Second EAA/IMC Club in Canada Opens in Vancouver

January 2017 - An EAA/IMC Club in Canada held its inaugural meeting at the Maxcraft Avionics Building at Pitt Meadows, Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 7. It is the second EAA/IMC Club group to form in Canada.

Nearly 50 pilots from the surrounding airports gathered to initiate this Vancouver group of one of EAA’s fastest-growing aviation proficiency programs. EAA/IMC Club creates a community of pilots willing to share experiences, promote safety, and help improve each other’s IMC flying skills. The meeting was organized and led by Steve Nunn and co-chairman Rick Johnson, both of whom are local general aviation pilots.

Pitt Meadows Airport (ICAO: CYPK) is a Canadian general aviation airport located in the southwest corner of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. In 2011, it was the 15th busiest airport in Canada and is the third busiest airport in the lower mainland. Five flight training schools are located at the airport. The airport features three asphalt runways, two helipads, IFR approaches, and a separate floatplane dock along the Fraser River.

Steve Nunn, pilot and sales and business development director at Maxcraft Avionics, is the EAA/IMC Club program coordinator at this location. Steve learned to fly at the Peace Arch Flying Club in 1974-75 and got his license in June of 1975. He received his IFR rating in July 1992 and has approximately 3,000 hours. Steve owns a Bonanza he bought in September 1988, which he keeps at the Pitt Meadows airport.

The inaugural meeting was preceded by a barbeque organized by Maxcraft Avionics. At the meeting, prospective members were given the opportunity to interact with IMC Club founder and EAA flight proficiency manager Radek Wyrzykowski, who introduced them to the EAA/IMC Club, its history, philosophy, and mission objective. At the end of his presentation, open discussion of various scenarios took place, where all participants, regardless of flying experience, could express their views without reservation.

EAA/IMC Clubs provide organized “hangar flying” focused on building proficiency. The only program of its kind, the EAA/IMC Clubs concept is to bring together IFR-rated pilots who fly in the real-world “actual IMC” and provide them an opportunity to share stories, network with the larger pilot community, and gain valuable insights and tips for their IFR flying. All stories and scenarios produced by the club for use during chapter meetings are real and based on submissions by members. EAA/IMC Club meetings provide a forum for promoting participation and discussion of IFR flying.