THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - After working with the GNWT for 18 years, Angela Tucker felt it was time for a change – a whole new career, in fact.

Angela Tucker, who works at Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. in Fort Smith, is following her dream to become a pilot. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I decided I had to follow this dream of mine, which I had forever," she said.

That dream is to become a pilot.

She left her GNWT job in Yellowknife three years ago to enter a two-year aviation diploma program at Calgary's Mount Royal College.

Since the spring, Tucker has been working as an operations assistant with Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. in Fort Smith.

In that role, she books charters, follows flights by radio, does clerical work and has even done some painting.

"Whatever needs to be done," she said of her role, adding she hopes to move to another ground position with the company in the fall.

One thing she has not yet done at Northwestern is fly an aircraft.

Like at other aviation companies, starting pilots first work in ground operations at to learn all aspects of the business while waiting in line for a chance to fly.

"I think it's a very normal thing in the airline industry," Tucker said, noting she is fourth in line among would-be pilots at Northwestern.

Her chance to fly could come as soon as three months or as long as two years, she said.

Despite that, Tucker plans on staying at Northwestern, noting, "I think I'm in a good company."

However, she said she would take advantage of an immediate opportunity to fly elsewhere, if it became available.

"Your priority is getting your butt in a plane," she said.

Despite having to wait to fly, she said, "I feel very lucky to have this job."

Tucker noted that, of the 20 people who graduated in her college class, she knows of only three working in the aviation field.

"There really is little out there right now with the economy the way it is," she said.

She was offered a position as a flight attendant with a Saskatchewan company while waiting for a chance to fly, but chose Northwestern because of its training and the greater opportunity in the North.

One southern firm turned her down, saying she did not fit its usual model for employees in their 20s and 30s.

"I was shocked," she said. "There's nothing I can't do."

Right now, she has 280 hours of flight time, all obtained in college.

The Saskatchewan-born Tucker arrived in Yellowknife for a summer job as a Stanton Hospital receptionist and some adventure in the North when she was just 21 years old.

Eventually, she got a permanent job and didn't return to university to continue studying business.

Over the years, she worked in various territorial departments, but mostly for the Department of Health and Social Services.

Her final GNWT job was as a recruiter of physicians.

Tucker said life was good as a GNWT employee, but the "niggling dream" of learning to fly remained with her.

"I saw my age and time spinning by and I realized this is my life," she said.

She was hesitant to follow her dream because she didn't know any female pilots and described herself as a bit shy.

Some people tell her she is an inspiration to others who also hope to someday follow their dreams, she said.

Her passion for flying began at 17 when she took her first flight on an airliner from Regina to Dallas.

"I was just so in love with it," she said.

She finds the concept of flight exciting, especially the ability to be anywhere else in just a few hours.

"It's like time travel," she said. "It's so amazing."

Tucker had a friend in Yellowknife who took her "playing in the clouds" in his aircraft.

"I loved it," she said. "It's the freedom of flight and the adventure."