COPA’S Long-Term Leadership

By now, many of you have seen my announcement about retiring from my role as COPA’s President and CEO. When I took on this two-year position, my goal was to strengthen the association’s business acumen, refine its identity, and provide stability through my experience as a leader. With a background as an avionics AME, 20 years of COPA membership, and experience successfully leading another aviation business, I aimed to guide COPA through a crucial period of growth and change. Looking back on my tenure, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved.

From aviation medical reforms to advocacy during the 100LL fuel shortage, and working to ensure the ADS-B mandate meets the needs of our community, we’ve faced significant challenges and met them head-on. I am confident that I will leave the next leader in a strong position to guide us through the ongoing issues facing GA in Canada.

While our small team works tirelessly behind the scenes, we have often fallen short in sharing the scope of these efforts. But I assure you, we punch far above our weight. We’ve made important strides in advocacy, and though much has been accomplished, much remains to be done. Though I’m stepping down as President, my commitment to COPA remains unwavering. I will continue to fly and support the organization, as my identity is deeply tied to being a Canadian GA pilot. I will also remain involved in the transition to ensure the next leader is set up for success, and that the work we’ve started continues on solid ground.

Throughout my time here, I’ve worked to build a sustainable organization that meets the evolving needs of our members. We’ve made significant progress in areas like aviation medicals and airspace access policies. However, challenges and opportunities still lie ahead. For example, our work with Transport Canada on aviation medicals, which has helped hundreds of members, will continue as we push for new solutions like a BasicMed-like category for more pilots to stay flying. Last summer, COPA was quick to respond during the 100LL fuel shortage, reaching out to Imperial Oil and ensuring our concerns were heard. We will continue to monitor this issue to safeguard the future of aviation in Canada.

Our advocacy with NAV CANADA on ADS-B requirements also made significant strides in the past couple years. We helped delay the rollout of space-based ADS-B for Class C, D, and E airspace, ensuring that the unique needs of GA aircraft are considered in the larger airspace management strategy. So, what’s in store for 2025? More opportunities for connection, communication, and advocacy. This includes member meetups, enhanced COPA Flight chapter resources, and advocacy toolkits. Ultimately, I hope we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

COPA is a membership-based organization, and we exist to work on behalf of you, our members. At the same time, we rely on each of you to take action in your communities and to use our resources to protect the collective interests of Canadian pilots. Together, we are stronger, and your involvement is crucial in ensuring the continued success and growth of General Aviation in Canada. We are here to support you, but it is through your active participation that we can make the most impact. Looking ahead, I’m optimistic about COPA’s future. We’ve laid the groundwork for continued success, but the next phase will require a strong, visionary leader to guide us through the challenges ahead.

That leader will build on the momentum we’ve created, continuing to promote, preserve, and inspire General Aviation in Canada for years to come. Thank you for your ongoing support. It’s been an honour to serve you, and I look forward to seeing COPA thrive in the years ahead (again, I’m still around).