COPA for Kids helps generate interest in aviation
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Tillsonburg's Amber and Ryan Bezaire were in complete agreement when it came to describing Sunday afternoon's COPA for Kids flight from the Tillsonburg Regional Airport.
"Good," they both nodded.
"I liked talking on the (headset) to the pilot, Chuck," said Amber. "He showed us where our house was, but I couldn't see it. We saw where Delhi, Aylmer, and Springford are... he was pointed out where they were. We got to see everything."
"We were pretty high," said Ryan. "I only recognized Lake Lisgar and Lake Erie... but I didn't see any people."
"I did," said Amber, who also recognized The Town Centre mall. "They were like mini figures."
The landing was fun, said Ryan.
"I didn't even feel it," said Amber.
"We skidded, that's the only thing I felt," said Ryan.
"It was... a little scary," Amber admitted, particularly when their Cessna flew into minor turbulence. "It was like 'omigosh'... the whole way."
Both said it was something they would like to do again.
"I want to," they agreed together.
Viktoria and Alexander Newman from Woodstock rode in a Piper aircraft.
"I liked it," said Viktoria, who most enjoyed the turning. "It felt really cool."
"It was good," nodded Alexander, known for not liking heights.
There were a few bumps in the air, he said, but nothing that made him close his eyes.
"We had a little bit of turbulence," noted COPA Flight 181 pilot Richard VanMaele. "Not much."
The annual COPA for Kids event, which saw 91 kids ages 8-17 take their first small aircraft flight Sunday at the Tillsonburg Regional Airport, was created to encourage youth to get into flying or general aviation.
"It's an opportunity for us pilots and members of COPA to encourage the youth," said VanMaele. "The big thing is, we want to get young people interested in flying. Because you never know, you might get the one kid who says 'I just love this' and ends up becoming a pilot."
About 9-10 COPA Flight 181 pilots participated in Sunday's program, free for the kids, and a couple more arrived later in the morning.
"It's good for the community," said VanMaele, noting the owner/pilots donate their time, their planes, and the fuel, which is purchased at cost from the Regional Airport. "Most of the planes participating (at the Regional Airport) are probably from here. One guy came from Delhi, and the gyro guy's (from Guelph)."
For future COPA for Kids events, organizers hope to have fewer last-minute cancellations. Some kids were turned away because it had filled up, and missed their an opportunity this year.
Matthew and Nathan Krahn and Emma Suderman flew in a Cessna 172, a four-seat single engine plane.
"It was cool," said Suderman.
"Fun," nodded Matthew Krahn, who enjoyed all of his 20-minute trip except for the takeoff.
"Definitely not the lifting off," he smiled. "It shook a lot. But the landing was fun."
Their flight took them south, far enough to have Lake Erie come into view, then over Tillsonburg on their way back to the Regional Airport in South-West Oxford Township.
They didn't do any stunts, but did have to make some turns.
"We had to take like five turns to line up with the runway," noted Krahn.
Asked if he could see himself flying planes in the future, Krahn shook his head.
"I think I'll stick to cars."