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COPA Award winning Chauffeur, Rick Dion, whisks a wistful ‘The Mary’ away from a last inspection of the re-assigned Williams Avenger, on Camp Seabee’s Emergency Transporter, ‘Foul Air.’ Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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The local Copaguy chats with The CKNW traffic reporting ‘Eye in the Sky’ pilot Lynne Burkholder, at Delta’s Fly-in. Bob Christen’s jaunty Minicab homebuilt is to the right. Photo courtesy July Wimbash |
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The ‘Old Guard’ CopaguyTony Swain and renowned Warbird pilot Jerry Janes, check out ‘Thuh Line’ on Camp SeaBee’s modified golf cart. (Not shown for clarity) Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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Young Eagle ‘to be’ that evening, John McGirr, 8, dreams of gamboling amongst the clouds in Mary’s wonderful old Bessy. Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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The Idaho Coast Guard Pterodactyl waits impatiently for a mission at Arlington. Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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A cheerful Keith and Debbie McMann at Arlington by their crimson Harvard Reno Race plane at the Warbird tiedowns, Arlington 2004. Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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Boundary Bay guy Bill Foley strolls through time by the Grumman Martlet, at Cascade Warbird’s WW 2 Island Airbase at Arlington WA in July. Ready pilot Carter Teeters relaxes under the wing. Photo courtesy Tony Swain |
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Delta’s Heritage Hangar row L to R. The Christen Minicab, Elgood Moth, Roussey Navion and the Canadian Museum of Flight’s Fleet Fawn. Photo courtesy July Wimbash |
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Volunteer marshallers greet Werner Griesbeck of Aldergrove and his Marquart 5 ‘Charger’ to the Delta Heritage Airpark fly-in in early July. This gorgeous vintage biplane was Grand Champion at Arlington 2003! Photo courtesy July Wimbash |
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President Gilles Lapierre accepts the 2003 COPA Appreciation Award for the Aviateurs et Pilotes de Brousse du Quebec, from Awards Chair Tony Swain, at Fredericton NB. Photo courtesy APBQ |
TO FREDERICTON…
The Mary travels well and with great aplomb. She cheerfully submits to strangers rummaging through her considerable purse, and mussing through her granny bun seeking errant hairpins.
Sadly, I worry a lot, and rapidly become an actual Yorkist refugee fleeing Omsk. What in my meager luggage might set off the dreaded strip search? The dang-blasted beeper goes off, I freeze, the waving wand focuses vaguely by my naughty parts, and locates an errant Toonie in my pants pocket. Phew!
Then, as Mary’s passport shows her also as Kathereen, and her being fluent in some exotic none official languages, I always fret they’ll haul her off as a relative of some obscure Czar. …Who would wash my socks then?
Despite all this, after a long day, we arrived at Fredericton near-on midnight, to be herded into the terminal compound looking for COPA Ernie. …No Ernie.
“Are you the COPA shuttle?” I demand of a guy in a yellow slicker jacket. “Well… My names Brad, and actually we’re a sponsor!” says he. “I’ll go get the driver.”
Fantastic… I introduced Brad around to Mary, Rick Sauter and Ken Armstrong, and thanked him profusely for supporting aviation in so positive a manner, being at the airport to greet us, and so on. …And oh, what company was that?
“Well,” says he, “I’m the Attorney General.” We were astounded to be met by so high a government person! What an honour! …But before we had chance to re-adjust our thinking, the Honourable Brad Green bustled off to get the driver, and soon had we COPA refugees on our way to Fredericton’s magnificent Delta Convention Inn. …Such things don’t happen that often in Omsk!
Seriously though, all of us in, and of COPA really appreciate the most generous sponsorship provided by the Province of New Brunswick. Such official support encourages other sponsors, removes a great load from the local volunteers, and went far to assure the wonderful success of the Fredericton COPA Convention.
Such confidence provides a fine example to other regions when offered the opportunity to host future COPA and General Aviation events.
CONVENTION STUFF…
Your COPA directors worked hard all day Friday on all the myriad things required to keep our association in the forefront of protecting your Freedoms to Fly. It’s not an easy task, and some decisions on which avenues to pursue take agonizing debate. We are often beset by compromise being the only option available.
I’ll not go into details here, as official reports on the director’s work will appear elsewhere, but…
You can be certain that decisions are not taken lightly, and every effort is made to protect what we have now, and improve on things where possible. Increasingly what Transport Canada, the FAA, the CAA UK, etc, might prefer to do, is being compromised by the greater international mind-set via ICAO.
We are fortunate to have COPA’s Kevin Psutka, Frank Hofmann, and AOPA’s Phil Boyer fighting such things via IAOPA. Without their input, private flying could be reduced to a very sorry state indeed.
FUN STUFF…
The Friday night Meet & Greet Barbeque at the airport hangar was great fun, incredibly juicy and tasty steaks cooked with great flamboyance by volunteers from the Havelock COPA Flight 27...
Our new friend, the Honourable Brad Green, in a brief speech, welcomed the gathered visiting pilots and friends in a most neighbourly way. …I spent the evening working hard to fiddle a door prize, but to no avail. They kept calling the wrong numbers, and worse, Mary let our tickets blow away… Sheesh!
As always, The Mary got talking, and talking. We almost missed the last bus to the hotel for the Chairman’s social at COPA’s Royal hospitality suite. …Very nice… Their Majesties pictures remaining on the wall from an earlier visit.
We had a more modest luxury accommodation on a third floor corner, with a magnificent view over the river.
We were tremendously impressed by Fredericton and around. Greatly improved since I was through on the immigrant train in December 1956. …Though I recall the food being particularly good even then, with FREE Ketchup yet!
THE BIG DAY…
Saturday was the big day. …So much going on. Keynote speaker John Lovelace of ‘Wings Over Canada’ gave his fascinating presentation. He and his crew popped up everywhere over the weekend, seeking meaningful vignettes of what flying folk ‘do’ when gathered in flocks. Some of us got roped in as extra’s, and I had to check in, and out, of the hotel two or three times, cos apparently I don’t do it right! Sigh. I still expect only ONE bill.
I was busy sorting the COPA Awards for the lunch presentations, and the hotel provided a wonderful rolling table that I could wheel in at the last minute, and not disrupt the Transport Canada Seminar or the AGM.
Speaking of the Goverment Guys seminar, the mind boggles at the prospect of taking ‘Spoken English’ tests per new ICAO rules! Just whose English will be the standard? Glaswegian? …Or maybe Liverpuddlian?? …Will Transport offer Beatles ‘study’ records!
THE COPA AWARDS…
The COPA Awards luncheon was opened by welcoming speeches from Mr. David Innes, CEO of the airport, and Fredericton’s Mayor, Brad Woodside. There was a full house, and everyone was in a cheerful mood.
Despite the weather, a fair number of people were on hand to accept their COPA Awards for Merit, Appreciation, Achievement, and Good Shows. My job was easier this year as, by the magic of Power Point, during the presentations, Kevin had the various award descriptions displayed up on the screen.
How it works is that I briefly announce each winner and describe briefly why he or she is so honoured, then our popular President, Kevin Psutka, actually makes the presentation, and our publisher Michel Hell captures the moment on pixel digits.
Kevin Psutka announced the COPA President’s Award 2003 goes to LLOYD RICHARDS, of Timmins, Ontario, for his being an Outstanding Ambassador for General Aviation in Canada. Well deserved indeed… Well done Lloyd.
I was particularly pleased to announce the Appreciation Award winners from my local area… AL and BARB FIELDER, two energetic seniors of Delta COPA Flight 5, for their dedication as tireless workers in organizing numerous very successful Young Eagles Days. They work so hard at this, an important public relations effort which provides positive aviation vibes to the local community.
…And at Boundary Bay, another senior, HARRY PRIDE, whose enthusiastic encouragement of new pilots is legendary, and famous for phoning and saying, “The sun is shining… Let’s go flying! No matter where, let’s get some air!” …Wonderful!
Unfortunately, some wonderful folks from Quebec arrived just after the ceremonies ended, so we arranged to present their well-earned plaque on the sundeck later. So, on behalf of the members of the Aviateurs et Pilotes de Brousse du Quebec, President Gilles Lapierre accepted the 2003 COPA Appreciation Award, for the work they do for pilots in La Belle Province that somewhat parallels COPA.
Congratulations to all you winners. You are real COPA people! A big thank you to those who took the time to nominate these good folks for a COPA Award. It’s our most sincere way of thanking those who make our flying thing more safe, meaningful, and enjoyable.
Those nominees who couldn’t make it to Fredericton can arrange for presentation nearer to home at an appropriate occasion, with as much flair and publicity as can be arranged. The actual plaques will be delivered to you fairly soon.
THE COPA BANQUET & ALL…
Saturday evening was the COPA Banquet in the Grand Ballroom, where the Neil Armstrong Scholarships were announced, and first place winner DARLENE SLY gave a wonderful thank you speech. We wish her the very best in her flying endeavors.
The evening ended with a lot of fun with the door prizes and all. The special BIG prize was a wonderful noise-canceling headset by David Clark, for which we have to thank their excellent representative, Duncan MacIntyre.
Duncan has been a real supporter of COPA and those who fly for fun for many years. He seems to be at all the shows, drops by your local airport, has headset repair and upgrading specials at his booths, and is generally an all round good guy. Sadly, he tells me he may retire soon; we’ll miss your smiling face Dunc!
Anyway, the winner was to be picked from a bunch of entries that had to be signed by all the exhibitors, not as easy at it sounds, when both we and they, were randomly attending the various seminars and functions and all.
There was some heckling from the audience (me) about the podium hiding Natasha’s hands during the actual draw. Our table was crossing fingers that Harold Butler’s friend Walter LeDrew from Newfie would get it, as his noisy two-place tandem seat flying machine, had only one headset. The Mary chuntered on about we have a couple of headsets anyway, so why’d we need more? …Sigh.
Then, after some argy-bargy… Shazam! Walter was it! He began shouting and jumping about, whilst I fell down in shock and pounded the floor. Walter’s daughter Minette was the really happy one, as she always gets to sit in the back! So as they say, “All’s well that ends well!”
Finally, after more COPA VIP style fun chatter in the Royal Hospitality Suite; it was finally decreed beddy beddy time, enlivened later by a false fire alarm that cleared the house at 4 a.m. Gave one some idea of how one would cope in an emergency. I tried valiantly to turn off the alarm clock radio, didn’t think to turn on the room light, and I couldn’t get my shoes on because my watch and wallet were in them! …Sigh. At least we were up bright and early for the flight home.
CONGRATULATIONS to Ernie MacLean and his volunteer team for putting on a great and successful convention. Thanks Gals & Guys… See you at Wetaskiwin next year!
THE GREAT DELTA FLY-IN…
The annual big event at the GVRD Delta Heritage Air Park was yet again a huge success. The careful briefings and planning sessions certainly paid off in a very smooth running event. The airplane marshalling was really efficient, and the comings and goings handled with alacrity.
It was a lovely day, and a wonderful variety of flying machines showed up. Vintage, classic, homebuilts and kitplanes. Fascinating old cars from the twenties and thirties gathered by the Lodestar, even a ’38 dodge like the one I had in the Air Force in 1953. The Langley Antique Engine Club made me a member for my 1940’ish 24 Volt Harvard starting Power Unit, sent me by Ken McNeil of Calgary.
Everything turned out absolutely perfect, …lots of planes, lots of cars, lots of food, and lots of people. Let’s do it again next year!
EAA N.W. ARLINGTON WA…
Bessy and crew received a great welcome at the Arlington Fly-in customs! …Apparently they watch for us every year and jump up and down in excitement when we arrive in a flurry of swishing prop and grumbling exhaust!
The Mary is cool and waving at all, whilst I sweat through my interminable shut down check. There seems so much to do when a U.S. Customs lady and her shiny gold badge, waits and waits by the wing-walk. People run around yelling greetings at us… All very exciting. Last years Customs guy, now retired, rushes off and closes our flight plan! Hey… what more can a guy ask?
Soon we’re off and being led by the “Follow Me” mo-biker to the Cascade Squadron area, that’s all dressed up WW 2 as the ‘AWO Island Air Base’ in the South Pacific, Palm trees, Orlikon guns, and all. They even had a control tower and a proper Jeep. A Wildcat, and a British Martlet fighter were plunked right back to 1943 by the briefing tent. Fantastic.
Crash Williams’ Avenger was on hand for it’s last mission before shipping out. Crash ending his tour and heading back ‘Stateside.’ Too many vintage warbirds to list… even a couple of ex military Jets. A Beech 18 ran rides all weekend.
Even some Veddy Brit military vehicle guys in Pith helmets were camped out watching for Zulus.
We parked between McMann’s shocking red Harvard Reno Race Plane #64, from Langley BC, and a stark and stalky Pterodactyl twin, fancied up in Idaho Coast Guard livery. Think about it. Those guys work hard just finding the ocean!
Of course there were LOTS & LOTS of other EAA type planes around - vintage, homebuilt, ultralights and kitplanes.
It’s as Oshkosh used to be, more modest in scope. We really enjoy the daily air show, our friend Bud Granley and son put on a superb dual act. Mister Magic John Mrazek of North Vancouver, zooms his Harvard about in great swoops, really showing off the majesty of the old trainer.
Kevin Psutka’s COPA presentation advised Americans about flying into and about in Canada, and was very much appreciated by those present. Mary and I spent an evening at Rick Dion’s Camp Seabee, and toured some of the Canadian campers staying on the grounds. I got my annual Fish & Chip fix. And Old Bessy got us home safely! What a great week-end.
STOP PRESS!
GVRD/DELTA HERITAGE AIR PARK WINS PRESTIGEOUS BCAC WILLIAM TEMPLETON TROPHY!
B.C. Aviation Council Chairman George Miller called today to ask to whom the official congratulatory invitation letter should go regarding this award for our modest aerodrome, …and I was flabbergasted.
Considering that the BCAC membership and committee structures are entirely really serious business, commercial, maintenance, airline, and airport authority type people, it was astounding to me they should choose our quiet little “Airpark that could” for such a prestigious award as the William Templeton Trophy!
The William Templeton Trophy is awarded annually by the BC Aviation council for outstanding initiative and achievement in the successful development of a community airport or floatplane landing facility by an individual, association, municipal government or company.
Well! …The Delta Heritage Airpark volunteer Tenant Committee, DAPCOM, GVRD Management Committee, GVRD Parks, and the Greater Vancouver Regional District proper, have certainly spent many intense hours discussing its safe and successful operation. This unique grass roots airpark is renowned worldwide by recreational pilots, as a prime example of what a flying place should be for airplane people at a simpler, popular, less sophisticated level.
The Airpark is a Delta jewel, where anyone who loves aviation, or not, from major airline pilots to ordinary folks who dream of flight, can come to look at old airplanes, fly about, hangar talk, and relax.
Of some significance is the encouragement this award gives to those who fly an airplane for personal reasons, just as people drive their car, or sail their boats… The message here, from the basically commercial sector, is the recognition that…
“Hey! …General, Recreational or Grass Roots type aviation, has a significant, important, and legitimate role to play throughout Canada for a balanced and integrated transportation system.”
SO SEE YOU THERE!…
The presentation occasion will be BCAC’s 66’th Annual Aviation Convention in Victoria B.C., at the end of September. The theme this year being “Industry Evolution: New Standards - New Applications - New Ideas." Prominent keynote speakers will be interspersed with the panels to provide presentations on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. All levels of government have committed to participate.
The actual presentation will be in BCAC’s wonderful Grand Manner as befits such occasions, at the Silver Wings Awards Banquet, hosted by BCAC Chairman George Miller, who will take this opportunity to honour and recognize the people and organizations that make aviation a safe, efficient and productive component of our modern world.
The Chairman’s Reception leading to the Awards Banquet starts at 6 pm, Thursday evening, Sept 30, at Victoria’s Empress Hotel in the Victoria Conference Centre.
This is always a truly memorable occasion, and it would be really great to have supporters applaud enthusiastically during the presentation. It’s not necessary to register for the whole convention at $450, …as individual banquet tickets are available at $125 each, however, group rates for tables for 8, or maybe 10, are available… Contact:
BC Aviation Council, 4360 Agar Dr, Richmond, BC V7B 1A3
Phone: 604-278-9330 Fax: 604-278-8210
E-mail: bcac@telus.net Web: www.bcaviation.org
For a room at the Fairmont Empress Hotel (starting at $169.99/night): Go to the BCAC website above, or call direct at 1-250-384-8111 or general reservation desk at 1-866-540-4433 quoting group GRJET1 to get the BCAC Rate! See You!!!
SO THAT’S IT!…
And with those thoughts, we look forward to seeing you around someplace… ESPECIALLY at WETASKIWIN in 2005. Fly safe now, and keep the sunny side up!