In appreciation for your personal efforts to advance, promote and preserve our Canadian Freedom to Fly.
2020 Directors’ Award Recipients:
Association des Pilotes et Propriétaires de Hangars de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu – CYJN
An amazing organisation, COPA Flight 160. They have 230 members and this strong flight is very active in COPA for Kids. They also work with the city management and have taken over the FBO operations, they sell the Avgas and give you great service when you land. They are also holding many safety and training sessions on various aspects of aviation. A very dedicated group.
Munden Critch, NL
He has single handedly expanded the water aerodrome at Patty’s Pond (CCQ5), near St. John’s, Newfoundland. He is a very skilled and experienced aircraft builder and shares his knowledge and talent with anyone who needs it.
Mervin Zinck, NS
Based at New Germany Lake (CCA2) in Nova Scotia, for the past 12 years, Mervin has been hosting the annual New Germany Lake Pilot’s Picnic that hosts up to 25 planes from around the Maritimes. He truly tries to involve the whole community in this event and offers free lunches, live music, a small antique car show; Model aircraft builders and skydivers jumping out of float plane are all present. He’s a member of the Bluenose Flying Club and COPA Flight 196 and he has created an amazing showcase for general aviation in this small community.
Yvan Albert, Pierre Boudreault, Gilles Lambert, QC
A joint award goes out to Yvan, Pierre and Gilles. These gentlemen worked very hard to try and save their local aerodrome, a project that is still being heavily discussed. Their efforts are very much appreciated despite the current ruling. We give them a vote of thanks for working through this project and hope for a better solution in the future.
Gabriel Muglia, ON
Gabriel is of COPA Flight 8, a private pilot, a COPA member and builder of very impressive, intricate remote controlled aircraft. He is the secretary of the recently resurrected COPA Flight 8 in Ottawa. Along with others, he has answered the call for volunteers to help get the COPA NextGen initiative off the ground, bringing great membership value to our younger members.
Geordie Dalglish, ON
Geordie has recently purchased the Collingwood airport and is an example of someone who is prepared to go the extra mile to take of our freedom to fly, looking out for our whole aviation community.
Clayton Smith, ON
Clayton is a phenomenal person and even a bit larger than life. He has managed to transform the Orillia airport into an aviation masterpiece with longer runways, a restaurant, a large new shop, 40 T-hangars, a flying school and has even moved into Parry Sound where there will be a restaurant as well.
Wade Cook, ON
Wade Cook was instrumental in forming COPA Flight 201 along with the Gore Bay Flying Club. He is a corporate pilot, an instructor, and the person responsible for getting a flight school and an aircraft for his COPA Flight so that they can have an amazing contribution to aviation.
Ken Zachkewich, AB
Ken has just been a director for the last few minutes (as of the 2020 AGM). His accomplishments, which can be read about in COPA Flight magazine, include a very successful 4000 ft ice runway fly-in at Lac La Biche where they had 69 aircraft fly in for an event. He served as captain of the Lac La Biche Flight for several years and is very active within the aviation community.
Ruf May, AB
He has worked on many aircraft and helped pilot’s purchase their planes for more than 25 years. He is just a phone call away and is always happy to assist. He is a fountain of information and he seems to know all his client’s aircraft parts off the top of his head. He is a multiengine pilot and an AME, he worked for Pacific Western Airlines as a flight engineer for a number of years before switching over to Canadian airlines. He has served on the Olds-Didsbury airport commission. He has been on the flying club board for many years and you’ll see him even mowing the grass, fixing the fuel system, and maintaining aircraft. A person like Ruf keeps general aviation alive and well in Canada.
Ryan van Haren, BC
Along with being an IFR controller and holding an ATPL, he has been described as the spark plug behind the British Columbia General Aviation Association and is the president of COPA Flight 194. He has truly made an enormous impact on the aviation community in BC through his tireless efforts on his web and Facebook pages that are the basis for the success of his virtual organization. Last year at the Innisfail AGM, Ryan kindly volunteered to help a fellow aviator get to a checkout ride at an airport 3 hours away.
Dave McElroy, BC
Dave is a giant of a guy in personality. He offers his support for the Kelowna Flying Club, has major fundraising efforts for his organization Wings of Hope, and has been committed to COPA. He keeps the GoPro cameras as busy as they can be with his mountain flying.