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COPA AGM Fly-in June 22 - 24
Fun at the COPA CABANA Plane Fun Fly-in
The program is set, and all we need is you to make the COPA Cabana Plane Fun Fly-In the successful event that it is going to be. Four exciting seminars and one special COPA 60th anniversary AGM has been planned. Workshop leaders from the aviation world will present topics on the new aviation fuel to replace 100ll, Nav Canada will bring us all up to speed with the new changes in the Toronto to Montreal corridor, how to deal with the aftermath of an incident with the Aviation Safety Board and how to handle any charges at the Transportation Appeals’ Board. In the middle of these sessions is your COPA Annual General Meeting when our president and CEO, Kevin Psutka will give his report and you will have the opportunity to deliver your concerns or kudos to him and your Board of Directors.
Inviation from CALGARY PILOT SUPPLY LTD to DINE AND WIN! read more
Read more Register online Accommodation choices & reservations
COPA CABANA News Event Schedule Approach procedures L-39 Winner
COPA Flights now on Google MapsMore than ever it is important to update your COPA Flight information because COPA Flights are now listed on Google Maps. COPA members can plan their flight across Canada and use this Google map to find COPA Flights along their route. To view this map of COPA Flights across Canada, go to this link: http://tinyurl.com/COPAFlights |
Wind turbines and aviation leads to heated debate in Ontario Legislature
Please watch this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEm-WpO6qjI&feature=youtu.be
Read COPA’s letter and then contact your MPP and MP to get them involved in raising the profile of the impact of Wind Farms on aviation. Use the information provided in the letter and the position paper included with it but put into your own words what you feel is necessary to turn around this significant issue.
Collingwood airport is just one example of the issue. With 7000 more turbines to be erected across Ontario, there are and will be other airports impacted by the lack of protection for aviation.
Media interviews COPA regarding GA safetyThe tragic mid-air collision that occurred recently in Saskatchewan between a Piper Arrow and a Lake Buccaneer has generated a great deal of interest in the media, focused on the safety record of our sector. COPA President Kevin Psutka appeared on the CBC National news with a brief comment but a more lengthy discussion of our safety record is in a radio interview with a regional station in Saskatoon. Click on the following link to listen to the interview. http://www.ckom.com/sites/default/files/RBSHOW%20SMALL%20PLANES.mp3 It is important to educate the public whenever we get the opportunity that although flying is not without risk, it remains a safe form of transport and in fact the reason why a collision gets nation-wide coverage, as opposed to a head-on road collision, is that mid-airs are extremely rare due to our training and procedures that are in place to minimize the risk. |
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COPA Emergency Medical Travel Program now available
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Puhl Employee Benefits Inc. is pleased to announce a new infinity program available immediately to all COPA members.
The Emergency Medical Travel (EMT) Program, underwritten through AXA Assurances, has been exclusively designed by COPA and has been customized to meet the specific needs of the COPA memberships and their families. In addition to regular EMT plan coverage’s, designed to cover emergency medical costs outside of your province of residence. This program includes coverage for the pilot and all dependent family members while you are piloting an aircraft in the event of an indiscriminate landing.
Current travel plans available to the general public do not provide coverage while piloting an aircraft. In the event of an indiscriminate landing outside your province of residence you would be personally responsible for all medical expenses incurred.
The COPA EMT program would cover this risk for an annual fee of $249.00. This would include coverage for all dependent family members as well.
Insured: Clients under age 70, three months pre-ex ages 65-70.*
Coverage: emergency injury or sickness while travelling outside of their province of residence all trips up to 45 days per trip maximum. Pilots for commercial and non-commercial use. The aircraft wording under excess medical reads: Owned aircrafts, pilots and passengers.
Hawco, Richards elected
By Bob Kirkby, Chair of the Board
The Director elections which took place in the Northern Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador Regions closed at the end of Tuesday, April 10, and the results have now been counted and verified by our election scrutineers; Michael Shaw of COPA Flight 8, Andre Durocher and Maurice Prud’Homme of COPA Flight 169.
THE RESULTS ARE:
Northern Ontario – Lloyd Richards is elected.
Newfoundland and Labrador – Ray Hawco is re-elected.
Congratulations to Lloyd and Ray and thank you for running. And I would especially like to thank Ian Drummond and Bill Burton for running.
RECAP
Here is an east to west recap of the regions included in the 2012 Board elections:
Newfoundland and Labrador – Ray Hawco elected.
NB, NS and PEI – Brian Chappell and Ernie McLean are acclaimed.
Northern Ontario – Lloyd Richards elected.
Manitoba and Nunavut – Jerry Roehr is acclaimed.
Saskatchewan – Earl Kickley is acclaimed.
Alberta and NWT – Trekker Armstrong and Al Blakely are acclaimed.
At this time I would like to thank retiring Director Marc Charron for representing Northern Ontario for the past four years.
The turnover of old to new directors in these regions will take place at this year’s COPA Fly-in AGM in Hanover, Ont. on Saturday, June 23, 2012.
Thank you to everyone for getting involved in the process of governing COPA.
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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.
"Film Director"
Kawartha Lakes Flying Club
rickcarpenter@sympatico.ca
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.
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. |
Helping members help themselves
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.
COPA Introduces Our New VIP Aviation Insurance ProgramBy 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. |
COPA introduit un nouveau programme d'assurancePar 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. |
COPA forum now openCOPA 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. 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. |
Forum COPA maintenant ouvertLa 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. |
GA security coming under scrutiny
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.
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 |
SPOT 2 Personal Tracker?
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 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. |
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. |
Will you have a place to land tomorrow?
These sponsoring companies are supporting your freedom to fly, show your appreciation by patronizing them.
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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
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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