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!!!
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
by Mike Miles, Rideau Lakes Flying Club/COPA Flight 56
Planes from all over Ontario and Quebec generally fly in for the day if the weather is good. Last year we had 50+ different kinds of planes to see. The variety of planes is generally diverse, so a great opportunity to fly your own plane in and to talk with pilots of other makes and models. We have a fabulous spread of Octoberfest sausages (the Pigs) and locally baked pies (the Pies) available for a simple donation.
Love to see you and your members back at Westport on Saturday October 06, either as single plane but preferably as groups of planes from your own Club. For more information you can contact me at 613-276-6276 or Bill Green at (613) 273-5282.
From Rockcliffe Flying Club
Every year, the RFC hosts Canada Day celebrations for those who drive-in, walk-in, bike-in, fly-in... even sail-in. Get ahead of this exciting day on Canada's 151st birthday by starting with a hearty breakfast (7-11am), visiting our open house pilot booths (in the morning), enjoying a sightseeing ride (museum side)... and much more besides. Pilots flying in with their aircraft get discounted avgas and the breakfast is on us!
By Gary Gaudreau, Director/Secretary
Bancroft Flying Club
Bancroft Community Airport (CNW3)
COPA Flight 119
We are really excited about our collaboration with our next door neighbours, the Bancroft Ridge Golf Club and are pleased to announce that we are putting on our 1st Annual Fly In Golf Tournament on Saturday, 4 August 2018.
Participants can register themselves and their guests on our website.
There are no landing fees, lots of free parking and we have 100LL and JetA-1 available. We hope to see a lot of you here.
I attended Ottawa Macdonald Cartier International Airport Noise Management Committee meeting on 21 March 2018. It was one of the best noise management meetings I have attended. Neighbours of the airport were represented by 5 local folks. Also at the meeting was representation from Ottawa Flying Club and Ottawa Aviation Services. Others attendees represented the Airport Authority, Nav Canada, Transport Canada, the city of Ottawa and the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association.
The flight training folks that operate light aircraft generate most noise complaints at Ottawa. More on this issue in a moment. There are relatively few noise complaints about jet or turboprop airliners. In fact, complaints about airliners mostly happens during unusual operations, like when a runway is closed for maintenance. One example was the spike in complaints from the Aylmer area of Quebec when due to runway maintenance more airliners landed on runway 14. That put them lower over Aylmer than normally happens. They were seen and heard.
As noted above, the bulk of noise complaints were due to light aircraft in the circuit for either runway 22 or 04. The community representatives asked questions and gave their observations on the traffic they found most distressing. They were very concerned with noise level and frequency of noise events. The representatives from the Ottawa Flying Club and Ottawa Aviation Services said they would do their best to mitigate the noise. They offered to look a flight paths and altitudes in the circuits. There was some suggestion that some circuit aircraft were flying too low, but the airport and Transport Canada said there was little proof of frequent low flying. Both flight training organizations noted that they chastise low flyers and impose corrective measures on the pilots, even cancelling their flying privileges when necessary. They also noted that they would consider quieter mufflers, if they were available and certified in Canada.
One of the airport’s neighbours asked if the flight training could be stopped or at least less frequent, particularly on weekends. The two flight training operations noted that they would go out of business if they could not service their customers/members on the weekends. One of the complainers suggested that the flight training operations were putting their business needs above those impacted by the noise. Both flight training operations offered to do all they could to mitigate the noise. I thought they were most respectful in not pointing out that their families’ well being depended on doing perfectly legal activity of flight training in a manner consistent with all aviation regulations.
Both flight training operations offered to take the locals for familiarization flights so they could see what pilots see. Hopefully that will happen.
The airport noted that they investigate noise complaints but found it very difficult to resolve them without specific information on the time and location of the events. Transport Canada noted that they were conducting investigations of 3 infractions, but that there really was not a problem of frequent low flying at Ottawa airport. They also noted that circuits at Ottawa are a hundred feet or so higher than is the standard 1000 feet above an airport’s elevation across the country.
It was agreed that meetings with community representatives would occur more regularly.
Finally it was noted that runway 04-22 will experience short term closures in the near future. Pilots are reminded to check NOTAMS.
Michael Shaw, former Captain of COPA Flight 8 Ottawa, airmail@rogers.com
Robert Kostecka will be giving a presentation on the Bristish Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP) at the Rockcliffe Flying Club (RFC) on 15 February 2018 at 1900 hrs.
Complete details are on the poster at left.
To reserve a spot please contact RFC Dispatch or (613) 746-4425. Space is limited - so you will need to contact them soon to guarantee a spot.
by Kathleen Van Benthem, PhD. ACE Lab Carleton University
We have been busy here at the ACE Lab and are about to embark on a new Cessna 172 study. We have added a new feature where pilots will fly with ForeFlight on an iPad for part of the flight. As well, we will be adding a virtual reality-based cognitive health assessment tool that we designed. We are very excited about this study, as it is a big step forward in our plans.
You may participate if you:
The study takes place over two sessions at the ACE Lab at Carleton University.
Previous participants are welcome.
Contact cessnastudy@gmail.com for more information or to register.
We look forward to hearing from you!
