by Earle DePass

The weekend started with a Nextgen session for 10 aviation enthusiasts on Friday evening after four airplanes arrived from various places around Toronto and Western Ontario. Guests were treated to a delicious chicken supper prepared by Mike Netik. Dessert was fruit. The occupants slept in tents under the wings of their airplanes, just west of Taxiway A, in Oshkosh-similar fashion.

Saturday morning saw all enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast, complete with eggs, sausages, juice, toast and coffee. Under initially cloudy skies which later turned into excellent weather, another 29 airplanes arrived from various parts of Ontario and Quebec. Most of the event was held in Ottawa Air Services’ hangar.

The day started on time at 09:30 with opening remarks from Earle DePass, COPA Flight 75 Captain and Cornwall Flying Club president and from COPA president and CEO Bernard Gervais. Guests were then treated to four sessions: a presentation from CASARA, a town hall session by the COPA president, staff and collaborators, a session from the TSB and finally a session on drones from Transport Canada.

Under tents which provided a very pleasant outdoor setting, 105 guests were treated to a delicious barbecue lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, freshly-boiled corn, and all the fixings.

There was a display tent from Rotax and the 10 Cornwall Aero modellers who showed off several RC aircraft.

Overall, the many months of planning for this event, including several conference calls with the COPA team, paid off handsomely for Flight 59 with the many very positive comments and goodwill expressed throughout the entire day and later on.

Photos submitted