A Leading Innovation Hub
The Flight Deck
RCAF Innovation
NEW: Newsletter Issue 42
Who we are
Partnering for Excellence
Inspired by the open, collaborative and creatively designed working spaces, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has established "The Flight Deck” Innovation Lab at the Communitech Hub in Kitchener to push the limits of research and development.
Since November of 2016, we’ve helped the RCAF take their status to the next level by providing them with the tools and technology they need to turn excellent ideas into reality. Get in touch if you believe you have a disruptive idea with potential for growth and success.
What we do
Research and Development
We utilize the latest technology and software to explore and develop innovative solutions for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Industry
Engagement
We partner with start-ups, industry leaders, and academia in order to utilize the latest technologies and their capabilities.
Education Programs
We host basecamps to teach members of the RCAF the innovative mindset of agile, sprint and design thinking methodologies commonly practiced in the tech start-up industry.
Co-op
Program
Every 4 months, the Flight Deck recruits a new round of co-ops from the University of Waterloo. Business Developers, Full Stack Developers, and more. Interested? Apply on WaterlooWorks.
Alumni
Co-Op Testimonials
Prabhnoor Singh
Full Stack Developer
Working for the RCAF was an unforgettable experience.
Visiting Greenwood and seeing Maintainer in action was amazing. I got to meet military personnel at the airbase and got feedback on what they love and would like to improve on Maintainer. We were given tours of the amazing machines, aircrafts and other equipment used to keep our country safe. We were flown on an RCAF plane to the airbase by amazing pilots. I also got to work with experienced leaders who were always patient and encouraging when I was seeking help. I gained immense technical knowledge from the work I did which the importance of attention to detail, user friendly experiences, and security.
Vikram Sudhagar
Full Stack Developer
The past 4 months have been a great experience.
I had a lot of fun working on Maintainer since there were a lot of interesting tasks that improved my technical abilities. It was motivating to work on this application since the work we did had a direct impact on the base in Greenwood.
When going to Greenwood, the other co-ops and I were able to see how the different trades used Maintainer, and how we could solve current problems. It was also really cool to see the planes.
Overall, my experience this co-op term has been great, and thank you to my co-workers who made the experience better!
Winston Leung
Full Stack Developer
Every day has been a good time. Writing meaningful code as well as understanding more about software development has given this role a great sense of fulfillment and purpose.
I won’t forget about the fantastic team: my fellow co-ops who were learning with me, and those in charge of Maintainer who helped guide me. The time we spent together only made the experience more special.
It really does surprise me how fast these four months went by - just another testament as to how enjoyable this experience was. If you're considering a term at the Flight Deck, I'd definitely give my recommendation.
Best of wishes to the Flight Deck teams!
Allen Liu
Full Stack Developer
Hands down, this has been my favourite co-op term!
The past four months have been an amazing journey with challenges and successes that have helped me grow as a developer. It was great to be able to contribute to a real project with actual users and see how our work impacted their experience with the app. Bonus points for being able to meet some users out in Greenwood!
Special shoutout to all the cool people at the Flight Deck and the rest of the co-ops who have been supportive and made this term enjoyable.
Can't wait to see what the Flight Deck has in store next!
