COPA members Glen Tinckler and Rick Appleton are applying as a team for a spot to fly on the Ushuaia2USA Vintage Air Rally in March 2018.  It goes from the southern tip of Argentina, through 19 countries, and ends in Florida.  It’s a six-week trip of more than  7,000 miles in a 1930s Fairchild 24.

“We have made the short list of only 60 teams out of 675 that applied.  We are the only team from Canada and we need your support.” said Tinckler.

Members are asked to go to the team’s Facebook page to like and share it with as many of their own friends as possible.

“We will be sharing posts to this page from Vintage Air Rally and the more likes, shares and comments we get, the better our chances are of being in the final 15 teams,” he said. “Please also ‘like’ the Vintage Air Rally page from our Facebook page (by clicking on the “Learn More” button to get to their page).”

Every like, share and comment counts towards the team’s chances of being in the final 15 teams for the trip.   The final selection for the 15 teams takes place on Dec. 1, so time is of the essence.

NAV CANADA effectue un examen de nos produits d’information aéronautique afin de répondre aux exigences de notre clientèle en constante évolution. Les commentaires précédents de nos clients ont révélé que ces derniers préfèrent utiliser les produits d’information aéronautique en format électronique.

Le but de ce sondage est d’obtenir vos commentaires concernant votre utilisation de nos produits en format papier et électronique. Vos commentaires sont importants et serviront à appuyer les décisions à venir relativement à la mise en œuvre.

Les réponses individuelles demeureront confidentielles et ne seront pas partagées avec des tiers. Nous vous remercions de prendre le temps de nous faire parvenir vos précieux commentaires.

Nav Canada is looking for feedback from pilots on aeronautical publications and their delivery.

The corporation says previous surveys have indicated most customers prefer getting Aeronautical Information Products in electronic form.

“The purpose of this survey is to seek input regarding your use of both our paper and electronic products,” Nav Canada said in a news release. “Your feedback is important and will be used to support future implmentation decisions.”

Nav Canada says the individual responses will be treated confidentially and any public releases will be aggregate information. None of the information will be shared.

par Jean-Pierre Bonin

Le Musée de l’aviation de Montréal (MAM) est fier de dévoiler l’unique réplique du Curtiss-Reid Rambler construit en 1929 à Montréal.

Ce projet de trois ans a été complété juste à temps pour célébrer les anniversaires de Montréal (375) et du Canada (150).

Le Rambler est un avion d’entraînement monomoteur à deux ailes. Ses ailes repliables étaient destinées à sauver l’espace des hangars mais il s’est avéré qu’elles avaient aussi tendance à se replier en vol… Ceci et le fait qu’une chaîne de montage de Tiger Moth ait été installé au Canada par de Havilland explique probablement pourquoi seulement 44 exemplaires ont été construits.

La réplique dévoilée mardi dernier le 14 novembre a deux ailes supérieures originales et un moteur original Cirrus récupéré.

Le MAM a reçu le prix d’excellence en restauration 2017 de l’Association canadienne de conservation aéronautique (ACCA) «Pour reconnaître […] la restauration d’un avion ayant une importance particulière pour l’histoire de l’aviation au Canada» pour le Curtiss-Reid Rambler Mark II.

Félicitations aux bénévoles du MAM qui ont contribué au succès de ce projet unique.

Plus d’information sur ce projet dans le prochain numéro de COPA Flight.

(Le MAM est situé dans l’historique grange «Old Stone» sur le campus Macdonald de l’Université McGill à Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Montréal), Québec.)

Le message a été clairement exprimé par les autorités médicales et les responsables de réglementation de Transports Canada (TC) lors du dernier congrès annuel de l’Association du transport aérien du Canada (ATAC) à Montréal, début novembre. Même si la marijuana sera légale au milieu de 2018, il sera toujours illégal de voler avec n’importe quel niveau de tétrahydrocannabinol (ou de THC, la substance active) dans le sang. Zéro, niet, même pas pour un usage récréatif. Si un pilote devait subir un test et que du THC se trouvait dans son système, sa licence pourrait être révoquée aussi longtemps qu’il n’y ait plus de trace dans son système, ce qui peut dépendre de nombreux facteurs comme son métabolisme, la concentration en THC de ce qui a été consommé, etc. Le message sous-jacent est que pour garder ses ailes, mieux vaut compter sur le « buzz » de l’adrénaline que sur celui des substances.

Peterborough Airport is the site of a rare November fly-in for the Celebration of Life of well-known aviation journalist and aviation enthusiast Peter Lubig. The forecast calls for steady rain on Saturday but those who can’t fly in are encouraged to drive to the airport and pay their respects to a really enthusiastic aviation professional.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday at Peterborough Airport for talented aviation journalist and accomplished aviation professional Peter Lubig.

Lubig died Nov. 4 from cancer and the family services have already been held in Calgary. The Saturday event is intended for all of his many aviation friends and colleagues in Ontario to say goodbye in a forum that Lubig would be happy and comfortable in.

“Peter influenced many people at multiple levels within the Aviation community. He is missed by many,” his wife Bonnie Calwell told COPA Flight. “We are hoping the weather will be good as we are also referring to this gathering as a fly-in.” Lubig was a highly respected senior captain on RJs for Jazz but his true passion was flying small aircraft, including the Short Wing Piper he lovingly restored and rebuilt. His other passion was aviation photography and he had regular assignments with Canadian Aviator magazine.

The Saturday event will be held at Complete Aviation Services Ltd. (World Fuel Services), 925 Airport Road, Building 129 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

By Jean-Pierre Bonin

The Montreal Aviation Museum (MAM) rolled out the only replica of the Montreal-built 1929 Curtiss-Reid Rambler on Tuesday (Nov. 14/17)

The three-year project was completed just in time to celebrate Montreal 375 and Canada 150 anniversaries.

The Rambler is a two-wing single-engine trainer. Its foldable wings were intended to save hangar space but it turned out they also had a tendency to fold while airborne. This and the venue in Canada of a de Havilland Tiger Moth assembly line probably explains why only 44 were built.

The replica unveiled last Tuesday November 14 has two original upper wings and a salvaged original Cirrus engine.

The MAM received the Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association (CAPA) 2017 Excellence in Restauration award “To recognize the completion of […] the restoration of an aircraft with special significance for the history of aviation in Canada” for the Curtiss-Reid Rambler Mark II..

More info on this project in the next issue of COPA Flight.

MAM is situated in the historical “Old Stone Barn” on the Macdonald Campus of McGill University in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Montreal), Quebec.

The message was clear from Transport Canada (TC) medical authorities and regulators during a presentation at the last Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) convention in Montreal early November. Even though marijuana will be legal in mid-2018, it will still be illegal to fly with any level of tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC, the active substance) in the blood: none, zero, not even for recreational use.

If a pilot were to be randomly tested and THC was found in his system, his license could be revoked for as long as it takes for all traces to be out of his system, time yet unknown, since it will depend on so many factors like his metabolism, THC concentration of what was consumed, etc. The underlying message is if you want to keep our wings, best rely on engine power to get high.

Earlier this summer of 2017 and at other times over the past few years, Nav Canada (NC) has issued NOTAMs for the main international airspaces in the country indicating VFR traffic may experience delays or is temporarily not allowed to go into class C due to “system capacity”.  We are well aware that system capacity means “staff shortage”. Sitting on the Nav Canada Advisory Committee, COPA and other associations have regularly brought this up to the NC board and executives over the last few years. With 4-6% overall air traffic increase on a yearly basis, staff shortage is a serious situation that needs to be addressed and NC may not have been a model student at doing so. But this year and for the next ones, NC has promised to be a lot more aggressive and not just “hope for the best” anymore. There are now close to 300 people in the training pipeline, where there were only 80 about two years ago, and they are even looking to hire ready-trained ATC specialists from outside of the country, thereby reducing the time for them to be certified. The NC Board assures us it is a top priority for them and we will keep a close eye on this file.