INNISFAIL - Students from Bowden, Spruce View and Poplar Ridge recently took wing for a chance to try the sport of aviation over Central Alberta.
The Grade 6 students from local schools got the chance on Sept. 30 to ride in small aircraft thanks to the time and effort of local Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) members, who helped put on the COPA for Kids event at the Innisfail Airport. The pilots took 47 students up using eight different aircraft, mostly small planes, but there were even two helicopters handy.
Valerie Deschamps was one of the co-organizers for the event this year and will be helping pilot the local program in years to come.
“We do it because we love it,” she said of why pilots, ground crew and organizers volunteer their time to give the students a high-flying thrill.
“A lot of the kids were being flown for the first time,” she said.
She said the day went really well, and in the end the weather was just fine for flying -- a little windy, but nothing the pilots couldn't handle.
“Mother Nature co-operated,” Deschamps said.
Prior to getting into the air, students get a brief introductory session in the schools ahead of time. On the day of the event they get a brief round of ground school.
The pilots were able to try and tailor the rides to the students a bit. For instance, students from Bowden got taken on a flight path a bit more southerly than other students, to possibly see their homes from the air.
Deschamps said the safety of the junior flyers is paramount, and there are a lot of procedures in place to help with that. The insurance for the day is covered by the national wing of COPA.
COPA for Kids is a program that's put on by local member flying clubs across Canada. Deschamps said pilots enjoy getting to introduce the children to the sport of aviation.
Valerie Deschamps, co-organizer for COPA for Kids event
"A lot of the kids were being flown for the first time."
