Meetings & Minutes

The regular COPA Flight 45 meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of every month. The meetings are usually held at our Clubhouse across from the Goderich Airport Terminal building, and start promptly at 7:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in attending one of our meetings is always welcome.

MINUTES OF COPA FLIGHT 45 -  WEDNESDAY JAN. 9, 2019

PRESENT

Quincy Bridge, Fred & Marilyn Bruinsma, Jim & Jane Farrell, Pat Pattison, Jack Searson, Dan Stringer.
Guest- Jerry Sabo

WELCOME

Co-Captain Dan welcomed everyone to the meeting. The weather was frightful but some of our members braved the elements from Kincardine along our famous highway 21.

MINUTES

Navigator Marilyn did not to write the minutes so we will pass them next month
Carried.

FINANCES AND MEMBERSHIPS

Memberships are due in January 2019.
Jim Armstrong is in Harbour Hills retirement home.
Larry Waldie is in palliative care in London Health Sciences. It is hoped he can be moved to Stratford shortly.

GUEST SPEAKER- JERRY SABO
JOURNEY INTO AVIATION

Jerry Sabo shared his journey into aviation. He lived in a small village in Quebec with open fields behind his home. There was a repair shop there that fixed radios for pilots, police and other groups. The owner had a Cessna 140 with a private strip behinds Jerry’s house. In 1947 as a 10 year kid Jerry was asked to go along for a ride as the owner tested his repairs in the air. Jerry moved to Brampton where he obtained his PPL in 79/80. As one of three partners in an aircraft he and his family and friends flew all over the USA, Oshkosh, Mexico and Quebec. He had a company car for Alcan, but it was more fun to fly an aircraft to meetings. He sold his partnership before moving to Goderich. He and Helen successfully operated the Auburn Grill for 7/8 years before health forced them to sell.

With his company, Alcan, he often flew to Goderich for business with Champion. He fell in love with the airport and town. He calls it the most beautiful airport in Ontario even Canada. It bothered him that upon arrival there was no one to welcome visitors. In the late nineties, Jerry worked for Western Air Services operating the radio, fuelling aircraft and looking after the terminal. Later the town tendered the position. Jerry applied and was awarded the 3 year contract to work unlimited hours 7 days for $36 000. ($8 /hr). Jerry was able to get the Welcome sign on the terminal, replace the roof and upgrade the terminal. He always answered the radio with Welcome to Goderich, come to the terminal, coffee is on. Bi-monthly he wrote articles called “let’s Go Flying” for the Signal Star. Visitors came to see the aircraft and other activities happening at the airport. He developed a brochure for the airport and left these at many destinations. We had BBQ’s, flour bombings, poker rallies, etc. COPA 45 set an EAA record of flying of 253 kids one Saturday. We sponsored a Bill Cruikshank scholarship for students flying from the 2 local flight schools. His vintage Cadillac was the courtesy car at the airport. Indeed it was a very busy time for Goderich’s Sky Harbour Airport. But time marches on and changes things.

Marilyn told the audience that in 1998 Jerry was awarded a COPA award of Merit in North Bay and she presented Jerry with a Flippin’ Eggs certificate.

THANK YOU CLARE MARTIN

Clare Martin donated a cell phone camera to enable our weather cam inside the terminal to work again. When accessing COPA 45’s website it shows a nice snowy day outside. Today it is that but we have had 2 stormy blustery days which are well known to Huron County residents.

EVENTS FOR 2019

A fly out to a destination for brunch or lunch. Hanover’s restaurant is open weekends in winter.
Doug Haarkes has offered to host a BBQ for COPA 45. We just need weather and a date.
John Edwards and Doug have restored a Fleet Canuck and now restoring another vintage aircraft

Sun April 28 – Rust Remover at Saugeen Airport.
Thurs to Sat – June 6-8 IPAT- Cornwall and Riviere du Loup
Sun/Mon June9/10 Mirarichi NB
June 8-10 – COPA Convention –Innisfail, AB
Aug 24-25 “ Cornwall ON
July 22-28 – Oshkosh WI


NEXT MEETINGS

Wed. Feb13 – terminal - Gateway to Excellence
Wed March 13- terminal –Ryan Dunsbury. and Dan Oldridge- ADSB- out
Wed April 9- clubhouse or terminal –
Wed May 8 clubhouse – ACW council
Wed June 12 - BBQ

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Jim Farrell and seconded by Pat Pattison that the meeting be adjourned.
Carried.