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Happy 60th!
COPA turns 60 this year
This year the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association turns 60 years old, so we will be doing some special celebrating in 2012.
The idea to form COPA was born in April, 1952. Laurentian Air Services pilot John Bogie was having lunch in the Ottawa Flying Club lounge with Spartan Air Services pilot Bill Peppler and Paul Saunders when Ottawa pilot Margaret Carson came storming in and declared that something had to be done about the way small aircraft owners and operators were being mistreated by the government.
At the time no one was looking after the small operators and individual aircraft owners in Canada.
One of the issues that sparked Carson’s initiative was the application of highway tax on aviation gasoline.
As a result of that informal discussion, interested local Ottawa pilots chipped in $5.00 each to pay for printing and mailing of notices. An organization meeting was held on Friday, Dec. 12, 1952, at 1:30 p.m. in the Ottawa Flying Club lounge. Bogie acted as chairman of the meeting and Carson acted as secretary.
From those humble beginnings COPA grew to be the largest Aviation Association in Canada. To mark this 60th milestone we will publish a feature on the history of COPA in the April COPA Flight, celebrate the 60th anniversary at the COPA National Fly-in/AGM in June, offer special commemorative items from the COPA Collection and we will be asking you, the members, what you think about COPA in a 2012 survey.
Happy New Year and Happy Birthday!
We want to know what you think
COPA will be conducting a survey of its members in January 2012.
The survey is to make sure that the association serves its members as best as possible. This is done by asking members for their opinions about aviation issues, the services COPA provides and also by collecting demographic data which enables COPA to better understand who its members are.
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Sondage COPA 2012: nous voulons savoir ce que vous pensez
La COPA conduira un sondage de ses membres en janvier 2012.
L'étude servira à s'assurer que l'association dessert ses membres du mieux possible. Ceci est fait en demandant aux membres leur opinion à propos de divers sujets en aviation, des services fournis par la COPA et aussi en ramassant des données démographiques qui aident la COPA à mieux comprendre qui sont ses membres.
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Call for nominations
Board of Directors Election 2012
Every two years half of the positions on the COPA Board of Directors are up for election. In 2012 a total of eight positions representing the following regions are up for election:
Newfoundland and Labrador – 1 position – currently held by Ray Hawco
Maritimes; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI – 2 positions – currently held by Ernie Maclean and Brian Chappell
Northern Ontario (Postal code beginning with “P”) – 1 position – currently held by Marc Charron
Manitoba and Nunavut – 1 position – currently held by Jerry Roehr
Saskatchewan – 1 position – currently held by Earl Kickley
Alberta and Northwest Territories – 2 positions – currently held by Bob Kirkby and Trekker Armstrong
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COPA Obstructions Near Airports Survey
Our goal is to provide valuable input from our members to Transport Canada with regards to cellular telephone and communications towers, wind turbines and other obstructions that are proposed to be constructed within close proximity of an aerodrome. Please click on the link. The survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete. Thank you.
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/734088/copa-obstructions
Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) Releases a Review of the Pickering Lands Needs Assessment Study
Press Release - September 2011
Transport Canada (TC) engaged the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to conduct a Study of the need for retention of the Pickering Lands for an airport and their report contains some alarming observations and recommendations about General Aviation (GA).
In the announcement of the report, TC claims to have performed a due diligence exercise to ensure completeness and adequacy and that they will prepare a federal plan for the Pickering Lands using the Study report for guidance.
COPA has just completed a review of the GTAA’s work to check the validity of the report’s findings concerning GA and also advise TC about the need to address GA’s needs, based on the facts that its review uncovered.
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Downsview Park shuts down Toronto`s Canadian Air & Space Museum
In September Toronto's Canadian Air & Space Museum received notice from its landlord Parc Downsview Park that the Park will be locking the doors and closing the Museum to regular business effective immediately.
The Park, a branch of the federal government, has control over the Museum's access after changing the locks following the original eviction notice. This threatens to bring a sudden and disappointing close to the Canadian Air & Space Museum's 13-year operation of providing the public an opportunity to experience Canadian history.
After delivery of the original eviction notice on the morning of Tuesday, September 20th, and having the locks changed by early afternoon, the Museum's staff of three and dozens of volunteers believed they needed to vacate the premises immediately. They began scrambling to load vehicles with important administrative documents and remove rare artifacts and aircraft from the building, fearing future inaccessibility to them.
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The new COPA online membership database is now available. The new online database will allow users to update their profile, renew their membership and donate online. For more information, click here.
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Helping members help themselves
(version Française)
By Kevin Psutka
I am pleased to announce the release of our new interactive online membership database.
Now you can review the status of your membership account and renew or update your membership status and profile at any time. For new members who need their membership number quickly to, for example, get COPA insurance for their aircraft, your membership will be current and a membership number generated and sent to you as soon as your payment is verified, which if by credit card will be virtually instantaneous.
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COPA Introduces Our New VIP Aviation Insurance Program
By Kevin Psutka, COPA President and CEO
In addition to adding your voice to our lobbying efforts for your freedom to fly through your membership in COPA, a major benefit of COPA membership is our industry leading aviation insurance program, which has been in place for 35 years and boasts the largest number of policies in this sector of aviation. This highly successful program is reviewed annually to ensure that our members receive favourable group rates and policy provisions.
Following a thorough review of our aviation insurance program, COPA has entered into a relationship with the Magnes Group Inc. as our aviation insurance broker and we have revamped our insurance program to offer even better features and value.
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COPA introduit un nouveau programme d'assurance
Par Kevin Psutka, Président/Chef exécutif, COPA
En plus d'ajouter votre voix à nos efforts de lobbying envers votre liberté de voler par le biais de votre adhésion à la COPA, un bénéfice majeur de l'adhésion à la COPA est notre programme d'assurance aviation à l'avant garde de notre industrie, un programme qui est en place depuis 35 ans et qui représente le plus grand nombre de polices dans ce secteur de l'aviation. Ce programme à grand succès est révisé à chaque année pour garantir que nos membres reçoivent des tarifs de groupe et des provisions de police favorables.
Suite à une révision consciencieuse de notre programme d'assurance aviation, la COPA est entrée en relation avec le groupe Magnes Inc. en tant que notre courtier d'assurance aviation et nous avons mis à jour notre programme d'assurance aviation afin d'offrir encore plus d'options et de valeur.
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COPA forum now open
COPA now has an online forum, requested by our members, so that COPA members can communicate between each other and post and invite members to fly out trips in their region.
The purpose for the forum is to help make it easier for members looking for a place to fly or organize a flight with other members in their local area or beyond.
Click here to view the forum.
In September COPA will evaluate how well received the forum is and how useful it is to our members. Note a moderator has volunteered to watch the forum for any abuse. If the forum is not regularly used and is not used for its intended purpose it will be discontinued.
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Forum COPA maintenant ouvert
La COPA possède maintenant un forum en ligne, demandé par nos membres, afin que les membres COPA puissent communiquer entre eux et laisser des messages et inviter les membres à des vols voyages dans leur région.
La raison du forum est d’aider à rendre les choses plus faciles pour les membres qui cherchent une place où voler ou qui cherchent à organiser un vol avec d’autres membres dans leur région locale ou ailleurs. Cliquez ici.
En septembre la COPA évaluera à quel point le forum est bien reçu et utile à nos membres. Notez le fait qu’un modérateur s’est porté volontaire pour surveiller le forum contre tout abus. Si le forum n’est pas régulièrement utilisé et s’il n’est pas utilisé aux fins prévues, il sera discontinué.
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GA security coming under scrutiny
(version Française)
By Kevin Psutka June 11, 2010
COPA has been extensively involved in technical committees and working groups at Transport Canada since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. At the first meeting in October 2001 to discuss what enhanced measures should be put in place, which resulted in such measures as reinforced airliner cockpit doors, enhanced passenger screening and security-enhanced restricted area passes, the need for enhanced General Aviation (GA) security was mentioned, for which COPA was prepared.
TC Survey Read more
COPA and Aircraft Spruce Canada Have a Deal for You!
With the cooperation of Aircraft Spruce Canada (www.aircraftspruce.ca), COPA is pleased to make the following offer to anyone who buys a 406 MHz ELT from Aircraft Spruce Canada. Our goal in putting this deal together is to provide one-stop-shopping for the purchase and programming of your ELT as well as renewing your COPA membership or taking out a new membership (both at no cost to you).
Contact Aircraft Spruce Canada at 877-795-2278 or visit www.aircraftspruce.ca to order a 406 MHz ELT from their large selection of available units. When your ELT arrives, it will include a buck slip from COPA. When you complete the buck slip with your contact information and send it to COPA (fax, scan and email or mail), we will verify your purchase and then do one of the following, depending on your membership type. If you have an individual membership, we will extend it by one year, a value of $55 (at no cost to you).
If you have a family or corporate membership, we will apply this value ($55) to your membership account to extend your membership by one year and send you an invoice for the difference (family $20, corporate $205). For non-members, we will provide a complementary one year individual membership, complete with all of the benefits of being a member.
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Discount on SPOT Tracking Service Available for COPA Members
by Kevin Psutka (updated 14 December 2011)
SPOT Personal Tracker www.findmespot.ca is a satellite- based reporting device that has several features for peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Even though Transport Canada does not consider it as an alternative to an ELT, it is a relatively inexpensive way to provide additional protection for you and your passengers, and in many ways, make up for some of the shortcomings of ELTs
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SPOT 2 Personal Tracker?
an improvement on a great idea
By Kevin Psutka, February 19, 2010
I was asked by the folks at SPOT to evaluate an upgraded unit that they call SPOT 2. I am a fan of SPOT.Yes, it is not the perfect solution but it is a cost effective way to let people know where you are and, in an emergency, alert people to your exact location.
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ELT Update: Clarifying what applies now
By Kevin Psutka
January 11, 2010
The draft amended regulation remains in the Minister of Transport's office.
There is some confusion about what applies now. The existing regulation CAR 605.38 that permits older ELTs (TSO C91), newer ELTs (TSO C91a) or the newest ones broadcasting on 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz (and some also on 243 MHz) (TSO C126) remains in place until such time as Transport Canada issues a revised regulation.
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AOPA Pilot subscription deal for COPA members
COPA and AOPA have once again teamed together to provide a great member benefit for COPA members.
For many years COPA and AOPA offered subscriptions to AOPA Pilot magazine, access to the AOPA members only section of the AOPA website and pilot assistance services for $65 (U.S.) per year. Now the same package is available for $50 (U.S.)
This improved program also includes faster service – subscriptions are now only arranged by contacting AOPA directly at 1-800-872-2672 and quoting your COPA membership number.
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Will you have a place to land tomorrow?
These sponsoring companies are supporting your freedom to fly, show your appreciation by patronizing them.
Platinum Sponsor
Former Nighthawk Flying Club
Gold
Pontiac Airpark
www.pontiacairpark.com 1-819-LOV-2FLY A new fly-in community northwest of Gatineau-Ottawa
Sliver Sponsors
Chestermere/Kirkby Field Alberta
Sea Jay Engineering Services Limited.
Bronze Sponsor
Northern Lake Amphibian Pilots
Donate to the Freedom to Fly Fund today
Given the considerable challenges we continue to face against our freedom to fly, we urge everyone to consider donating to the Freedom to Fly Fund. We have all benefited significantly from those who donated before us. Now it is time to ensure that we continue to be able to protect your freedom as well as the freedom of those who will follow us.
Click here for examples of how the Freedom to Fly Fund has been applied to date.
Downloadable COPA Freedom to Fly Fund Donation Form MS Word format / PDF Format
Automatically donate to the Freedom to Fly Fund each month. MS Word format / PDF Format
Freedom to Fly Fund Corporate Sponsor form
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Keep Them Alive - Tune to 121.5 (version Française)
February 2, 2009
As of 1 February, 121.5 MHz is no longer being monitored by satellite. The revised regulations will permit a transition period for equipping with a new ELT. For aircraft that continue with the existing ELT during this period, monitoring by over-flying aircraft will be the only means of detecting a distress signal. For those aircraft owners who choose not to equip with new 406/121.5 ELTs immediately and do not carry another device such as a PLB, satellite phone or tracking device, over- flying aircraft will be the only means of getting a distress message out. Please help us get the message out by downloading the attached poster and placing them at Flying Clubs, Flight Schools and wherever they will get maximum exposure.
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