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.

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

Mike Shaw to Retire as Flight 8 Captain

After more than 15 years at the helm of Flight 8, Captain Mike Shaw has decided to retire.

In a recent message to the flight members he explained his decision:

I have decided that since I expect to be travelling most of next winter, I should resign as Captain of Flight 8 effective the end of April 2015. It's been a pleasure and I have enjoyed all of your company over the years. I hope someone will step forward and assume this position, I still want to attend meetings when able.

Anyone interested in taking over the running of Flight 8 should contact Mike Shaw to put their name forward.