Taking Flight After Retirement: Pursue Your Passion for Aviation

Retirement can bring about a mix of emotions, including uncertainty about the next stage in life. It also opens up countless possibilities, allowing you to pursue passions that may have taken a backseat during your working years. Embracing new goals and hobbies like flying can provide a renewed sense of purpose and excitement.

Here are five paths Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) members have taken in search of fulfilling and exciting experiences that you could too:

1. Get Your Pilot's Licence 

Retirement provides the perfect opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream of flying. COPA member Bob Stobie’s father-in-law, Frederick William Taylor, began flying at Grimsby Air Park in the ‘90s, flying his first solo at the age of 81. Despite never earning his full PPL, he continued to fly with a student pilot permit for years, proving it's always possible to start a new adventure.

2. Plan a Dream Trip (then fly there!)

With a pilot's licence in hand, the possibilities for travel expand exponentially. Many retired pilots plan ambitious trips, such as flying to the Bahamas or attending the world's largest fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin like COPA member Lesley Page. Lesley retired early to learn to fly and has documented her flying adventures to inspire others.

3. Get Involved with Your Local Flying Community

With over 12,000 members across Canada, joining your local COPA Flight chapter or flying club can lead to new friendships and opportunities to share your passion for flying with others. Engaging in community activities and events helps maintain a strong connection to the aviation world and other like-minded people. Members Allen and Jane Joy earned their licenses after retiring and remain active in their local COPA chapter, even receiving a COPA Appreciation Award for their contributions.

4. Become a Flying Instructor

Leverage your expertise to inspire and teach the next generation of pilots. Becoming an instructor is a fulfilling way to stay connected to the aviation community and share your knowledge. While COPA member Kenneth Yates was just 22 when he earned his CPL, it stayed in his back pocket for 34 years while he worked in airline maintenance. After his retirement, he enrolled in an instructor-rating ground school course. Within two years, he was an instructor at the Brampton Flying Club, beginning a new chapter in aviation and passing on his knowledge.

5. Explore New Aviation-Related Hobbies

Retirement is a great time to delve into related interests that complement your passion for flying. Consider activities such as aviation photography, writing for aviation magazines (hint: COPA’s Flight magazine), participating in aviation history preservation projects, or even building your own aircraft. COPA Member Mike Hirschfeld, now in his 90s, continues to build and fly aircraft, proving that aviation can be a lifelong passion that keeps you active and engaged.

There’s No Limit in the Skies After Retirement

Retirement is not just an end; it’s a beginning. By obtaining a pilot's licence and engaging with the COPA community, retirees can embark on new adventures, set ambitious goals, and find joy in the freedom of flight. Whether it's planning an epic trip, building an aircraft, or inspiring others as an instructor, the stories of our members highlight the limitless possibilities that await in this new chapter.

No Longer Flying? Stay Engaged with COPA

Whether you’ve made the decision to stop flying and/or sell your aircraft, we need every pilot and aviation enthusiast in our network to support the longevity of the lifestyle. Think of all the members who came before us who contributed towards advocacy wins that we enjoy and continue to protect today. We, the collective, need to continue feeding into this loop to sustain General Aviation in Canada regardless of our current flying status.