Unconstrained Thinking, Shaping the Future of Aerospace & Defence, and Leading High-Performing Teams with France Hébert
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries. We teamed up to produce this special podcast series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa during International Women’s Month.
In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life.
Visit www.investottawa.ca/women to learn more!
"The biggest limitations we have are in our own brains. My job is to unconstrain my team’s thinking, create a culture of trust, and allow innovation to thrive."
From a young age, France Hébert was drawn to the mechanics of how things work—whether in science, sports, or the skies. Growing up in Québec, she was fascinated by math, physics, and aviation, a passion that led her to the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC). There, she immersed herself in the high-stakes world of engineering physics, military training, and leadership development, skills and knowledge that would become the foundation of her career.
At 18, France joined the Canadian Armed Forces, stepping into an environment of intense academic rigor, military discipline, and leadership responsibility. Those early experiences honed her ability to thrive under pressure, balance strategic thinking with execution, and push the limits of what’s possible.
Now, the VP and General Manager, Defence & Security Canada at CAE, the world's leading aerospace and aviation training company, France is leading the charge in shaping the future of defence training and simulation. She also serves as President of SkyAlyne, a joint venture between CAE and KF Aerospace, executing the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program—a game-changing initiative that will revolutionize military pilot and aircrew training. She played a pivotal role in securing the FAcT contract, a must-win project that will help address the global pilot shortage while integrating AI, machine learning, and cutting-edge simulations into next-generation training programs.
But for France, leadership isn’t just about innovation—it’s about people. She believes in leveraging the strength of the team, fostering trust, and creating an environment where bold ideas thrive. Her leadership philosophy? Remove self-imposed limitations, adapt quickly, and always look for the next challenge.
She currently serves as President of CAE Military Aviation Training (CMAT) and sits on the boards of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the True Patriot Love Foundation, and Invest Ottawa, where she is the Vice-Chair. A Professional Engineer, France holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Physics) from RMC, a certificate in Business Administration from McGill University, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation.
A trailblazer in aerospace and defence, France is also passionate about mentorship and breaking barriers for women in STEM. Through her work, she’s proving that the future of aviation isn’t just about technology—it’s about the people who have the courage to shape it.
This episode is for you if:
You want to learn how AI, simulation, and emerging technologies are transforming aviation training.
You want to build a successful, purpose-driven career while staying true to yourself.
You want to break through self-imposed limitations and think bigger in your career and leadership.
You want to understand how leadership, adaptability, and trust fuel innovation in complex industries.
You’re interested in how Canada is shaping the future of defence and security on a global scale.
Looking for a specific gem?
0:00 Introducing France Hebert
5:30 France’s love for aviation and science brought her to learn more about the Royal Military College
7:11 The well rounded nature of France’s education and how it prepared her to become an executive, today
9:22 Growing a team and improving the operational effectiveness of the group so that they could bid and win large projects
10:37 Think about the future of your organization and garner change agents who will help you with transforming the organization
11:50 Canada is going through recapitalizing a lot of its aircraft fleets and re-imagining how they train sensor and tactical operators, pilots for the future
12:20 FACT PROGRAM - revolutionize the way Canada train its military personnel
12:46 We need to use the technologies that are out here to address the shortage of pilots in the Canadian military and worldwide
13:34 In May 2024, they were awarded the FACT contract
15:21 AI and machine learning will push the boundaries of what’s possible in simulation-based training, distributed team training, and more
17:29 Our team needs to be agile and be able to unconstrained in their thinking so that we don’t limit ourselves
19:00 Create work environments where the team can be their best so that we can keep being industry leaders
23:55 How France creates space to think while running
27:30 When you are navigating your career, don’t pretend to be someone else — differences are assets and we all have a role to play
29:08 Do what you say you’re going to do and BE YOURSELF
31:04 The demands for pilots, pilot training and aircraft are growing exponentially
Conversation Transcript
Naomi Haile: Hi, everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Power of Why podcast. This is a special episode because we are partnering with the incredible team at Invest Ottawa for a special series for International Women's Month. And today, I am honored to be sitting down with France. France, how are you doing today?
France Hebert: Great! Thank you for having me.
Naomi Haile: Welcome to the show. I would love for you to start by sharing a little bit about your origin story. You grew up in Quebec, loving math, science, sports, and aviation. What specific experiences really sparked these interests in your life?
France Hebert: Well, first, thank you for having me. I'm very happy to be here today.
Throughout my youth, I was involved in a few sports. I did a lot of swimming, I played soccer, and I even coached soccer. When I was in high school, I coached five- and six-year-old boys, and I learned a lot from that experience.
In high school, I quickly gravitated toward math and science. These subjects came easily to me, and I really liked physics because it allowed me to understand how things work—the physical world around us. I was fascinated by aviation, and I also had a desire for adventure and wanted to see the world. So, it seemed like a very logical decision to join the Canadian Armed Forces and go to military college, where I could pursue so many of my interests.
Naomi Haile: How did you get introduced to the Royal Military College as a potential career pathway? Did you have influences in your family or role models who took that route? How did it get on your radar?
France Hebert: I was not from a military family at all. There was nobody in my family who introduced me to it. It really happened as I scanned the horizon for different university possibilities.
At the time, in the 1980s, there were a lot of recruitment campaigns for the Canadian Armed Forces, and there was a lot of publicity about joining the military. So, I think it was more through marketing and various ads that I learned about it. I became curious, so I went to the recruiting center to inquire. That’s when I realized there was an entire world within the Armed Forces that I hadn't known about. But little did I know just how much I would learn until I actually joined. However, from everything I had learned at that point, it really seemed like a good match for me.
Naomi Haile: When you were sharing a little bit in our last conversation, you mentioned that you were 18 when you joined. The environment you were in—high-pressure academics, rigorous training schedules, and demanding responsibilities—you said those lessons have really translated into the work you do today in a very complex environment.
Can you talk a little bit about what those four years looked like from an academic and training perspective? How did that environment shape your leadership, discipline, and approach to work today?
France Hebert: Yes! Well, first of all, at RMC, the education is well-rounded. There are four pillars that all officer cadets need to succeed in to graduate: academics, leadership, athleticism, and bilingualism. In the Canadian Armed Forces, officers are expected to be bilingual in both French and English.
On top of that, as part of the education, even if you're studying engineering—which is what I studied—you also need to take other social science classes. I took a lot of history, psychology, and leadership courses every year. So, it's a well-rounded education, but it also makes for a very busy class schedule.
As an engineering student, I had between 35 and 40 hours of classes a week. I was lucky because I was already bilingual when I arrived, so I didn’t have to take second-language courses. That gave me a bit of extra time in my schedule, but still, every day included sports, leadership, military activities, and eventually, as a senior officer cadet, leadership responsibilities for junior cadets.
My time at RMC was very similar to my job as an executive in terms of how busy it was—there’s never enough time to do everything, and there’s always more to do than time allows. I learned early on the fine art of prioritization, and I use that skill every single day in my life.
I also learned at RMC how to push the limits—both my own and those around me. I discovered that I was capable of much more than I initially thought, which gave me confidence in my abilities. Additionally, I learned a lot about teamwork—how to leverage the team around me. At RMC, you have to work as a team to get everything done in such a fast-paced environment.
What I learned at RMC directly applies to my professional life today. I’ve become an expert at focusing on “the alligators closest to the boat”—meaning prioritizing what matters most. That skill has helped me throughout my career.
Naomi Haile: I love that. It sounds like that training ground set you up so well for the complex projects you're leading today, with massive mandates.
I'd love to double-click on the teamwork aspect—understanding who makes up your team and how you recruit incredible members to join. Can you share a career-defining moment when teamwork and resilience truly redefined an outcome?
France Hebert: Absolutely. There are a couple of aspects in your question—one about growing a team and another about resilience. In my current role, I’ve worked hard to grow the team, improve operational effectiveness, and mature the organization. When I took on this role a little over five years ago, we had a significant growth mandate.
With growth, you embark on more complex and larger programs, which often require different skill sets. I took the time to listen and assess the strengths of our existing team. In some cases, we needed to do things differently, so we made a mix of internal promotions and external hires to ensure we had the right capabilities.
When transforming an organization, you need more than just one person leading change—you need a team of change agents. My job was to set the tone and expectations, but real transformation happens when a team rallies behind that vision. That’s something I’ve focused on heavily in this role.
Naomi Haile: Can you tell us a little bit about what that growth mandate was? I know there was a big announcement at the end of last year regarding the area you’ll be leading. For those who may not be familiar with the defence and security mandates or the types of training you offer with simulations, could you share more about that?
France Hebert: Yeah, so, the company that I work for, CAE, we're the global leader, as you mentioned, in training and simulation, and a global leader in pilot training for civil aviation and defence and security.
At the time when I started in this job, there were a lot of large programs on the horizon with the Canadian Armed Forces. Canada is going through a recapitalization of a lot of its aircraft fleets and also redefining the way future training will be conducted for its operators and pilots.
So, one of the big mandates that was on my plate was bidding for the Future Aircrew Training program—we refer to it as the FAcT program. It was a must-win for us because, currently in Canada, we are training on most Air Force bases. We have training centers, and we also conduct live flying training on one of the bases in Moose Jaw. This was the future of aircrew training in Canada, and we had to win. It was a must-win for our company.
And really, this program is going to revolutionize the way Canada trains its military. You know, there’s a shortage of pilots in the military and around the world, so we need to use the technologies that are available to increase the throughput of training. Not only are we going to be training pilots with this program, but we’re also going to be training sensor operators and tactical operators—those who sit in the back of the aircraft and play a crucial role in mission execution.
So, this program really is re-envisioning how we’re going to train pilots in the future. Young people today also expect a different kind of training experience, and this program reflects that.
That was part of the mandate, and in May 2024, we were awarded the FAcT contract as part of SkyAlyne. SkyAlyne is a joint venture between CAE and Kelowna Flightcraft Aerospace, another Canadian company. The SkyAlyne joint venture was awarded the FAcT contract in May last year, so that was great news. Yeah.
Naomi Haile: When I was reading about the FAcT program, which is the Future Aircrew Training program, in terms of the way that you folks are going to monitor, modernize, and expand training capabilities for existing but also, like, aspiring, you know, pilot professionals, I think that's such a—like, I think that's such a fantastic program to be a part of and to lead.
You were describing some of the technologies that are involved in training and what training will look like in the future. I know you've already, you know, talked about the simulation aspect. Can you share with the audience some other technologies and capabilities that you are excited about—really testing, iterating, and building upon—to, you know, advance and take training capabilities to a new level?
France Hebert: So yes, at CAE, we've always been at the forefront of innovation. And when I started working at CAE, I was so impressed because I would classify us maybe as a medium company, but we are so innovative, and we also can move very fast, you know, for our size. We have what it takes to move like a startup when we want to.
The technologies that we are seeing now, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, are really set to be transformative in the future of training. These technologies give us the ability to improve our operations and training delivery at a pace we haven't seen before.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will push the boundaries of what's possible in simulation-based training. You know, with biometric devices and other analytical tools, those provide instructors with cutting-edge technologies to offer highly personalized training experiences for different students.
And not only that, but now we can also connect multiple simulators and devices to do team training. New technologies, connectivity, and all of this are allowing us to do team training—sometimes where we're all in the same place, or we can be remotely located. So that's really giving us a lot more possibilities.
Naomi Haile: I was recently testing out virtual reality, and just—even from a game and sports perspective—how real it feels. And we were, you know, physically not in the same room with our friends. They were states away.
But I think being able to leverage those technologies to support things that matter in a big way for our country—and in terms of really taking those capabilities to the next level—is really inspiring to see.
So, I’m wondering, with this mandate you talked about and how it's going to, you know, really revolutionize the future of training capabilities, I’m curious to know: What principles and values define your leadership approach? Like, as you're, you know, really empowering your team, providing them with the necessary resources to do their job and what they need to do—yeah—if you can talk to me about those principles, those values, and how you really support your team in these developments.
France Hebert: First of all, I think that what I like to do is to really be a champion of innovation—of, you know, finding solutions, sometimes ones that can be outside the box. I don’t like to constrain people.
I think that, you know, technology is moving at such a fast pace. So, first of all, we need to be agile because we need to keep up, and we need to be able to, you know, do Agile development and be adaptive to the markets and adaptive to the technology. We need to be able to unconstrain our minds so we can think outside the box and not limit ourselves.
One thing that I’ve learned in all of my years of experience is that sometimes the biggest limitations we have are in our own brains. They’re not, you know—the boss will support you, the company will support you—they’re there. But sometimes we limit ourselves.
So, what I try to do with my people is really unconstrain them, to allow for an environment where, you know, there are no bad ideas. We've got open communication, a trusting environment where, you know, it’s okay to try things, to fail fast, and to move on.
But we have to have, in my view—and this is what I try to maintain—the right environment of trust, where people know that it’s okay to try things out. And sometimes, you know, you fail fast, but then you move on, and you learn as you go. And you continually grow.
I think that having this environment—of openness and trust, and allowing people to be unconstrained in their thinking—is very important in a company as innovation-focused as we are. So, I try to create the right environment where people can really be their best, bring their strengths to the team, and we can have, you know, a nice collaborative environment where we maximize all the different strengths that we have in the team to keep being the leaders in our field.
So, that’s the tone I try to set. It’s important to do what you say you’re going to do and to set the right tone with, you know, the behaviors that you expect in people. So, that’s what I try to do—absolutely.
Naomi Haile: The way you described that environment—you talked about learning agility, you talked about unconstrained thinking, you talked about not shooting down bad ideas but creating an environment where people are okay to test things, knowing that those are learnings happening as we go along.
To that point about unconstrained thinking and not limiting ourselves, what are some ways that you practically do that for yourself? Like, in your own development—your own personal and professional development—how do you ensure that you are not, you know, constrained in just going for it, right? Because I think sometimes, depending on the environments that we're in or the systems that we're navigating, that can kind of seep in, whether we like it or not.
So what are ways that you ensure that you're almost, like, limitless in your thinking while still being able to get things done as well?
France Hebert: Yeah, I have to say that it’s almost natural. I find that when we are faced with different situations, it’s almost human nature to see obstacles and boundaries—I think it's normal. It happens to me a lot, actually, because, you know, we have to be realistic.
There's a side of me, too—like, I'm an engineer, I'm practical. I mean, there are the laws of nature, the laws of physics. There are things that are possible and others that are not possible. So there always needs to be a rooting in reality in any case. And you did, you know, talk about the practical side of things.
So, definitely, I sometimes come from a default place of thinking, Oh, well, you know, this is what’s not possible—based on, you know, certain fundamentals. So those things will remain there, but I really have to stop myself and take a step back to look at the big picture.
I kind of force myself to think about the full potential because it does not always come naturally. Sometimes it’s easier than at other times. But yeah,
I stop myself, and I ask myself the question: Well, is this really a real limit or a real constraint, or is there a way to work around this?
So I really have to stop myself and unconstrain my thinking. It’s an active process sometimes because it's very easy to fall back on the practicality of everything. That’s what I do—I start thinking broadly, thinking outside the box, and being very mindful about doing that. And this is when, sometimes, the most innovative ideas come out. Oh, we never thought we could do it that way.
But, you know, really, sometimes—even for myself—I have to make a big effort to unconstrain my thinking. I think some people are more like that by nature, but we’re not all big thinkers and visionaries by nature. I think I have a mix of both myself, but when I find myself constrained, I just have to stop, shake it up, and remove those barriers that are sometimes just mental—and then move forward.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, yeah, that's a great point.
And I think, to what you mentioned during your RMC days—you know, you're navigating and leading so many big endeavors right now. So I'm wondering, when you have a team, when you have a huge mandate, when you're responsible for, like, top-down business development and, you know, your profit and loss statements—like, there are a lot of moving pieces.
So, I’m wondering—this element of creating space for yourself to think and ask yourself those questions—how do you create that level of space while also managing the big priorities that you have?
Over the course of your 30-plus years in leadership positions, navigating this industry, is there anything that has really been solid for you?
France Hebert: So yes, with respect to my day-to-day work—yeah—my days are extremely full, from morning to evening, with different meetings and different engagements with customers. And sometimes, you know, it goes into the evening.
That time to think—to really think about strategies and bigger ideas—for me, I do some of this when I do sports, actually. So, for example, I like to run. Running, for me, is like an active meditation. I love to run because, while I'm running, the time is my own. I'm not on the phone, and nobody is on me. That’s when I get to really think about some of the issues I’m trying to resolve, or some ways to, you know—what’s going to be our value proposition, how we’re going to win this next big one, and how we’re going to differentiate ourselves.
When I’m running, my mind goes to these kinds of things. So, I use sports to either clear my mind or, depending on the sport I’m doing, I don’t always go into deep thinking while I do it, but it does clear my mind. And after that, I take a lot of time to reflect on work, on strategies, and on how to approach different things.
But while I run—definitely—the majority of the time, I’m thinking about work, and I’m resolving problems while I run. So for me, it’s these downtimes that I create in my life. They tend to be on the periphery of my workday because my day is full, and I need to focus on the people that I’m with and the discussions I’m having.
So, it’s part of this work-life balance, where, you know, it’s good to exercise. And I need a lot of stamina to do my job as well, so it’s good to be fit. But I combine this little personal time that I have to both better my physical health and have a little bit of quiet mental time—quiet time where I can think about the bigger picture and find solutions to things that are going on. So, really, it’s part of this balance.
Naomi Haile: Thank you for sharing that, France.
I want to speak to your accolades and the recognition that you've had in the community—not just in your field, but also in the wider business community. You've been named a trailblazer in the STEM field over a 35-year career.
What advice, I’m wondering, would you offer for women specifically aspiring to build impactful careers in defence, aerospace, or other STEM industries—AI even, which is a growing conversation?
France Hebert: So, I say, first of all, you have to be true to yourself. My first advice would be not to pretend to be someone else. Differences are assets. You know, we all have a role to play. An organization, a team—really gains from different views.
And one piece of advice—so there are a few pieces of advice that I’ve had—but one that really stood out to me was from a woman who was talking to women. She said: You have time.
And that’s true for everybody. At different points in our lives, we have to deal with different priorities. It could be family-related, it could be that you’re doing a master’s degree, or you might have small children—whatever the case may be. There are times in life where you're juggling many priorities, and that might affect the speed of your career, how much extra work you can take on, or the promotions you can accept at different periods of time.
But really, there is time to achieve your goals. It does not need to happen all at once. Use these different opportunities at different stages in your career.
Sometimes, you know, you’re busier than at other times—because there are cycles in business and industry. But use all these opportunities to learn, to add to your toolbox. Keep a critical mind as you're going through these different work experiences.
France Hebert: And I'd say, through all of this, you know, one thing that I've always done is lead by example. This is one of the fundamental things that I learned when I joined the military—when I went to military college at age 18—was to lead by example.
You know, do what you say you're going to do, and also rely on the team, whether as a leader or as an individual contributor. You know, working as a team, brainstorming with people, finding the strengths of your coworkers, and then working together as a team—leveraging all of these strengths—all of that, you know, is good and is key to success.
But throughout all of this—be yourself. That's, you know, the best thing you can be—be yourself throughout all of this.
Naomi Haile: Wonderful advice. Because I think it sets you up—regardless of what space you're in—for alignment and knowing what's for you and what's not for you. And just hearing you speak and, you know, the leadership positions that you're in—I think, regardless of the position you hold, you are able to see the good in people.
Yeah, and also be understanding of what different people bring to the team. And that’s an awareness I think you’ve nurtured in yourself first before you’re able to identify it in other people.
And so, thanks for sharing that. I am curious to know—before we start to wrap up the episode—you mentioned that there is a growing demand for pilots. You know, there’s a shortage—not just in Canada, but also around the globe.
I’m wondering, for you, in the vision that you see for the future of CAE—how do you see CAE’s role in this evolving? Either to, you know, reduce this challenge, create more opportunities, or attract more people to this space?
Yeah, what do you see for how the organization will continue to evolve? And, you know, what are your hopes for the space as well?
France Hebert: Wow. Well, the demand for pilots, for training, and for aircraft in general—all of those demands are growing exponentially. So, of course, for CAE, as a training and simulation company, we see lots of opportunities on the horizon.
We're constantly evolving and innovating to meet customer needs. For example, we recently opened our first Air Training Services training centers to train air traffic controllers because that’s another area where, you know, the demand for training is great, and we need more air traffic controllers.
So, again, to better serve our customers and to respond to market demands, we’ve entered into this very adjacent market where we were already leaders.
We continually look beyond the short-term challenges to innovate, to continue to innovate in line with our long-term vision, and to ensure we remain the global leaders in our field.
You know, it’s important not just to anticipate the future but to shape it.
And really, I have great hopes for the future. I think that, you know, there’s a lot of demand in our field.
It’s unfortunate that, over time—back in the ‘80s and ‘90s—careers in aerospace were highly regarded, and a lot of people were trying to get into aerospace. But now, you know, with all the new technologies—and it’s great that there are a lot of neat things going on—but, you know, there was the internet, and now we’re into AI and machine learning and all these technologies.
So, of course, that will be attractive to many young people. But I think that, with everything going on around the world, and the need for aircraft and air travel not going down in any way, shape, or form, I’m really hoping that we can—by also marrying all these new and interesting technologies, which we are doing—attract the next generation of youth and the next great minds to join our field.
Because, to me, it’s been a great career working in aerospace and defence. And I think you get to combine all these neat things—innovation, working with different people around the globe.
So, I hope we can be attractive to younger generations.
And if I speak about Canada right now—with everything going on in aerospace and defence—I think there are so many opportunities. It’s going to be a great, great area to work in.
So, I keep on talking to a lot of young people—and many others are doing the same—but really, if you want to work in exciting innovation and technology and see it in action to make a difference in the world, I think this is a great field to be in.
Naomi Haile: Yeah, and your story is a testament to that, I think, as well. And the last question I have for you, France, is: What’s the best investment that you’ve made in yourself? It doesn’t have to be a financial investment, but maybe it’s a skill that you decided to strengthen. Or, you know, you talked a little bit about sports and running.
France Hebert: Well, for me, in my life, I would say it was—it’s—it was to get a university education and to go to military college.
I mean, this, you know—I was there from 18 to 22 years old. First, it gave me—you know, I studied engineering physics—so it gave me my engineering education. But then, everything that I learned about leadership, about leading by example, about teamwork—leveraging, you know, all the members of the team to accomplish so much more than, you know, just by yourself.
So, the whole leadership aspect of this education—and keeping active in sports, which I’ve done all my life and continue to do to this day—I think that between the education, the leadership, and the athleticism that it gave me, that was the best investment.
It was not easy, but by far, the best investment in my life was what I did then. Yes, wonderful.
Naomi Haile: Wonderful. And what's the best place for people to connect with you online and follow along the journey?
France Hebert: I would say the best and easiest place would be through LinkedIn.
You can find me there, and I try to, you know, inform people about all the great things that we are doing as a company. And also, I’m always looking forward to connecting with people and continuing to learn along the way. I love to talk to all kinds of different people who come with different backgrounds and continue to learn and improve. That’s—that’s what I am looking forward to doing. So please, don’t hesitate to connect.
Naomi Haile: Thank you, France. Thank you for being here on this episode of The Power of Why podcast, and thank you, everyone, for making the time to listen.
We will catch you in the next one.
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Connect with France
LinkedIn: France Herbert
CAE Website: www.cae.com
SkyAlyne Website: www.skyalyne.ca
Connect with Naomi
Website: naomihaile.com
LinkedIn: Naomi Haile
Instagram: @naomiahaile
Twitter: @naomiathaile