Goderich Chapter News

September 2016 - When one looks at the Sport Aviation archives, it’s remarkable to see how rapid the growth of the homebuilt aircraft movement was in Canada and the United States. In reading selections from those first 10 or 15 years, it’s amazing to see how such a small organization expanded so rapidly. Strong bonds were quickly created with other organizations around the world.

I was excited to note that in the edition from September 50 years ago there was a report on the progress of the build of a Pietenpol by Jim Armstrong. He was honoured at AirVenture 2016 by his EAA Canadian Council for his many years of dedication to EAA volunteering, along with his whole family who was there with him to celebrate the award. Incidentally Jim confided in me that he has built or helped build aircraft for each of his four children.

Goderich Chapter 205, as we’ve mentioned before, was one of the first EAA chapters in Canada and was home not only to Jim, but also Keith “Hoppy” Hopkinson and Gus Chisholm who accounted for the first two homebuilt aircraft to be registered in Canada. If you read the chapter report below, you’ll be impressed to learn that there were at least 12 projects in progress at Goderich in 1966.

GODERICH, ONTARIO, CANADA

CHAPTER 205

Lloyd C. Atfield

153 Widder St.

Goderich, Ontario, Canada

A recent guest, Harold Brown, who is building a Thorp T-18, spoke on the government’s supervision of various flying activities. Colour films on various subjects, from the library of Bob Smith, were enjoyed by the members, and Eric Ostland reported on tests carried out on Terylene cloth, which is the Canadian trade name and equivalent of Dacron.

Eric Ostland is just about done on his Jodel D-ll; the wing and fuselage are complete, and just the finishing touches going into it. Don Ross is building the tail unit for his Jodel D-ll, and fabricating whatever other parts come easily.

Ray Gowdy is working away faster on his Fly Baby than is Jack Brooks.

Jim Armstrong is doing good on his Pietenpol, and Allan Ball is rebuilding a badly damaged Cessna 180.

Ed Harnden is finished with the welding on his Little Toot and is building the wing attach fittings. Guy LaRocque and Lloyd Atfield have the forward tubing section of their Little Toot fuselage complete, and also working on the fuselage of their Great Lakes replica. Bill MacDonald is back to work on his Smith Miniplane, and Ron Riley is making up the many fittings for his EAA Biplane.