Gastops

In 1979, a group of Carleton University engineering graduates, led by Dr. Bernie MacIsaac, founded a company that would operate quietly in Ottawa for decades, becoming a critical player in global aerospace and defense. This company, Gastops, began its journey by providing ship simulation services to the Royal Canadian Navy. It was this initial work that sparked one of its first innovations: a gas turbine trending system for the Navy. A pivotal moment came in the 1990s when Pratt & Whitney selected Gastops' oil debris monitor for the F119 engine, destined for the F-22 Raptor. This established their MetalSCAN technology as the first online, full-flow oil debris sensor system used on airborne engines, cementing a long-standing relationship with major industry leaders. This core technology, which functions like an early warning system for engine failure, became the foundation for the company's growth, expanding into monitoring solutions for wind turbines and industrial gas turbines. Gastops has remained a private, employee-owned company, avoiding major public funding rounds or an IPO. Instead, its growth has been fueled by strategic partnerships and significant contracts. A multi-million-dollar investment from RTX's Raytheon, announced in May 2025, is set to fund the next generation of monitoring technologies for Pratt & Whitney military engines. This follows other key milestones, such as delivering thousands of sensors for the F-35 program and securing major contracts with the U.S. Air Force, highlighting the company's journey from a small Canadian startup to a global leader in equipment intelligence.