offers end-to-end products and services. The firm’s tech can be found on fixed-wing, rotor-craft, and unmanned aerial vehicles across all seven continents, serving over 800 customers on over 900 airframes.
In total, the Okanagan region boasts 787 tech companies who account for 32,000 jobs and $5 billion toward British Columbia’s GDP.
Article sourced from techcouver
