AirVenture - Better Than Ever for Canadians!

July 2015 - I’m really excited about going to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this month…and on several levels. I hope you are too. This will be a great fly-in for Canadians. Not only have we consolidated and grown the program at the Canada Tent, we’ll also have a free breakfast for you that is sponsored by Global Aerospace, the company that administers our C-PLAN insurance program. The overall AirVenture content looks great.

The EAA Canadian Council Breakfast will be hosted in the Junior Ace Tent at the Nature Center from 7 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22. The breakfast is compliments of Global Aerospace and EAA C-PLAN Aircraft Insurance administered by Nacora. Space is limited! Those wishing to attend are strongly encouraged to pick up tickets at the EAA Canada Tent by noon on Tuesday, July 21.

Want to save 5 percent on your aircraft insurance? Global Aerospace will again offer EAA Canadian members who attend a risk management forum at AirVenture a 5 percent discount on a quote for insurance through EAA’s C-PLAN Aircraft Insurance Plan. The forum, Risk Management - Case Studies of Aircraft Accidents, will be presented by ex-Bits and Pieces editor and chairman of the EAA Canadian Council, Jack Dueck. He will in the EAA Canada Tent on Tuesday and Thursday, 9-10:30 a.m.

Did you know EAA launched EAA Finance Solutions, a member benefit that will save you $140 on application fees and get you access to member-exclusive financing rates for aviation loans?

Change of topic: The FAA Wings pilot proficiency program for FAA Wings credit is something that Canadian pilots don’t really look at unless they carry a U.S. pilot certificate too, but there is an interesting overlap. Many of you may be aware of the FAA requirement for a biennial flight review, but maybe you were not aware that the Wings credit program acts a bit like the Transport Canada Safety Seminars in that they “move the goalposts” regarding the necessity for an actual flight review. Wouldn’t it be great if we could attend the EAA webinars that have FAA Wings credit and log that toward Canadian recurrency training? It would also be really good if our neighbours to the south could enjoy our Transport Canada seminars as a method of updating their FAA currency. I’m just saying!

A Discovery TV Canada series called Airshow just finished. I was able to interview both Pete McLeod and Carol Pilon for this newsletter in the last couple of years and was delighted to see them both featured in the series. In fact, the AME at our local airport, Pierre Dumont, was shown fixing the brakes on Carol’s Stearman in the last episode. Of course, these TV shows have to be somewhat formulaic. There has to be drama to keep people watching, and if you view the show, as a pilot, you might ask yourself, “Well yes, she doesn’t have her seat belt fastened, but how did the cameraman just coincidentally have a perfect shot?” But overall I’d have to say that the series is very enjoyable and revealed a lot about the lengths to which our Canadian air show pilots have to go to make a living. You can watch the episode online by visiting the Discovery TV Canada site and selecting Season 1, Episode 12.

Most of you have undoubtedly been following the progress of the very sexy ICON A5 aircraft. It’s so sleek, but more importantly so ideal for Canada - a towable seaplane that you can park in your garage. What more could you want? After its recent certification by the FAA, the company plans to make first deliveries at Oshkosh, and you can bet that they’ll have more than one present. I was impressed to read that they have 1,250 orders in the pipeline. I can’t really lay my hands on the quarter million dollars to buy one right now, but if anyone wants to let me fly one…

Do you live in the Maritimes, or maybe even in the neighbouring United States? Chapter 1051 is working hard to revitalize itself. It’s the only EAA chapter in Canada east of Montreal, and they call themselves the Scotia Eagles. It’s vital that it continues to exist…and even grow. EAA chapters don’t just exist; their members invest themselves in each chapter. If you love to build aircraft or the idea of doing so, please consider contacting Gerard Killam to see how you can become part of a great group of people. To contact him, send us an e-mail and we’ll put you in touch.

Watching the Airshow series, Pete McLeod said, “I don’t just want to win a race here and there. I want to build a platform and a skill set to continually win.” What a great reminder to the rest of us! Just flying a good flight is okay, but not if it represents a one-off situation. As a dinghy sailor in club races, I always heard that if you capsized, it meant you were trying hard and learning about your skills and equipment. Of course doing the equivalent of a capsize in an aircraft is not a great idea, especially close to the ground, but the principle of continuous learning by safely exploring the limits envelope is.

Are you crossing the border to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015? We can’t wait to see you in Oshkosh, and we want to make sure you are aware of the special offerings for our international visitors! We know that readers of Bits and Pieces include not only Canadians but others from around the world. We’d love to see you at the Canada Tent, near the air traffic control tower, but here are some other opportunities for international visitors.

International Visitors Tent

This is the hub of information to assist you during your visit. Make sure you stop by to register, and check back daily to see your country’s attendance. We keep a daily running tally to help you find friendly faces, leave notes for other travelers, and rank your country’s participation in AirVenture! Located at K-12 on the map.

Interpretation Services

We have almost 30 volunteer interpreters speaking a wide variety of languages to support as needed. Whether you have a question about the convention or offerings in the surrounding area, you can stop in the tent or call 920-230-7882 for assistance.

Parade of Nations

Make sure you pack your country’s colors and show them off by joining the Parade of Nations on Friday, July 24, at noon. Gather under your flag and march from the International Visitors Tent to the announcers area for an official EAA welcome! Note to Canadians: There are other countries that consider themselves more international than Canadians do. (Hello, my Brazilian friends). Please show up and wave the maple leaf to let our friends know who we are. You’ll be surprised at how much fun you will have and how many languages are spoken in the parade.

International Visitors Dinner

Gather with other international travelers on Friday night, July 24, for a special dinner. Share stories of world travel and the excitement of arriving at Oshkosh. Space is limited, so register at the International Visitors Tent. You’ll need a wristband to get in, which you’ll get when you register.

Finally, on a personal note, I’ve been honoured to have been editor of this newsletter now for nearly four years. For the first time, I’ll be doing a little presentation at the Canada Tent about Bits and Pieces, how it’s produced, and what we would like to see in terms of its growth. The presentation will be on Friday at 9 a.m., and I’d love to see you there.

I’ll also be making a presentation on flying to the United States from Canada on Monday at 11 a.m. If you’re attending but haven’t flown from Canada, you might be interested in how to set yourself up for doing so next year. Please come and say hello. I’d be delighted to meet you, and I might even convince you that you have something to contribute to Bits and Pieces.