A Weekend of Success- COPA 45’s Fly In - July 17, 2010

With the weather forecast less than ideal for flying, members of COPA 45 started to barbecue burgers for the pilots and people that flew to Goderich’s Sky Harbour Airport on Saturday, July 17th. Some even drove to our event because of weather. While Goderich basked in sunshine, it rained in Bayfield. There was also a line of weather from Sarnia to Hamilton. Owen Sound pilots were also unable to fly. Still over 35 aircraft landed at the airport.

During the morning and early afternoon, campers arrived. This year camping went Cadillac style with RV’s of all sizes parked on the field.
Several of the invited Flying Farmers came for the barbecue. Then many attended the surprise 65th birthday party for Yvonne Martin at the home of Councillor Paul and Marilyn Elgie. Was she surprised when many former staff members arrived! Also celebrating was COPA 45 members. We all enjoyed the afternoon on the Elgie’s two decks with snacks, birthday cake and refreshments.
Other COPA members and family went uptown to hear the pipe bands and the mass band performance. Some went bowling and shopping.

Shortly after 4pm the Flight members returned to the airport to prepare a spaghetti supper for members and guests. While waiting for everybody to return to the airport
 as some flyers needed a ride back, we enjoyed a relaxing time in the shade talking about the day’s events.
Sunday morning was another less than ideal flying day but Goderich was blessed with lots of sun. Bright and early, we started coffee pots, barbecues and grills for a menu that included eggs, sausages, pancakes, juice and coffee. Captain Fred made his tasty Egg Muffin sandwiches. Compliments on our meats and pancakes. Thanks Shirley Davis from Tilsonburg for that great make-ahead pancake recipe. Planes kept flying in until shortly after 11 am when it was raining in areas north and east preventing our huge Buttonville group from arriving. Yet over 40 aircraft flew in to enjoy COPA 45’s delicious breakfast. Others arrived by car from Goderich, Exeter, and points in between.
For the Flight the weekend was a success.

A great Fun-filled Weekend - July 10, 2010

Great flying weather, friends and food. Life doesn’t get any better, remarked Don Jones sitting on the Queen’s Inn verandah in Gore Bay. Also enjoying that moment was Brenda Jones, Fred and Marilyn Bruinsma, Audrey and Steve Greenwell.

The weekend weather was absolutely perfect. Friday afternoon the planes left their home bases and flew to Killarney airport. Here we walked to the Killarney Mountain Lodge. At check-in there was an unusual sign, “This is a smoke-free and cell-free atmosphere. Please respect the quietness and wildlife setting of the Lodge.” We went to our rooms and gathered outside on the porch. We decided to eat here and walk the boardwalk. We admired the huge yachts, fishing boats and small craft. Walking back we stopped at the Lodge’s Carousel Room where Andy Lowe sang the night away with songs from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Blue Rodeo and everything in between. A great way to end our first evening.

Saturday morning was full of sun and clear skies. Breakfast ate in the dining room we walked along the river and side streets taking in a garage sale, a fruit stand and an art gallery. On the wharf we decided to fly to Gore Bay for lunch.

Landing, we fuelled up and tied down the aircraft. Robbie Calwell, airport manager, gave us the courtesy van. We drove to the Queen’s Inn, which Steve had booked, but it was closed until 4 pm. So we walked to the Racky Raccoon Café for lunch. What a surprise! A chef from Nepal prepared Thai dishes for us. Back at the van, we chose to go to Kagawang. The first stop was the Chocolate Factory where we all bought sweets. There we visited a museum, a pottery gallery, a church with a ‘boat hull’ pulpit. We returned to the Queen’s Inn to check in. We all met on the upper verandah to relax before dinner. Back to the Racky Raccoon for more delicious Thai food. Satisfied appetites we walked back to the Inn to spend the rest of the evening on the verandah.

Sunday was sunny. Our hosts Susan and Rob served a home cooked breakfast.
Suitcases packed and checked out we drove to the airport to return the van and untie the planes to fly to Stratford for COPA 69’s breakfast. There we met COPA 45 members Glynda and Don Matheson, Chris McCullough and Ann Rock. We returned home shortly after lunch.

Thanks Steve for organizing this weekend. Maybe we can organize another weekend in the near future.

COPA CONVENTION- 2010

PEI – that eastern island of Canada where lobster dinners, bagpipes, Celtic music, lighthouses, Anne of Green Gables and military training are all things to enjoy. COPA 45 members who attended were Fred and Marilyn Bruinsma, Jim and Jane Farrell, Chris McCullough and Anne Rock. Joining us were Adrian and Hortense Verberg from Welland, Kim and Sylvia Murphy from Alliston, John and Anne Donkers from Elora.

June 2010 saw COPA National adopt a new format for the annual convention. This year Slemon Air Park, Summerside hosted the event. The Air Park is the former military air base where many airmen trained during and after World War II. Slemon Park had recently undergone extensive renovations. The former barracks were converted into hotel-like suites and rooms. They certainly did a great job.

Once checked into our rooms, we walked down to the Armories building to register.for the AGM weekend. As always, Tanya Storing and Joanne McNaulty were behind the desk with laptops and registration packets. Efficient as ever both girls checked us in and gave us our ‘potato sack’ packages containing nametags and meal tickets. So PEI!

We then went across the hallway to the hangar where tables were set for us to sit down to a meal of steamed mussels, salads and cold drinks. After dinner, Trade Show vendors were ready to meet the crowd with the newest GPS, 406 ELT, other techy toys for the pilot. The list goes on. The Summerside tourist booth featured pictures, books, gift certificates of which Marilyn won one. The ECATS booth had bags, pens, water bottles, calculators for giveaways. There is always a bag of goodies to bring home. Once all the booths were visited, we walked back to our rooms for more social time.

Saturday morning started with a walk across the road to the Anson Café for a buffet breakfast. The second cup of coffee gone, our group of 12 left the café to attend the first seminar again in the Armories. Our first speaker was a flight surgeon, Dr. Trevor Iain who gave an interesting and informative talk on how to keep your pilot’s medical longer. Definitely a wish every pilot wants. He talked about heart conditions, depression and ended with question and answer period. Coffee time was across the hallway with muffins and breads.

The second presentation was The Dream To Own Your Own Aircraft and presented by Cessna sales reps from Leggatt Aviation. Immediately afterwards, the AGM was held. The highlight is always Kevin Psutka’s presentation about the present and future of general aviation.

It was a short walk back to the complex where lunch was served in the Lancaster Room. Here the COPA awards were given out.

Then back to The Armories for the dedication of Vintage Wings’ Lysander to Cliff Stewart. He flew this aircraft during World War II. Following the dedication Cliff gave the audience an interview of his flying days. He still has a great sense of humour. Outside there was a photo-op of Cliff and the Lysander taken by family, friends, and local media. Winds from the Atlantic Ocean made pictures and speeches difficult.

Inside again, Steve Hunt made a presentation of Nav. Canada’s work with the upcoming changes in staff, policies and technology. The last presentation was outstanding. Mike Dioron, a safety inspector with Transport Canada, used a power point presentation to show us to be safer pilot both in your aircraft and in the air. Great material to remember as we left the building to return to our rooms for social time before dinner.

Again back in the Lancaster Room we were treated to a lobster or steak dinner with door prizes during dessert. The highlight of the evening was the 3 young teens receiving their Neal Armstrong scholarships from Trekker Armstrong, Neal’s son. Three kids with their “heads in the clouds” as they pursue their aviation careers. The evening finished a Celtic band from the town.

Another successful convention with over 100 aircraft on the field and 230 delegates registered for the COPA AGM. Next year 2011, the AGM fly-in will be held in Langley B.C. Hope weather is good so that some COPA 45 members can again attend this annual event.

IPAT – A Weekend of Flying
May  28 - 30 2010

    It’s spring, the weather is warm and sunny So what would some Goderich and area pilots like to do but fly. Several COPA Flight 45 members and friends participated in the 3rd annual Interprovincial Air Tour of Ontario and Quebec. Jim & Jane Farrell, Don and Brenda Jones, Fred and Marilyn Bruinsma, Steve and Audrey Greenwell, Chris McCullough and Anne Rock joined John Beimers and Dave Frayne from Sexsmith (Exeter) Airport for the first leg of the trip. Here in Kingston 58 aircraft and 118 individuals gathered to renew friendships from past years and welcome 9 aircraft and friends from the United States of America where they were able to get customs on site.
Earlier that morning some aircraft departed to Peterborough for breakfast and then onto Kingston. Others left mid morning instead of noon for Kingston as thunderstorms and cumulus clouds were building in the skies. The weather stayed north west of our route and we arrived around 13:00 hours.

A welcome barbecue awaited us after registration. A bag of "goodies" was given to each pilot upon arrival. Jim Leon from Hanover printed the shirts, decals, and pins and tour promotional material for this event. As is tradition, a plaque was presented to the Mayor of the City from the Air Tour group. Shortly thereafter, two Stover School buses arrived to take us to the Travelodge. We were checked into our rooms to enjoy a couple of hours of visiting with friends.

All dressed in blue tour shirts, we again left the hotel on the school buses to board the Island Queen for a dinner boat cruise where there was a group photo of blue and more blue. To send us off in style, a town crier arrived to give greetings and wish us safety from her royal city of Kingston. Soon the cruise ship was leaving her moorings and we were sailing among the Thousand Islands. The water was as smooth as glass and a better weather forecast could not be ordered. While out in open waters, sandwiches, fruit and desserts were served. During the dinner hour Garth Wallace entertained us with his usual aviation stories and sold some autographed books. All too soon the two hour cruise was over and the Island Queen was back in its moorings. The night air was still very warm as we departed the ship for the buses. On the walk to the buses, we passed the waterfront hotel where the lower level of a parking garage collapsed trapping eleven cars in the rubble. The bus drivers offered to give us a tour of the city enroute to our hotel. We passed the hospital, Queens University, Kingston penitentiary, a museum and the birthplace of Sir John A MacDonald. Back at the Travelodge we were given the instructions for the morning and off to visit and bed.

Friday dawned bright and sunny with the weather briefer telling us there were no weather concerns while flying. Back on the buses for breakfast at the airport terminal.
Soon the pilots were removing tie-downs, packing luggage, checking maps, and programming the GPS’s. Engines were started and the planes were queuing up on the taxiway to receive clearance for take off. The controller was kept very busy staggering the aircraft between the two main Montreal corridors. Our route took us over St Lazare and onto Lac a-la Tortue (Turtle Lake), which was our next destination point. Planes fuelled and parked, we were to visit the local museum and other shops on the airfield. A delicious lasagna lunch was served in an air-conditioned restaurant or outside on the patio. Patrick Gilligan, VP of COPA National, made another plaque presentation to the mayor of the municipality and the airport owners whose family had owned Lac a-la Tortue since 1965.

Again we were back in the aircraft to depart for Mont Laurier. There were several forest fires burning north of us so hopefully they would not interfere with our flight plan. Midday thermals made the flight a little less than smooth but soon we were landing at Mont Laurier airport to fuel and park for the night. Upon arrival inside the terminal, cool bottles of water were on the tables for us to enjoy. Here we had a choice of an interactive arbre-en-arbre (tree to tree) tour with ropes, ladders, and wood blocks, or a city tour or free time. While waiting for the buses to arrive, many of us made a short trek up the hill to treat ourselves to a soft ice cream cone on a very warm day. The tour guide on the city tour explained how the city became such a pivotal point in the area. It boasts of the only hospital for a hundred miles, the cathedral, court houses and other social and government agencies. The tour concluded at our hotel. The city gave us a complimentary glass of wine with our dinners. Again a plaque was presented to the city mayor. He visited each table and offered his best wishes to us for visiting his city. Back to our rooms where the weather channel could be heard down the halls of the hotel rooms. There must be pilots inside those rooms!

A sunny Saturday greeted us as Mike gave us the weather briefing of severe clear for the day. A continental breakfast was served at the La Cage des Sports before we boarded buses to return to the airport. Pilots and passengers packed luggage, removed tie downs and climbed into their aircraft to fly the next leg of our tour to St. Bruno de Guigues. Smoke from the forest fires could be smelled in the cockpits as we flew overhead of the many trees and several lakes. Remote wilderness, this was really it!
Of course the runway was among a forest of trees. Planes were fuelled and parked. Airside of the terminal hot coffee and cold drinks were available. The volunteers then served us homemade hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings. Patrick Gilligan of COPA presented a plaque to the mayor of St Bruno de Guigues. She responded both in French and English. A real treat.

Back in the airplanes and off to Collingwood where we would be bussed from the airport to the Mountain Springs Resort. Here we checked into our condos and visited with others who had arrived. Then we walked down to the village for shopping and other venues of interest and back to our rooms. The banquet was held in the Resort conference room. After dinner, Kevin Psutka presented the Mayor of Collingwood with a plaque. Kevin reminded the mayor that the group had probably dropped a conservative cool $ 20,000 into the community this weekend. Despite not being a flier, the mayor acknowledged the value of general aviation and the local airport to the area’s economy. He told us about their new runways compliments of government grants. Door prizes were drawn and the poker rally winners were announced. Les Randall from Michigan won first. COPA 45 members Fred Bruinsma won second and Chris McCullough won third.

All proceeds go to our “Freedom to Fly” fund. Carol Cooke presented Kevin with a cheque for this fund. To complete the evening, Jeff and Lesley Page, both pilots, gave a presentation to the audience on flying through the United States to the Bahamas. It was an excellent 1-2-3 step factual commentary along with some great scenic pictures. Cross wind landings are part of the experience on the island. A few instructions for tomorrow morning and back to the condos to watch the rest of the hockey game.

On day four another calm sunny day greeted us. Breakfast was served and the weather briefing and procedures for Owen Sound were explained. The buses loaded we were off to the airport. This would be the last time to pack the luggage and remove the chocks and tie downs from the aircraft. Planes begin to taxi into position for take off to Owen Sound for brunch. Because it was such a short flight it was necessary to space the aircraft to ensure safe landings at our destination. Local volunteers served a delicious meal. While enjoying our food, Kevin Psutka presented the last plaque to Owen Sound’s mayor. The mayor, an aviation enthusiast, responded and reminded all there about the city’s problems of operating an airport. Every pilot could empathize with her. She let us know that her airport was the original Billy Bishop airport. Now a very familiar sight to the tour group, a yellow school bus took us to the Billy Bishop’s home and museum downtown. The tour guides were very informative about the displays. Billy Bishop was and is a native son who became a hero for his country, Canada. On the bus again and back to the airport for the final leg home.

A great four-day trip with beautiful weather. This is the first tour that we have had where we did not have to fight weather sometime during a day’s journey. Maybe the end of May is the greatest flying weather for an event like this. Who knows? But a great beginning to the 2010 flying season. May this summer continue to give pilots and crew calm winds and blue skies in which to fly anywhere for food, the COPA conference in Summerside, PEI this June or Oshkosh, WI in July. I am sure come of the COPA 45 pilots and passengers along with area friends will be attending these events.

PORT ALBERT MUSEUM
May 12, 2010

Paul Carroll, a Huron County Historian, spoke to COPA 45 members at our May meeting to update us on the progress of the McGee collection and Gallery. He told the group that shortly Mr. McGee would write a letter to the Huron County Museum to turn over his entire collection with no conditions. The transfer will take place late summer or early fall where museum staff will come to assist in cataloguing and packing the collection. COPA 45 will likely be asked to move the boxes to the museum. A task of which I think we are capable. The staff will then begin to clean, sort, and inventory each item. McGee’s Port Albert collection along with his memorabilia from the First and Second World Wars will be divided for exhibit at the most appropriate locations among the Sky Harbour Museum, Legion and the military gallery at the main Huron County museum location. Some items may even be suitable to enhance the collection at the Branch 109, Royal Canadian Legion, and the McGee Gallery. The printed materials will be placed in the archives for research purposes. There will also be a special display for the Port Albert celebrations in 2011 at the Huron County museum, the McGee Gallery and the Goderich Legion. A location yet to be determined.
Carroll met with Pat Hamilton, museum curator, to discuss the McGee Gallery collection. From these discussions came ideas to revamp the military gallery at the museum on North Street and the Sky Harbour Gallery and to then establish to incorporate the McGee Gallery collection, both of which are located in the airport terminal. All this can be accomplished without taking away the integrity of Sky Harbour Gallery but while protecting and caring for the other collections.

To house the McGee collection in the terminal a few minor repairs must be made. COPA 45 has agreed with volunteers to remove the rotting exterior basement windows and drywall that area to provide more wall space for artifacts. As well an archway can be cut between the two galleries to leave more wall space for displays. Materials for the renovations will be paid by COPA 45. A consultation with the town’s architect is required for advice and approval. County staff is also looking at other renovations on the lower level to accommodate more displays and artifacts.

“What is next?” asked Paul Carroll. First there was some group discussions on what each group is willing to do, the amount of money available, and where further funding may be obtained. When all the political support is complete, then the proposals may be made public and further donations from citizens and corporations could be forthcoming to preserve this heritage. Here is where COPA 45 could take a lead role in facilitating the groups to meet, talk ideas and develop strategies to move the project forward.
Carroll also has concerns with accessibility to the lower floor in the terminal. While applying for a Trillium grant to purchase display cases and shelves he felt we should pursue further monies for wheelchair capabilities to the Galleries if such funds are available. Definitely there is a need there and accessibility is critical to enhance the present and future galleries within the building. Again, talks with the Museum staff concerning their needs will move the project ahead.

Paul Carroll summed up his presentation with a compliment to COPA 45 as he strongly felt that had it not been for our group starting the momentum to establish the McGee Gallery at the airport, we would not be as close to renovations as we are today.

Thank you Paul. We just hope that we have been one small piece of the pie to help preserve a very important part of aviation history that happened just north of Goderich in the hamlet of Port Albert. Many men from around the globe trained here and are planning to return here in 2011 for its’175th birthday. May we truly be able to show them many memories as they reminisce with others from that by gone era.

Marilyn Bruinsma COPA Flight 45
 

Rutledge Remembers the fallen “Men of Huron”
November 11, 2009

Co Captain Owen Delve introduced Jim Rutledge to COPA 45 members and friends. He told of Rutledge’s commitment to military history and local celebrations honouring our veterans. It was very appropriate to have him here on Remembrance Day, November 11, the annual celebration to remember our war dead and veterans.

Rutledge explained to the group how he came to write this book, “Men of Huron”. He started in 2005 and published it in July 2009. His motive for writing this book titled, “Men of Huron” happened after the Goderich Lancaster flew out of Sky Harbour from the 60th anniversary celebrations of VJ Day. At the same time, the ruling Liberal party was unwilling to pay $1000 per veteran to attend the Juno Beach reunion overseas. He felt this was not fitting considered what the veterans had sacrificed for our country and world.

He then went to London to the libraries and museum there to find a book on the soldiers who had fought from our local area. There was none so he decided to write one. Needing a sponsor and money, Rutledge first approached the Bayfield Historical Society who backed him. He also made a proposal to the Trillium Foundation twice to secure more funding for his book. His book would remember the ones who did not return.
The RCAF had photos of most of their men but the navy and army did not. He made contact with Steven Douglas from Kitchener who had spent 9 years photographing and documenting addresses of these men. In his book he has all their regiments and cemeteries from the Ottawa archives. He has their stories as told by family members, from letters and records.

In his research he discovered that when a soldier was killed in action, the family was notified of his death and injuries; but, when one was injured the family was given very little information. He feels that he knows more about some of our fallen men that their families do.

Once the manuscript of “Men of Huron” was written, publishing it could be difficult. Years ago your only choice was huge publishing companies like MacMillan or Gage. Today, you have the option of self-publishing. He found a company in Winnipeg that was willing to print 300 copies for him with sequential printings being any number. Using the company’s artist he asked that the cover include grass, sky, crosses, the red ensign, and poppies. The cover came back with the present Canadian flag. A huge mistake! The flag was changed but the poppy symbol caused a controversy that was eventually resolved. As with any published book, two copies are sent to The War Museum in Ottawa. One is for the national library and the other as a loaner when requested by any library across Canada. Another copy was sent to Veterans Affairs in Ottawa to be stored in their collection. Catherine Jenkins from the Veterans Affairs had sent Rutledge a letter stating that all the information and stories were on the veterans’ website. What a great validation to his research and writing! Today, his books are in local stores, museums, and municipal offices. Great news! He is ready for a second printing.

Shortly after publication he received a phone call from England. This lady requested his book. She also told him about her father trained at the Port Albert air school. He lived at 10 Britannia Street with the Rivers family. Rutledge followed up on this phone call but met with no successful results.
These past weeks he has been featured on the local Brian Allan Talk Show and the Beach radio stations about his family military history, his book, and his current research.

So now what is Jim Rutledge doing? He is working at the Huron County Museum on North Street in Goderich researching the First World War. Presently he has 100 pages written. He told us about his father, Lorne, being sent overseas and his best friend, Simmons. From the research with the Dominion Institute, Rutledge discovered that he was a member of a church bordering Jenkins Square in Hamilton. From contacts there, he traced Simmons to Texas where he made a phone call and talked to the family of his dad’s friend.

Next year is the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II. Celebrations are being planned at North Street United Church for next May. There will be army vehicles, a Royal naval vessel and hopefully our Goderich Lancaster that is currently based at the Warplane Heritage Museum on the Hamilton Airport.
 

Keeping our Aviation History
September 19, 2009

Recent letters and news articles published in the Goderich Signal Star brought attention to the readers about Eugene McGee’s extensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia from the Port Albert airfield and training base during the Second World War. Almost 80, Eugene’s wish is the collection be moved in its entirety from his home to a suitable location. COPA 45 members felt the collection should be exhibited in the terminal beside the Sky Harbour Gallery, which displays Goderich’s collection from the days that it was a training base. Huron County was unique with the four training bases of Goderich, Port Albert, Clinton and Centralia within its’ borders. Goderich was for elementary air training while Centralia was for advanced air training. Port Albert was for navigation and Clinton was for radar. Both our neigbouring counties of Perth and Bruce went to Ottawa to lobby for a training base but were unsuccessful. Training over water would be an asset favouring the Goderich location.

With that consideration, COPA’s Executive contacted historian Paul Carroll to speak at their October meeting to pursue this possibility. Also asked to attend were Eugene McGee, Beth Ross, Huron County’s Chief Librarian; Deb Shewfelt, Mayor of Town of Goderich, which owns the airport; Ben Vandiepenbeek, Reeve of ACW, the municipality in which the airport is located. Councillors Connie Black and David Yates attended for the Mayor and Reeve. MP Ben Lobb for Huron –Bruce, who was home from Parliament this week.

Meanwhile, on a sunny Saturday, September 19, the COPA 45 members visited Eugene’s home to view the collection. Impressive! Unbelievable! were words expressed at the vastness of original artifacts and archival information there. Afterwards, Flight 45’s members met to discuss the physical possibilities of relocation.
At our meeting, Paul talked about preserving history, its’ importance, rewards and problems. He stated that the collector must feel comfortable releasing his artifacts and archives to a new owner. Sometimes there are conditions attached and other times no conditions exist leaving it fully up to the recipient to handle and relocate the collection at his discretion. Even family members cannot always agree on the transfer of the items.
In Huron County, there is only the museum staff and the volunteers from the Goderich Historical Society to pack, process, catalogue and display the collections they receive from the many local residents and relatives of local families from years past.

Carroll said this meeting is a chance to discuss the Port Albert collection and its’ new home. Presently, the county museum has no space to house the McGee collection either as a temporary or permanent exhibit. Various ideas, comments and suggestions were expressed during the discussion from guests and members.
We now know heritage requires county decisions with county visions, with support from, the local municipalities. Carroll is very convinced that is the planning is in place, the appropriate resources will be there when needed. Our MP Ben Lobb listed several organizations like the Dominion Institute, New Horizons, Heritage Canada, Veterans Affairs, along with federal infrastructure money that we, as various groups, could apply for funding. Canada Summer Jobs, Co-op students from Ontario’s colleges and universities as well as local high school students could be used to staff the Gallery.

COPA 45 members believe that with some structural changes to the Sky Harbour Gallery, the Port Albert collection of artifacts could be accommodated here. The Flight agreed to further meetings to write letters to local governments and designated others to consider the shortcomings within the terminal building and a proposal to expand the Gallery space to hold the McGee collection and possibly others.