Canadian Private Fleet Returns to Slow Growth in 2020

by Adam Hunt

After the Canadian private civil aircraft fleet showed almost no growth at all in 2019, 2020 saw a small increase of 0.31%. The overall civil aircraft fleet grew by 0.06%. Given the year we just finished, which was dominated by a global pandemic and associated stay-at-home orders, any growth at all was quite remarkable.

Since 2015 the growth in the private fleet in Canada has been at very low levels. While the 2020 numbers are up from 2019's 0.05% growth, the last five years are far from the peak growth of 2008, just before the Great Recession hit, when the private fleet was growing at a peak annual rate of 3.2%. As the accompanying graph shows, growth rates in the private fleet have been in a fairly consistent decline since the 2008-10 recession started and have not recovered. The graph shows a modest recovery in 2010-11, after the recession, but then drops rapidly and does not reflect the general recovery seen in the Canadian economy. The low Canadian dollar, compared to the US dollar, has probably been a factor and its effect can be seen in the net number of certified aircraft exported.

The global economy crashed in 2020, of course, as COVID-19 swept across the world, but the US dollar remained fairly high against the Canadian dollar. The Canadian dollar ended the year at 78.5 cents US, up just 1.5 cents since the end of 2019. Once again, the low Canadian dollar resulted in a net flow of used certified aircraft out of Canada, mostly to US buyers.

In 2020, the total Canadian civil fleet increased in size by 22 aircraft. Over the year the private segment of the fleet increased by 91 aircraft, while the commercial aircraft fleet decreased by 65 aircraft as air carriers shed airplanes as demand disappeared. The state fleet, those aircraft owned by the various levels of government in Canada, decreased by four aircraft.

Certified Aircraft

Certified aircraft had been leading the growth in private aircraft for a number of years when the Canadian dollar was high, but that trend changed in 2015 when we lost 103 certified aircraft and accelerated in 2016 with the falling Canadian dollar, as we lost 161 certified aircraft. In 2017, we lost 69 certified aircraft and, as the dollar fell in 2018, that increased to 117. In 2019, that accelerated to a loss of 132 aircraft and 2020 at least reduced that trend, as only 44 more aircraft were lost.

In 2020, the changes to the private certified fleet were made up of a reduction of 92 airplanes and one glider, while helicopters increased by 48. Private certified balloons were up by one. The 2020 decline included 56 single-engined aircraft and one four-engined aircraft, while twins increased by 12 aircraft.

There were 15,770 private certified aircraft at the end of 2020, out of a total of 29,559 private aircraft registered or 53% of the private fleet.

Basic Ultralights

BULAs were once again where the growth was in private aviation in Canada in 2020, as the case has been for several years now. During 2020, the category increased by 100 aircraft, up from the growth of 95 in 2019. There were 6,531 BULAs registered at the end of 2020.

Transport Canada reported the addition of one BULA glider, but that has to be a reporting error, as the category is only open to powered aircraft.

The attraction of this category undoubtedly remains its low cost.

Amateur-builts

Amateur-builts were in the number two growth position again in 2020, increasing by 35 aircraft, a large drop from the 64 aircraft added in 2019, though. In 2020, the aircraft added were made up of 28 airplanes, three helicopters and five amateur-built balloons, minus the loss of one gyroplane.

Amateur-builts now number 4,379 in Canada and include a wide variety of aircraft, from fixed wing airplanes, helicopters, gliders, gyroplanes to balloons and even one ornithopter, although the latter is in a museum.

Owner-maintained

The O-M category added 19 aircraft in 2020, just two more than in 2019. This makes it the category with the third best growth for 2020, behind basic ultralights and amateur-builts. All the growth this year was in airplanes, with no changes to the number of gliders. By the end of 2020, there were 777 O-M aircraft on the registry, made up of 760 airplanes and 17 gliders.

It is worth noting that aircraft are not built in this category, but are mostly existing Canadian certified aircraft that are moved to O-M. Some may be certified aircraft imported from other countries into the O-M category as well.

The O-M category has continued to suffer from low numbers of aircraft being moved from the certified category ever since the American FAA announced that O-M aircraft will never be allowed to fly in US airspace or be sold in the USA.

Advanced Ultralights

In 2019 the AULA numbers actually dropped by two aircraft, but this past year they increased by four airplanes, bringing the total number of AULAs on the civil register to 1,256. By its category definition, AULAs are all powered, fixed wing aircraft.

The AULA category was introduced in 1991 and therefore 2020 was its 29th year in existence. The category has increased its numbers at an average of 43 aircraft per year since its inception and so can hardly be considered the success that was anticipated when it was started.

Commercial Fleet

In 2020, the commercial aircraft fleet decreased by 65 aircraft to bring the number down to 7,100. The numbers show a decrease of 41 airplanes and 26 helicopters, with the addition to the fleet of one commercial glider and one balloon.

In round numbers, at the end of 2020 the private fleet made up 80% of the aircraft in Canada, with the commercial fleet at 19% and the state fleet at 1%, all basically unchanged in recent years.

Imports & Exports

Aircraft imports into Canada in 2020 numbered 411, which was up from 568 in 2019, and well below the 968 imported during the pre-recession days of 2008.

In 2020, 761 aircraft were exported, a decrease from the 894 aircraft exported last year. There were 350 more aircraft exported than imported, a net loss to the fleet that was lower than the 326 recorded in 2019.

Conclusions

2020 was certainly a year unlike any other in recent memory, although the Canadian private civil aircraft fleet actually had a worse year in 2019 when the economy was doing much better. In the last five years the growth that has been seen in the private fleet has been in the lowest-cost end of the fleet, while many higher-value certified aircraft are being exported. Perhaps the slight rebound this year was due to pilots buying aircraft with the money that they were not able to spend on vacations?

Note: Aircraft data for this report was taken from the Transport Canada Civil Aircraft Register and reflects the difference between the number of aircraft registered in Canada on 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2020. These statistics reflect the net number of aircraft built and imported, minus the number destroyed, scrapped and exported. Just because an aircraft is registered in Canada does not mean it is being flown and therefore the number of registered aircraft should not be confused with the amount of flying activity.

The Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey

By Adam Hunt

Note: This article will appear in the October issue of COPA Flight magazine.

The SeaRey is built by Progressive Aerodyne of Tavares, Florida. First flown on 13 November 1992, over its 28 years of production so far, nearly 800 of these side-by-side two-seat, amphibious flying boats have been delivered to customers.

The design features a "V" strut-braced parasol-wing, a cable-braced tail, a pusher engine, a boat hull with outrigger pontoons and repostionable landing gear: down for landing on the ground and up for water landings.

Originally delivered in the US as a kit for their experimental amateur-built category, the US adoption of the light-sport category has allowed the company to deliver complete, ready-to-fly SeaReys to American customers at a 1430 lb gross weight. The current amateur-built models have a gross weight of 1510 lbs.

Here in Canada, the design can be built as a basic ultralight (gross weight 1200 lbs) or advanced ultralight (gross weight 1232 lbs), but to take advantage of the higher gross weights available and avoid the AULA empty weight restrictions, all of the 23 SeaReys currently registered in Canada have been constructed in the amateur-built category.

The SeaRey design has evolved over the three decades it has been around. Early models had fibreglass "A" style hulls and were often powered by a two-stroke, twin-cylinder Rotax 582 engine, putting out 64 hp. Today's kits have fibreglass or optional carbon fibre hulls, with the four-stroke 100 hp Rotax 912iS engine or even the turbocharged Rotax 914 powerplant that puts out 115 hp and allows flying into higher-altitude lakes. Modern production SeaReys can have traditional round dials or modern glass cockpit instrumentation.

Being able to land on the land or water opens up a new world of destinations, from short grass strips to remote lakes. As a flying boat, it can be landed on water and then easily moored on an anchorage or, with wheels lowered, powered up onto a sand beach or even sloped rocks.

The company currently offers the SeaRey as the "Adventure" and "Elite" ready-to-fly light-sport versions, as well as the LSX kit version.

Progressive Aerodyne has a network of representatives around the world, including a sales office in Shanghai, China. John Dunlop is the Canadian distributor. We did a "socially distanced" interview in August 2020. 

Canadian SeaReys: An Interview with John Dunlop

COPA Flight: What was your aviation background before you got involved with the SeaRey? What kind of flying had you done?

John Dunlop: Air Cadet flying scholarship at age 17 at the Brampton Flying Club, ROTP on the RCAF Chipmunk, then the Tutor, T-33, F-86 Sabre and the CF-104 Starfighter in Germany. I joined CPAir in 1970 flew the Douglas DC-8, Boeing 737 and retired in 2003 after flying the Boeing 767 with Air Canada.

CF: What initially attracted you to flying boats and this design in particular?

JD: I have loved sailing Georgian Bay with family in a Hughes 40 sailboat, until the children grew up! I decided building a SeaRey would allow me to continue flying into retirement while enhancing enjoyment of the Bay’s 30,000 islands.

I was offered a demo flight in Orlando with SeaRey designer, Kerry Richter in December 2000 and, like others before and after me, I was hooked by the experience. When I compare this little bird with the other aircraft I've flown, I continue to revel in the panoramic view from its sliding canopies, open or closed. I am continually pleased at its easy water handling and short strip operations.

CF: The SeaRey first flew in November 1992. When did you become the Canadian distributor and what motivated you to become the representative for this country?

JD: By June 2002, I had completed an enjoyable 15 months building C-GJIB in my Shelburne Ontario two-car garage. The first flight solo off a nearby grass strip was exhilarating! Kerry was all for my representing the SeaRey in Canada, just as he had talked Rob Loneragen into being the Australian dealer. I wasn't really into sales but Kerry believed that supporting other local builders would grow his company and generate a support network. He never set a quota and I have never felt pressured. My first kit sale was in 2004. I also participated in a SeaRey owner website that morphed into the SeaRey Technical website (STS) and also the Splash & Dash social site.

CF: What is the typical Canadian SeaRey owner like and what type of flying do they do with the aircraft? Are people using them for fishing, trips to cottages or other specialized uses?

JD: No, they are poor fishing platforms and difficult to bring alongside a dock! Yes, you can put the wheels down and drive them up on a beach, or a flat rock, but they are probably safest on a buoy mooring, like at the Oshkosh seaplane base.

Besides, if you take your wife along there is little left for food and luggage! LOL! OK, some have them at their cottage…

The typical owner is a pretty diverse sort. There are now a few women owner/builders. The SeaRey is probably not a first plane, nor possibly even their first build. They love fly-ins with other "waterfowl" too. I have flown a SeaRey several times to Oshkosh, to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and even all the way to Key West, Florida. They love the low level sightseeing (well under the radar, so to speak). They are not the types who pass their time flying traffic patterns! Heck, Michael Smith flew his SeaRey solo around the world!

With the LSA category, more are now buying factory-built or second-hand. This is a shame because they miss the journey of building their own aircraft.

CF: What are pilots who have never flown an amphibious flying boat missing out on?

JD: Well, taxiing up on a rock for one. But also, think Sea-Doo or Jet Ski. Think being able to do slalom turns on the step. Think a 360 degree step turn to get into or out of a small lake. Sit back and drop your arm in the cool water…

CF: The SeaRey has been an accepted AULA in Canada at 1232 lbs gross weight for some time now, but there are none currently registered in that category. There are currently a total of 23 SeaReys registered in Canada, all of them in the amateur-built category. Are you aware of any under construction as AULAs?

JD: There are no AULA SeaReys under construction in Canada.

CF: Is the low gross weight limit the only reason for the lack of popularity of that category option for the design or are there other reasons?

JD: Well, it is not just the low gross weight limit, it is the mandatory empty weight calculation. Notwithstanding that, in 2004 Transport Canada designated three AULA SeaRey types, the SeaRey-80, SeaRey-95 and SeaRey-115 with 80, 100 and 115 hp Rotax engines, respectively. The empty weight calculations require that these three AULA SeaRey types have maximum empty weights of 842, 834.5 and 824.5 lbs, respectively. My 2002 SeaRey with a 912ULS weighed in at 918 lbs. When I participated on the LSX (kit)/LSA (certified) design committee in 2008-2009, we were shipping the LSX kit close to 1000 lbs empty weight. The LSX is a much stronger and better performer at that weight. Too bad that Transport Canada has yet to recognize the Light Sport category.

CF: I see you have built two SeaReys yourself, one in 2002 and your current one in 2007. How did you find the learning curve and the building experience with those two kits?

JD: Both kits took me 15 consecutive months. Yes, the second one was easier and, I think a better build. The builders' website was a huge help during my first build. I think I contributed much more to that site during my second build, but each of us have our strengths and weaknesses. The Polyfiber aircraft fabric process is a long haul but actually quite easy (after a short AirVenture seminar). My enjoyment was in the electrical and other systems. My bear was spray painting.

CF: Do you find that the kits have become more refined over time and easier to build?

JD: Yes, probably because the assembly manual is much more detailed. However, the LSX is a bit more complex than the "Classic SeaRey" was.

CF: The kit build time has been estimated as 400-600 hours in the past, do you still feel that this is about right for a first time builder?

JD: I have never found that to be about right for the first time builder. I guess it’s how one measures hours. Not counting all the time spent on the internet or picking up supplies from Aircraft Spruce, etc. Lights on to lights off probably totals 800 to 1200 hours but, as long as the journey is a joyful enlightenment, what does it matter?

CF: What is the most challenging part of putting the kit together?

JD: I mentioned painting, but the windscreen and sliding canopies are a challenge. So are the wiring harness and avionics.

CF: On which part do builders typically spend the most amount of time?

JD: No question, the fabric installation.

CF: Is builder assistance with the SeaRey kit available in Canada?

JD: No, but such assistance is readily available from several sources in Florida.

CF: What is your opinion of the fibreglass versus the carbon fibre hull options?

JD: "Carbon graphite" hulls used to be 70 lbs lighter than the fibreglass hulls. And, as the glass hulls progressed from the "A" design hull (flatter entry), "B" (deeper V), to "C" (bluff entry and double V step), their volume increased and thus did their weight. However, the LSA design and factory process is producing fibreglass hulls 40 lbs lighter than twelve years ago so I don’t think the current 20 to 30 lb benefit of carbon is worth the extra price.

CF: What is your thought about the engine options? Is the extra performance of the turbocharged 115 hp Rotax 914 worth the cost or is the 100 hp Rotax 912 sufficient?

JD: Early "A" hull SeaReys operated just fine on 80 horses. Now that the aircraft no longer fits in the ultralight category, the 100 hp 912ULS are what most builders install for all but high, hot or mountainous airports where the flat-rated turbo gives sea level performance. However, I sure do love that extra turbo kick! People who have an extra $16,000 to throw at a 914UL should reflect that it is heavier, aft of the centre of gravity and more complex to maintain.

CF: What options offered for the kits are the most popular these days and which would you most recommend as worthwhile?

JD: Well a lot of necessary things like engine, prop, instruments, electrical harness and panel, pitot-static system, fuel and coolant lines, paint, battery etc. are sourced by the builder. The SeaRey factory normally supplies at extra cost: seat cushions, an engine mount kit and a radiator and oil cooler kit, both kits differentiated by engine model. But that wasn't your question was it? All of the above are not "optional". Recognizing that the aircraft should be built "lite", there is an engine cowl and many interior packages that simply add weight. The most important option, bar none, is an ACI Gear Alert system. After that, carburettor heat, strobe lights, gascolator, ELT and a cabin heater for Canada’s cooler climes.

CF: There seems to be a strong SeaRey owner community in Canada, with events like the Georgian Bay Gaggle and the Prince Edward County, Ontario fly-in. Are there other dedicated Canadian SeaRey events?

JD: Summer SeaRey fly-ins have been traditionally held at CYEE Midland Huronia airport. Other events have been ad hoc but with more SeaReys locating on the West Coast and in Nova Scotia, I expect these areas will see their own "squadrons".

CF: The pandemic has been slowing aviation down around the world, how has it affected SeaRey sales, building and flying?

JD: Definitely the factory output has been affected but COVID-19 has certainly provided a "time at home" opportunity for builders already in working on their dreams.

CF: What do you see in the future for SeaReys in Canada?

JD: Let's face it, the SeaRey lives in a niche of its own. It requires a Recreational Licence or PPL with seaplane endorsement. The amphibious flight envelope is a rewarding challenge! It is owner-maintained and repaired which is an asset given the prohibitive cost of hull insurance. My hope would be that we'll see Canada soon join the US, Europe and Australia in recognizing the certified Light Sport category SeaRey. These aircraft will be welcome additions to our small Canadian fleet.

SeaRey LSX amateur-built kit specifications

• Type: two-seat amphibious flying boat
• Engine: Rotax 912iS 100 hp
• Length: 22.4 ft
• Height: 6.4 ft
• Wingspan: 30.8 ft
• Wing area: 158 sq ft
• Wing loading: 9.6 lb/sq ft
• Power loading: 15.1 lb/hp
• Cabin width: 44 in
• Hull draft: 10 in
• Max gross weight: 1510 lbs
• Typical basic-equipped empty weight: 940 lbs
• Useful load: 570 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 23 US gal
• Cruise speed at 75% power: 90 mph
• Rate of climb at sea level: 650 fpm
• Stall speed flaps down: 38 mph
• Stall speed flaps up: 47 mph
• Take-off roll on ground: 350 ft
• Take-off run on water: 472 ft
• Landing roll on ground: 325 ft
• Landing run on water: 350 ft
• Glide ratio: 8:1
• Service ceiling: 13,000 ft
• Range with 30 minute reserve at 75% power: 363 statute miles

External Links

• SeaRey Canada website
• SeaRey factory website

Canadian Private Fleet Growth Drops to Zero in 2019

This article appeared in the February 2020 edition of COPA Flight magazine

by Adam Hunt

Growth declined to virtually zero in the Canadian private civil aircraft fleet in 2019. During the year the private fleet grew by only 15 aircraft, which is 0.05%, while the overall civil aircraft fleet grew by 151 aircraft or 0.41%.

The 2019 numbers are a drop from the 0.28% growth seen in 2018 and far off the peak growth of 2008, just before the Great Recession hit, when the private fleet grew at a peak rate of 3.2%. As the accompanying graph shows, growth rates in the private fleet have been in general decline since the 2008-10 recession started. The graph shows a modest recovery in 2010-11, after the recession, but then drops rapidly and does not reflect the general recovery seen in the Canadian economy. The low Canadian dollar, compared to the US dollar, has probably been a factor and its effect can be seen in the net number of certified aircraft exported.

The US economy continued to do well in 2019 and its dollar remained fairly high against the Canadian dollar. The Canadian dollar ended the year at 77 cents US, up four cents since the end of last year. Once again, the low dollar resulted in a net flow of used certified aircraft out of Canada, mostly to US buyers.

In 2019, the total Canadian civil fleet increased in size by 151 aircraft. In 2019, the private segment of the fleet increased by just 15 aircraft, while the commercial aircraft fleet increased by 153 aircraft and the state fleet, those aircraft owned by the various levels of government in Canada, decreased by 17 aircraft.

Certified Aircraft

Certified aircraft had been leading the growth in private aircraft for a number of years when the Canadian dollar was high, but that trend changed in 2015 when we lost 103 certified aircraft and accelerated in 2016 with the falling Canadian dollar, as we lost 161 certified aircraft. In 2017, we lost 69 certified aircraft and, as the dollar fell in 2018, that increased to 117. In 2019, that accelerated to a loss of 132 aircraft.

In 2019, the changes to the private certified fleet were made up of a reduction of 135 airplanes, while helicopters increased by 17 and gliders decreased by two. Private certified balloons were down by 12. The 2019 decline included 137 single-engined aircraft and one four-engined aircraft, while twins increased by 20 aircraft.

There were 15,814 private certified aircraft at the end of 2019, out of a total of 29,468 private aircraft registered or 54% of the private fleet.

Basic Ultralights

BULAs were once again where the growth was in private aviation in Canada in 2019, as the case has been for several years. During the year, the category increased by 95 aircraft, down from the growth of 118 in 2018. There were 6,431 BULAs registered at the end of 2019.

The attraction of this category undoubtedly remains its low cost.

Owner-maintained

The O-M category added 17 aircraft in 2019, the same number as in both 2017 and 2018. This makes it the category with the third best growth for 2019, behind basic ultralights and amateur-builts. All the growth this year was in airplanes, with no changes to the number of gliders. By the end of 2019, there were 758 O-M aircraft on the registry, made up of 741 airplanes and 17 gliders.

It is worth noting that aircraft are not built in this category, but are mostly existing Canadian certified aircraft that are moved to O-M. Some may be certified aircraft imported from other countries into the O-M category as well.

The O-M category has continued to suffer from low numbers of aircraft being moved from the certified category ever since the American FAA announced that O-M aircraft will never be allowed to fly in US airspace or be sold in the USA.

Amateur-builts

Amateur-builts were in the number two growth position again in 2019, increasing by 64 aircraft, a large jump from the 37 aircraft added in 2018. In 2019, the aircraft added were made up of 59 airplanes, six helicopters and three amateur-built balloons, minus the loss of one glider and three gyroplanes.

Amateur-builts now number 4,344 in Canada and include a wide variety of aircraft, from fixed wing airplanes, helicopters, gliders, gyroplanes to balloons and even one ornithopter, although the latter is in a museum.

Advanced Ultralights

In a trend never seen before, in 2019 the number of advanced ultralights decreased by two airplanes. Their drop this year brought the total number of AULAs on the civil register to 1,252. By its category definition, AULAs are all powered, fixed wing aircraft.

The AULA category was introduced in 1991 and therefore 2019 was its 28th year in existence. The category has increased its numbers at an average of 45 aircraft per year since its inception and so can hardly be considered the success that was anticipated when it was started. It will be interesting to see if the category recovers in 2020, or if it sees further shrinkage.

Commercial Fleet

In 2019, the commercial aircraft fleet increased by 153 aircraft to bring the number up to 7,165. The numbers show an increase of 126 airplanes and 25 helicopters, with the addition of two commercial balloons.

In round numbers, at the end of 2019 the private fleet made up 80% of the aircraft in Canada, with the commercial fleet at 19% and the state fleet at 1%, all basically unchanged in recent years.

Imports & Exports

Aircraft imports into Canada in 2019 numbered 568, which was up from 552 in 2018, but well below the 968 imported during the pre-recession days of 2008.

In 2019, 894 aircraft were exported, an increase from the 790 aircraft exported last year. There were 326 more aircraft exported than imported, a net loss that was much higher than the 238 in 2018.

Conclusions

With the continuing loss of certified private aircraft exported mainly to the US, the private civil aircraft fleet saw essentially zero growth in 2019. This was a continuation of the trend seen over the last five years and this is despite the national economy doing well in this period. The growth that has been seen in the private fleet has been in the lowest-cost end of the fleet, while many higher-value certified aircraft are being exported. Factors such as increasing aircraft ownership costs, including high avgas prices; Transport Canada's over-regulation of personal aviation; airport closures; increasing public concern about climate change and burning fossil fuel for recreational activities; low interest in aviation careers by young people, due to low wages and increasing automation, despite a growing commercial pilot shortage; and an aging private pilot population, are all contributing to the lack of growth in the field.

Note: Aircraft data for this report was taken from the Transport Canada Civil Aircraft Register and reflects the difference between the number of aircraft registered in Canada on 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2019. These statistics reflect the net number of aircraft built and imported, minus the number destroyed, scrapped and exported. Just because an aircraft is registered in Canada does not mean it is being flown and therefore the number of registered aircraft should not be confused with the amount of flying activity.

First New COPA Flight 8 Meeting Planned

by Cameron Boekhoff
President
COPA Flight 8 Ottawa

We’re proud to announce our first community partnership with the Rockcliffe Flying Club.

Thank you to Jason, Pam, the board, and the crew at Rockcliffe for the support. We look forward to working with the team here to bring more opportunities to the community.

Swing by the club Wednesday 08 January 2020 for our first monthly meeting! Doors open at 1900 hrs and a presentation will begin at 1930 hrs.

Meeting Details

• What: Canada is Really Big
• Presented by: Doug Tudor
• Where: Rockcliffe Flying Club, 1495 Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway, Ottawa
• When: 08 January 2020, meet at 1900 hours, presentation at 1930 hrs
• Who: Everyone is welcome.
• Details: Our first monthly meeting of the new COPA Flight 8 will be a celebration of flying across Canada. Please join us for a presentation by Doug Tudor. Doug is a well respected member of our local community who has had the amazing opportunity to travel across our beautiful country in a Veebee (V-8 powered Seabee). He brought back stories, photos, and wisdom to share with us all.

Message from Gabriel Muglia

by Gabriel Muglia
Secretary
COPA Flight 8 Ottawa

Hello All.

My name is Gabriel Muglia, and I am honoured to be the secretary of COPA Flight 8. I have been flying since I turned twelve years old and started formally training toward a PPL at the age of fourteen. My first solo was a few months into being fourteen, and I was granted an RPP at sixteen. I then upgraded to a PPL at seventeen.

I became interested in full scale aviation through my passion for model aircraft which I started flying at eight and I continue to do so today, competing internationally mostly throughout the United States. These days, I’m continuing my training through CPL and Multi-IFR to achieve a dream of becoming an airline pilot.

I want to help the aviation community preserve the freedom to fly. I also want to advocate for youth in aviation, and improve opportunities for young people.

I will see you all around.

An Interview with Robert Fraser of HIPEC Aircraft Coatings

This interview will appear in the February 2020 edition of COPA Flight magazine

Perhaps I can start by asking about your aviation background and how you came to be involved with the HIPEC aircraft fabric system?

My Dad owned a Luscombe so I started flying very early. I received my pilot's licence at 17, through air cadets and have been flying for more than 40 years, with many licence endorsements added along the way.

I presently own four flying aircraft, a Decathlon, a Zenair STOL CH 750, a SeaRey amphibian and a Grob motorglider, plus I have three additional aircraft under construction using HIPEC: a Bushmaster, a second SeaRey and a Chipmunk. My formal education is five years of university in civil and structural engineering, with a math major.

One of our good members at the Stanley Aviation Club here in Nova Scotia indicated there was a Rans aircraft covered with the HIPEC system, that was just applied with a paint roller. I viewed the aircraft and was so impressed with the finish that at first I did not believe him.

We started getting more information on the HIPEC system and met with company founder, Chris Falconar, early in the summer of 2018, purchasing the company in January 2019. We started the process to get a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for all certified aircraft in the fall of 2018 and received the STC in late May 2019.

Chris was a spry 92 years young at this time and was still going strong, but decided it was time to retire. He was an extremely talented person with endless amounts of aviation knowledge. We will miss him dearly. (Editor’s note: Chris Falconar died on 9 September 2018)

Where is the company located?

It is a registered Alberta company and our products are made in Edmonton, but our office and hangar are located in Porters Lake, Nova Scotia.

How big is the company?

Presently there are two people in the office and four dealers, plus subcontractors to build our airplanes.

Do you have dealers or sell direct?

We mostly sell direct, but we have an Ontario and a western Alberta representative, plus a US and Australian one also, Manna Aviation.

Can you describe how HIPEC is applied and what makes it different from the other systems?

HIPEC is a well-researched and developed, proven system that's been flying for 50 plus years with thousands of examples. No rib stitching, no rivets and no tapes are required. It is a seamless system with blending of the overlaps, which disappear after four or five brushed applications of thinned HIPEC Attach Glue (HAG) over the seams.

HIPEC is STC'd for almost all certified aircraft, with ease of application (just 3 coats) being a strong advantage. It is the lightest system by far available.

The fabric is attached to the structure using HAG (similar to most systems), then ironed tight using two heat ranges. Then, four or five small, brushed-on, thinned HAG coats are applied to the seams.

The first coat of HIPEC Sun Barrier is then rolled or brushed on. It soaks through the fabric and adheres it to the structure whether metal, composite or wood. A second coat can be cross sprayed then lightly sanded, for optimum results. The Sun Barrier is a single component, moisture cured, silver-grey polyurethane with unmatched bonding characteristics. It saves a huge amount of labour (100 hours or more on an aircraft). The topcoat is then sprayed on, resulting in a long lasting high gloss finish that retains its flexibility indefinitely. For an award-winning level of finish, a second topcoat can also be sprayed on. It's really a three coat system, versus the competitions’ six to eight coat systems. It even meets or exceeds FAR 23.337 design requirements for aerobatic aircraft, without applying rib stitching. It has seven times the peel strength versus most other fabric systems and has never had a single lab failure, ever.

HIPEC provides a faster and better performing, lighter airplane, with its seamless finish, with no draggy rib stitching, rivets or reinforcing tapes that have extra coatings to fill the tapes. The tapes alone can cost $500 or more to finish a plane.

How does it compare for cost, speed of application and ease of use?

It is the most cost effective and one of the lightest systems there is. It can be quickly applied with very little sanding. It is one third the cost of a single coat European system and is significantly more economical than other competitors’ multiple coat systems. For instance, on a rudder or elevator, you can apply the fabric on day one with HAG, allow overnight curing, shrink the fabric and apply the Sun Barrier in the morning, spray the second coat of SB in the evening, light sand and tack rag, then spray the topcoat the next morning and you are done. Actually, all three coats can be applied with only a roller with excellent results, when done in a clean and dust-free environment.

The finished, cured weight on a Just Aviation STOL aircraft will be 18 to 20 pounds, with a Citabria tipping the scales at approximately 32 pounds.

What precautions are required when applying HIPEC?

You will need good ventilation, a clean dust free work area and proper personal protective equipment (PPE). The HIPEC Sun Barrier, a single component product, has to be applied in a higher relative humidity setting (with a wet floor) for best results, as it is moisture-cured. A good organic breathing filter is recommended for spraying, although our new HIPEC system “B” can be ordered at no additional cost and it is a volatile organic compound (VOC) free product.

The system must be applied as described in our new 23rd edition manual, with no “MacGyvering” whatsoever. The HIPEC products were scientifically developed and rigourously tested to be chemically compatible. All our products are mixed simply one part “A” to one part “B”, so no special formulas are required.

What kind of fabric lifespan can you realistically expect on an aircraft with HIPEC, stored in a hangar or stored outdoors?

While attending Oshkosh in 2019 as a vendor, we were shown examples of aircraft that were covered in the early 1980s and still looking fine. Our Ontario dealer, Monty Wells, covered his J3 in 2000 and it still looks great. It was subject to a hail storm three years ago, which caused several punctures. His friend's plane, same place, same storm, was un-airworthy from the hail damage. Monty repaired his with several “loonie” dollar sized pre-finished patches.

If hangared, the HIPEC finish will easily last many decades.

Any idea how many aircraft are flying with HIPEC?

It would be in the thousands, as it has been around for a very long time.

At Oshkosh in 2019 we were overwhelmed by response to HIPEC, including its new STC for use on certified aircraft. The polyurethane paints are much more durable than the vinyl lines of paint.

I noted your company also sells a hangar floor coating system. How was developed?

With my environmental company, we were involved in many floor coating applications and it was just a natural progression. Our system provides a super-durable, long-lasting and less slippery product. It costs approximately $1.25 per square foot and is available in many colors. It really adds new life to a hangar or garage and is very easy to apply.

Any future plans for the company?

At this point in time, we are aggressively promoting HIPEC, after years of little or no advertising.

We will attend Oshkosh AirVenture in 2020 with a highly modified Smith Super Cub built by our western dealer, Shane Madson, from the Edmonton area. It will, of course, feature a HIPEC paint job.

We have had some excellent responses from many well-established aircraft companies using our product, as it provides them with a much lighter aircraft, large labour-savings and a well-proven system.

Anything else we should know about HIPEC?

We have test sample kits available which will do a complete rudder and elevator with our entire process, including the new manual.

We will soon be completing our brand new HIPEC Bushmaster demonstrator, complete with a 200 hp Lycoming engine, plus the modified Super Cub, both featuring HIPEC high quality, lightweight paint jobs.

We have 45,000 colors to choose from with high or low gloss, metallics, pearls, candied and fluorescents available.

External links

• Company website
• Transport Canada STC SA09-3 for HIPEC covering on certified aircraft

Message from Laura Matheson

by Laura Matheson
Vice-President
COPA Flight 8 Ottawa

Hi everyone!

My name is Laura Matheson, and I am very excited to come aboard COPA Flight 8 as your Vice President!

I attended flight college right out of high school, finishing as the only woman of my graduating class two years later with my PPL, Night Rating and Float Endorsement. Since college I have worked as a Ramp Attendant, and presently work as a Customer Service Representative for Porter Airlines. With a little cooperation from the weather I hope to finish my CPL and MIFR in the next year.

In my spare time I represent Elevate Aviation as their Tours and Speaking Engagements Co-Coordinator for Ontario. I am also a member of my local Ninety Nines Chapter, the Ontario Seaplane Pilot’s Association, Women in Aviation International, and most recently am one of the four Canadian Women in Aviation 2019 Aviation Scholarship winners.

One of my favourite thing about General Aviation is the freedom that flying can bring; although I have airline dreams in the future, life currently VFR and below 10,000’ is where I am happiest. Having worked alongside your Chapter President, Cameron Boekhoff, to re-establish a National Capital flight for COPA over the last few months has been an absolute privilege! We are working on putting together an exciting list of events for our members, and I look forward to both celebrating and promoting the General Aviation Community of both Ottawa and Ontario with you!

Catch me on the fly!

Message from Cameron Boekhoff

by Cameron Boekhoff
President
COPA Flight 8 Ottawa

My name is Cameron Boekhoff, and I am honoured to be the President of Ottawa - COPA Flight 8.

I’ve been a flying member of the aviation community since 2011, when I earned my Glider Pilot’s License through the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. In 2013 I added a Private License, also as a cadet. College saw me take a couple years off of flying, but I learned a thing or two about fixing airplanes, graduating from the Aviation Maintenance Program at Canadore College in North Bay. My AME license was stamped in 2018, and remains my most recent license. I hope to soon be able to add a Commercial and Multi/IFR to my list.

I wanted to bring back a COPA Flight to Ottawa. Both for the social opportunities, but also to represent local pilots in matters to our association. As the community changes rapidly around us, I believe there is something we can do to help bring in the next generation, promoting safety, airmanship, and most importantly respect for all our fellow aviators.

I hope to see you all out at our events soon. Should you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Flight 8 is Reactivating!

The last COPA Flight 8 meeting was on 21 April 2015 and since then the flight has become inactive, but that is about to change!

Local pilot and COPA member Cameron Boekhoff has been working on getting the flight back to operational status. He has already completed the COPA paperwork, put together a new Flight 8 management team and created new social media accounts, ready for new announcements and photos:

• Facebook
• Instagram

Watch the Flight 8 website, Facebook and this blog for more announcements and an upcoming meeting schedule.

For more information contact Cameron Boekhoff

October Breakfast at the Pembroke Airport

By Jennifer Layman
Pembroke & Area Airport
176 Len Hopkins Drive, Pembroke, Ontario K8A 6W7
www.flycyta.ca

The Pembroke & Area Airport is having a Thanksgiving weekend breakfast on 12 October 2019, 0800-1030 hrs, that is a fundraiser for Project Runway. This is an additional breakfast to the ones that have been catered all year and will be buffet style.

Westport's Annual "Pigs and Pies" Fly-In for 2019

The annual "Pigs and Pies" Fly-In / Drive-In lunch is hosted by the Rideau Lakes Flying Club/COPA Flight 56.

Details

• 12 October 2019
• Sausages and pie served from 11:00 until 14:00
• Donations accepted to cover costs
• Westport ON (CRL2)
• Runway 07/25, 3118 feet (950 metres)
• Comm: 123.2 Mhz
• Co-ordinates (N) 43 39 93 (W) 76 23 92

Come join us for a great end to the summer and to the fabulous fall colours of Westport, Ontario. View the planes and enjoy the Westport hospitality. Floatplane pickup from main dock in Westport. Fun for the whole family.

For more information, please contact Mike Miles at 613-276-6276 or Bill Green at 613-273-5282.

24th Annual Barnyard Fly-in

by John Alford, RAA Oshawa

Come on out to the RAA Oshawa District Recreational Aircraft Association organized fly-in, on Sunday, 8 September 2019 at Hawkefield, CHF4, N44 00, W 78 39, 620 ASL (private strip) ORONO in the Canada Flight Supplement.

It is a friendly gathering of pilots and enthusiasts, their families and their ultra-lights, amateur-builts, warbirds and certified aircraft from all parts of southern Ontario.

Details

Land on the best 3,300 foot grass strip around.

Hours of Fly-in are 0900-1500 hrs.

Overnight camping on field is available, if required. (Portable toilets, no other facilities.)

Please keep safety as a first priority and comply with Transport Canada regulations.

Keep all circuits to the WEST , avoiding residential areas. Traffic advisory frequency is 123.2. NORDO aircraft to follow standard arrival procedures. Circuit height is 1600 feet ASL. Amphibious planes that have trouble taxiing on long grass, please land long or short and park at the ramp, and please notify our radio operator on contact so other aircraft can be spaced to accommodate the longer taxi. We will expect amphibians to back-taxi on the runway rather than taxi onto the general parking area.

** Note the runway 18 threshold is displaced 300 feet to avoid parked aircraft.

FLY MART buy and sell available on site. Bring your treasures to swap and sell.

Breakfast and lunch served for nominal cost, thanks to the Bowmanville Kinsmen club.

FREE CORN ON THE COB AND PRIZES !!

For further information

• Jim Morrison
• Doug Raine
• John Alford

Hawkefield Barnyard Fly-in

• N 44 00 W 78 39 Private Field CHF4 (Canada Flight Supplement as ORONO)
• 123.2 MHz Advisories
• Runway 18-36 3300' grass
• All circuits to the west
• Runway 18 displaced threshold 300' due to parked aircraft
• Elevation 620'
• Circuits 1600' on west side of field
• If NORDO then follow standard arrival procedures

COPA's Eastern Canada Fly-in 2019

Register today for this 24 August 2019 event!

An Interview With Phil Hale of Manna Aviation

This interview also appeared in the October 2019 edition of COPA Flight magazine

Chris Falconar’s homebuilt aircraft designs are well-known in Canada. His company, Falconar Avia, based in Edmonton, Alberta, supplied many homebuiders with plans, kits and parts over the years, in particular for his wooden aircraft designs.

Falconar passed away on 9 September 2018 and the company was wound-up on 30 June 2019. The rights to his F-series aircraft, Minihawk, 2/3 Mustang and the S14 Miranda aircraft plans were purchased by Manna Aviation of Toronto, New South Wales, Australia and are now back on the market.

I interviewed Manna Aviation’s General Manager, Phil Hale, in July 2019, asked him about his company and his future plans.

1. Perhaps we can start with some background on you. What is your flying and homebuilt aircraft experience?

I initially learnt to fly in 2007 in Australia in the ultralight category (equivalent to light sport in the USA) and then upgraded to a full Private Pilots Licence in 2010. During 2008, I was introduced to a colleague who was building his own aircraft, it was a Jabiru 120 and after researching how this was achievable, I decided to give it a go.

After researching many designs and in particular, recognized easy-to-build kits, I decided to build a Zenith CH601 XLB. I built this aircraft from the kit and it was completed in two years, with the first flight being in June 2008. This aircraft was sold in May 2019.

In 2013, I got the bug to start another build, but this time is was going to be from plans. The mission for this aircraft was to be two seat, low wing, retractable undercarriage, respectable range being at least 700 miles, cruise speed of at least 160 knots and of timber construction. I decided to start an Osprey GP4 aircraft which is still in the build process.

2. When did you start Manna Aviation and what were the aims for the company?

Manna Aviation was started in February 2012 with the aim of providing a service to match available hangar space with aircraft owners looking for spaces. The aim of the business was noble, but the reality of finding and match hangar space was limited and not profitable. So began the change in focus, to finding products and services in the aviation industry, which are not currently represented in the Oceania region, was the mission.

The first product we came across was an oxy-acetylene welding torch for use in welding chrome-moly 4130 steel, for the rag and tube aircraft builds. This product was spun off as a separate business, Cobra Torches Australia. Once the welding torch business was established, Manna Aviation became our focus again.

We initially were looking for any aviation-related products and were able to seal a dealership with Flybox Avionics from Italy. We continued our search for other products and we fortunate to be able to pick up the plans business from Falconar Avia, to supplement the avionics business.

3. Who else is involved in the company?

Manna Aviation is a family owned and financed business, with four employees. We are a lean organization, which gives us the ability to adapted to an ever-changing world in which we operate. We add resources as needed to meet peak demands and provide the highest level of customer service.

4. You have a line of EFIS, Engine Information Systems, instruments and an autopilot system, all aimed at homebuilders. How did you get involved in these product lines?

We initially were looking for avionics products, which supported three fuel tank levels as well as the standard engine monitoring systems of EGT, CHT, etc and most of the common makes do not support three tanks. We were able to find a product made by Flybox Avionics from Italy. After making inquiries with Flybox about the product and finding out they did not have any dealers in Australia, we entered into a contract to represent Flybox Avionics in the Australia and New Zealand regions.

5. Your company is in Toronto, New South Wales, Australia. How did you come to get involved in Chris Falconar's aircraft designs all the way from Canada? Did you know Chris personally?

In 2013, while looking for the next build project, the Falconar F-12A “Cruiser” was one of the aircraft I was considering. I was specifically looking for a wooden design and the Falconar designs are a simple to build design with a proven heritage. Although I decided to build the Osprey GP4, I continued to monitor other wooden designs, you just don’t know what will come your way. I was unfortunate that I never got the chance to know or work with Chris Falconar, but my experience of working with Kalvin Falconar and Mel Locke in the transition of the business has been a real pleasure.

6. With the winding up of Falconar Avia this year, after Chris Falconar's death in 2018, you bought the rights to eight of his homebuilt aircraft designs, including the Falconar F-9, 10, 11 and 12, Minihawk, SAL P-51D Mustang and the S14 Miranda. What led you to want to market these aircraft classic plans over something newer?

As an aviation enthusiast, I am disappointed at the number of homebuilt aircraft designs that just disappear and are no-longer available. No contact details to follow up, they just disappear. There are many wooden designs that I would love to have on the books, I am trying to find contacts to make these designs available again, but to no avail. So, I like to think, we can preserve the aviation heritage that designs, like those of Chris Falconar and other designers provided, that started the homebuilt industry, like the Taylor Monoplane, Chilton, Jodel D-9, etc.

7. Is there still a market for plans-built wooden aircraft here in the 21st century?

There will always be a market for plans built wooden aircraft because there will always be the purest who wants to build from plans. Wooden aircraft have a proven heritage going all the way back to the Tiger Moths, and they are still flying. Wood is a wonderful building material and with the modern epoxy-based glues, the ability to build a wooden performance aircraft from timber is easily achievable today. With plantation timbers being available and suitable for building aircraft, the future looks good.

8. Will you be adding partial or complete kits for the aircraft over time?

With the purchase of the rights to the Falconar family of aircraft, came the full kit parts listings and over time Manna Aviation will begin to add kits for each of the aircraft to the range of products available. As Manna Aviation builds the business over time, we are expecting that all the kits previously offered by Falconar Avia will be made available. We will also look into partnering with other businesses in producing the kits.

9. It looks like you are selling the aircraft plans on paper, like Falconar did. Some, like the Mustang plans, are pretty big and heavy and must be costly to ship. Are you considering selling digital copies or are they less useful?

Manna Aviation will be offering the paper-based plans for the near future, while we digitize the plans sets. We have been looking into the shipping costs and this has been kept to a minimum where possible. With today's’ capabilities in digital file technology, Manna Aviation will move to a full digital file delivery of the plan sets. For those clients who prefer to have the paper based plans, we will produce the plans and ship them.

10. What does the future hold for Manna Aviation? Will you be adding more aircraft from other designers or a bigger range of building supplies?

The future for Manna Aviation is bright, with the intention to grow both the plans and avionics business. We will always be on the lookout for new products to add to our range and this will encompass any product that is aviation-related. Manna Aviation will also be working with the team from Hipec Systems [of aircraft fabric coverings] to supply and recommend their products for use in the construction of the Falconar range of aircraft.

Manna Aviation hopes to provide builder-assist programs in the future and the development of a builders’ blog for the Falconar range of aircraft. In relation to adding additional plans from other designers, this is a major part of the business plan. We are dedicated to maintaining the wooden heritage and, where possible, re-establish the market of lost plans like the Jurca range.

11. Is there anything else you want to add?

The Manna Aviation website will be wholly devoted to the aircraft plans business and the avionics and parts business will be moved to a sister company Cobra Aviation.

External links

• Manna Aviation website

Bancroft 2nd Annual Fly In Golf Tournament

53rd Annual Iroquois Fly-In Breakfast

RAA Midland-Huronia Northern Regional Fly-In (NRFI) - Planes, Trains & Automobiles

By Rob Macdonald
RAA Midland-Huronia
CYEE RAA

The Midland-Huronia Northern Regional Fly-In (NRFI) — Planes, Trains & Automobiles will take place on 13 July 2019 at the Midland-Huronia Airport (CYEE).

This year we will not have a Transport Canada Safety Seminar. Instead, we present Air Canada Captain (Ret.) Bob Pearson as special guest speaker, who will present The History of the "Gimli Glider". Join us at NRFI to welcome Bob Pearson!

Posters with event details are attached.

As usual the fly-in has free admission.

A small fee applies to attend guest speaker presentation, Bob Pearson. Please contact Midland-Huronia Airport to reserve tickets: by email or by phone 705-526-8086.

Update: STOL Challenge Event Added

A STOL Challenge will be part of NRFI at CYEE on 13 July 2019. STOL Challenge contact is Michael Heintz 705-526-8086.

Lachute Fly-in 2019

by Mathieu Gratton
2019 APPAL Fly-In Coordinator

APPAL, the Association of owners and pilots of the Lachute Airport invites you to our Fly-in that will take place this year on 03 August 2019.

Giving Back to the Community

This year, the profits from the event will be donated to “La maison de la famille, au cœur des générations d’Argenteuil”; an organization that has for mission “to welcome families and accompany them in all facets of the most beautiful profession in the world; that of being a parent”.

100 Years of Aviation!

In 2019, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first landing in Lachute, that of a Curtiss Jenny in 1919. In addition to the Fly-in, we are joining efforts with the celebration "Our Communities, Our Heritage" which will be on site at the flea market. There will be festivities all weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Come for the Fly-in, Stay for the Bluegrass! Together, we can make this an event to remember!

Aviators' Flea Market

Once again, we will host the Aviator’s Flea Market. If you have goodies to sell, let me know by email at RVA-LACHUTE@VIDEOTRON.CA. We will have a table for you.

Also, if you have a particular aircraft that you would like to exhibit, please notify me. We will reserve you a good spot ... especially if it’s a pre-war treasure.

Looking forward to seeing you in Lachute on 03 August.

Champlain Flying Club Annual Fly-In Breakfast

• What: Champlain Flying Club Annual Fly-In Breakfast With Wheels Of The Valley On Display
• How: Fly-In, Drive-In, Walk-In!
• Date: Sunday 09 June 2019
• Time: 0700-1100
• Where: Bruce Mcphail Memorial Airfield, Cobden Ontario
• Event: Come join us For breakfast, plus a local band will be playing downhome music
• Price: Adults: $10.00, children under 10 years old: $5.00

COPA Flight 73 Fly-In & CVMG Motorcycle Swap Meet

Rideau Lakes (Westport) Fly-in 2019 - Cancelled

By Mike Miles

I'd like to invite you and all of your fliers to our Spring Fling Fly-in happening on Saturday, May 18 from 8:00 - 13:00. As usual, the flying will be at the Westport airfield (Co-ordinates (N) 43 39 93 (W) 76 23 92) or about a kilometer south of Westport off Highway 10.

As you know, we have one of the nicest grass strips in the region and a great water landing area (we come and get you off the water for transport to the field). Breakfast starts around 8:30 and is available until around noon (donations appreciated) but the field is open as long as people want to stay and catch up.

A great way to start the long weekend, weather willing - see you in Westport!!!

Update - Fly-in cancelled

The fly in is cancelled. The field will be NOTAM closed due to standing water on the field.

190119 CYGK WESTPORT/RIDEAU LAKES
CRL2 RWY 07/25 CLSD DUE SOFT SURFACE
1905172020 TIL APRX 1905311600

Stanley Victoria Day Fly-In Breakfast 2019

Hanover Rust Remover 2019

New AULA Flying Boat Amphibian

Press release from Patrick Gilligan

In January 2019, AeroVolga aircraft, the manufacturer of the Borey Amphibious Aircraft, received Transport Canada’s letter of acceptance for the Borey model A, as an Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplane (AULA).

This is the first amphibious flying boat AULA accpeted in Canada in 2019 and will certainly provide an advantage to flight schools. Students will be able to acquire their Ultra-Light Pilot Permit on land and get checked out as a seaplane pilot, too.

AeroVolga’s team of engineers worked long and hard to optimize weight and simplicity while maximizing strength and serviceability for the Canadian AULA market.

AeroVolga Scientific Production Association (SPA) is a Russian Limited Liability Company founded in 2002. The first aircraft manufactured, the LA-8 twin engine eight-seat amphibious aircraft, made its inaugural flight in 2004. The company received the Quality System Certificate ISO 9001: 2008 (GOST ISO 9001-2011) for the design, production, operation of aircraft, helicopters and other aircraft.

The Aero Volga’s complex has a total area of 550,000 m2, including – “an aerodrome with two runways (concrete and grass)”, industrial, manufacturing facility and auxiliary buildings of 2,500 m2. Currently with a staff of approximately 100 skilled professionals throughout several divisions: design office, production work-shops, maintenance and continuing airworthiness. The company works in close international cooperation with foreign partners, in particular with the Swiss company, Aéronautique Design & Service Bureau.

The Borey

Leveraging Aero Volga’s extensive experience and manufacturing capability, the design of a two-seat amphibious aircraft was initiated and in 2016 the Borey’s first flight was celebrated. Sales efforts took place in 2017 and the first deliveries to customers in Summer 2018. To date a total of eight aircraft have been manufactured, with five delivered to customers, including three for Germany. The first Borey to be delivered to Canada will be in early spring of 2019.

In October 2016, representatives of AeroVolga met with Transport Canada in Ottawa to discuss the AULA -TP10141 design standards and the requirements to qualify as an eligible Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplane.

Borey’s achievement

In summer of 2018, three AeroVolga aircraft, one Borey two seater accompanied by two LA-8s, performed a flight around the world along the Arctic Circle, over the territories of nine countries: Russia, USA, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The trip took 43 days, the aircraft flew more than 20,000 km over land, seas and oceans without failure or incident.

• Facebook
• For high resolution photos contact Sergey Araslanov
• For more information visit AeroVolga
• For technical information in Canada contact Patrick Gilligan
• Dealers/Distributors contact George Alafinov, website

The Canadian Private Fleet Growth Drops in 2018

by Adam Hunt

Growth declined in the Canadian private civil aircraft fleet in 2018, after increasing slightly in 2017. In 2018 the private fleet grew by 82 aircraft, which is 0.28%, while the overall civil aircraft fleet grew by 129 aircraft or 0.35%.

The 2018 numbers are a drop from the 0.35% growth seen in 2017 and far off the peak growth of 2008, just before the recession hit, when the private fleet grew at a peak rate of 3.2%. As the accompanying graph shows, growth rates in the private fleet have been in general decline since the 2008-10 recession started. The numbers seem to not reflect the recovery seen in the overall Canadian economy. The low Canadian dollar, compared to the US dollar, has probably also been a factor and its effect can be seen in the net number of certified single and twin-engined aircraft exported.

The US economy continued to do well in 2018 and its dollar remained fairly high against the Canadian dollar. The Canadian dollar ended the year at 73 cents US, down seven cents since the end of last year. Once again the low dollar resulted in a net flow of used certified aircraft out of Canada, mostly to US buyers.

In 2018 the total Canadian civil fleet increased in size by 129 aircraft. In 2018 the private segment of the fleet increased by 82 aircraft, while the commercial aircraft fleet increased by 60 aircraft and the state fleet, those aircraft owned by the various levels of government in Canada, decreased by 13 aircraft.

Certified Aircraft

Certified aircraft had been leading the growth in private aircraft for a number of years when the Canadian dollar was high, but that trend changed in 2015 when we lost 103 certified aircraft and accelerated in 2016 with the falling Canadian dollar, as we lost 161 certified aircraft. In 2017 we lost 69 certified aircraft and, as the dollar fell in 2018, that increased to 117.

In 2018 the changes to the private certified fleet were made up of a reduction of 117 airplanes, while helicopters increased by seven and gliders increased by one. Private certified balloons were down by eight. The 2018 decline included 71 single-engined aircraft, 37 twins and one three-engined aircraft.

There were 15,946 private certified aircraft at the end of 2018, out of a total of 29,453 private aircraft registered or 54% of the private fleet.

Basic Ultralights

BULAs were once again where the growth was in private aviation in Canada in 2018, as the case has been for several years. During the year the category increased by 118 aircraft, an increase from the growth of 101 in 2015, 104 in 2016 and 98 in 2017. There were 6,336 BULAs registered at the end of 2018.

The attraction of this category undoubtedly remains its low cost.

Amateur-builts

Amateur-builts were in the number two growth position again in 2018, increasing by 37 aircraft, up from 35 aircraft in 2017, although down from a high of 67 in 2014. Interest in this category seems to be slowly trending downwards over time. In 2018 the aircraft added were made up of 39 airplanes and one amateur-built balloon, minus the loss of two gliders and one gyroplane. Airships and helicopters saw no new net additions this past year.

Amateur-builts now number 4,280 in Canada and include a wide variety of aircraft, from fixed wing airplanes, helicopters, gliders, gyroplanes to balloons, airships and even one ornithopter, although the latter is in a museum.

Owner-maintained

The O-M category added 17 aircraft in 2018, the same number as in 2017, which is down from the 42 added in 2015 and 34 in 2016. This makes it the category with the third best growth for 2018, behind basic ultralights and amateur-builts. There were actually 18 airplanes added and one glider removed, for a total 17. By the end of 2018, there were 741 O-M aircraft on the registry, made up of 724 airplanes and 17 gliders.

It is worth noting that aircraft are not built in this category, but are mostly existing Canadian certified aircraft that are moved to O-M. Some may be certified aircraft imported from other countries into the O-M category, as well.

The O-M category has continued to suffer from low numbers of aircraft being moved from the certified category ever since the American FAA announced that O-M aircraft will never be allowed to fly in US airspace or sold in the USA.

Advanced Ultralights

Advanced ultralights were in fourth place for growth again in 2018, increasing their numbers by 13 airplanes, well down from the 20 added in 2015. Their growth this year brought the total number of AULAs on the civil register to 1,254. By its category definition, AULAs are all powered, fixed wing aircraft.

The AULA category was introduced in 1991 and therefore 2018 was its 27th year in existence. The category has increased its numbers at an average of 46 aircraft per year since its inception and so can hardly be considered the success that was anticipated when it was started. As in recent years, the number of AULAs added in 2018 was well below the average from the category's earlier years. The low sales figures are mostly likely linked to the high price of new AULAs and their American counter-parts, Light-Sport Aircraft. US LSAs are also seeing very anemic sales numbers, far below the initial expectations in the US.

Commercial Fleet

In 2018 the commercial aircraft fleet increased by 60 aircraft to bring it up to 7,012. The numbers show an increase of 40 airplanes and 21 helicopters, with the addition of one commercial glider, the sole one registered. Two commercial balloons were removed from the register.

In round numbers, at the end of 2018 the private fleet made up 80% of the aircraft in Canada, with the commercial fleet at 19% and the state fleet at 1%, all basically unchanged in recent years.

Imports & Exports

Aircraft imports into Canada in 2018 numbered 552, which was up from 527 in 2017, but well below the 968 imported during the pre-recession days of 2008.

In 2018, 790 aircraft were exported, well up from the 675 aircraft exported last year. There were 238 more aircraft exported than imported, a net loss that was much higher than the 148 in 2017.

Conclusions

With the continuing loss of certified private aircraft exported mainly to the US, the private civil aircraft fleet saw near-zero growth in 2018. This was a continuation of the trend seen over the last four years and has been occurring despite the national economy doing well in this period. The growth that has been seen in the private fleet has been in the lowest-cost end of the fleet, while many higher-value certified aircraft are being exported. Factors such as increasing aircraft ownership costs, including high avgas prices; Transport Canada's over-regulation of personal aviation; airport closures, increasing lack of public support for burning fossil fuel for recreational activities; low interest in aviation careers by young people, due to low wages and increasing automation, despite a growing commercial pilot shortage; and an aging private pilot population, are all contributing to the lack of growth in the field.

Note: Aircraft data for this report was taken from the Transport Canada Civil Aircraft Register and reflects the difference between the number of aircraft registered in Canada on 31 December 2017 and 31 December 2018. These statistics reflect the net number of aircraft built and imported, minus the number destroyed, scrapped and exported. Just because an aircraft is registered in Canada does not mean it is being flown and therefore the number of registered aircraft should not be confused with the amount of flying activity.