News and Comment

A solar plane took off in Switzerland Wednesday on its first 24-hour test flight. The Solar Impulse team was hoping the craft can absorb enough energy during the day to fly all night.

CROFT, (Ian) JohnThe Ottawa Flying Club has been around a long time and many members have come and gone over the decades. Yet, the connection remains decades later.

Obituaries are short - an entire life described in a few lines - a precious use of words. So I'm touched when I read of the association with OFC in an obituary. Being a member of this club must have been so special for that person. A defining part of their life.

(Ian) John Croft died on Monday, 28 June 2010. His obituary mentions that "John was President and owner of CMI Services; a veteran of the Korean War (R.C.A.F); and a former member of the Ottawa Flying Club and the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association."

It is a shame we don't remember and honor to the same extent. Our records are too poor and we are too few to keep up with decades of information. Still, we are here - the result of the committment of all those who have gone before - and we will continue, due in no small part to John and those like him.

Godspeed John and thanks.

The next Private Pilot's Licence Ground School will start 20 July 2010 at 18:30 in the lower class room at OFC, 20 Lindbergh Private, Ottawa, and will run each Tuesday evening for 18 weeks.

This ground school class is required for anyone wishing to earn a Transport Canada Private Pilot's Licence and is highly recommended for the Recrational Pilot's Licence. No prior knowledge is required to take the class. You will require the standard student pilot kit including "From the Ground UP" and the associated workbooks. The kit can be purchased from Dispatch.

Please register for this class as seating is limited. If you haven't already given your name to Dispatch, please call them at 613-523-2142 or e-mail dispatch@ofc.ca. Dispatch will be calling those who have already expressed interest. In any case, it would be a good idea to confirm your attendance ahead of time.

The cost for attendance is $350.00 + HST. The Study Kit is sold separately and costs $324.95 + HST.

As you may know, the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) comes into effect tomorrow. The HST will apply on most items and services at OFC. As a result, you will notice an increase in 8% on anything that only had GST applied. The only exceptions are the following:

• Commercial Dual time - 35 hours
• Commercial Solo flight time (under supervision) - 30 hours
• Multi-engine rating
• Intrument rating
• VFR Over-the-Top rating
• Sea Plane rating (floats)
• All instructor ratings except the build up time portion of the Class 1 and Class 2 Instructor ratings.

These services will be tax exempt.

All other flight training will be taxable under the HST system. This includes the 90 hours of solo build up time for the Commercial License and all the flight time related to the Private Pilots License.

We are transitioning to a new accounting system. Eventually, it will be able to deal with the complex tax rules automatically. In the interim, dispatch will be responsible for removing the HST charges where applicable. I ask you to look at your invoices carefully to ensure the correct tax is applied.

I realize that this is a blow to students who are already in financially difficulty. We are working with Algonquin College to try to find a way to alleviate the burden the HST will cause and will let everyone know as soon as a solution is found.

If you have any concerns about this, please contact me by phone or e-mail

Mike McKay
CEO
Ottawa Flying Club.
ceo (at) ofc.ca
c: 613-724-8169

Morgan Ross after achieving his instructor rating.Morgan Ross successfully completed his instructor rating today. Morgan, an OFC member, as been working as a dispatcher wtih us while he completed his flight training. This morning he completed his instructor ride with Oonagh Elliot from Transport Canada and had his license signed off. Congratulations Morgan! You are now responsible for the future of aviation in Canada.

Mike.

Silly me. I asked Andrew to write me a bio for the web site. Here is what I received.

I work a lot, I am the son of Debbie Simpson and she used to own a monkey. The monkey's name was Elizibeth Tyler. I think that’s how you spell it.

She also used to have a snake, then one time the snake had babies and the babies could all fit out of the holes in the top of the cage, and the babies slithered around her parent’s house and her mom was all like "Debra! There’s snake on the floor!" Good times.

Then another time she hit the gas on the van too hard and did a peel out in front of a construction worker. It was funny. She only drinks on holidays like Christmas and it’s usually a small glass of Bailey’s or something, I think this year she tried the new Carmel flavored one.

And that’s a little bit about me.

Cessna 206 lands on the infield by OFC.Yesterday evening, as I picking my daughter up from the day care, I noticed a float plane circling the city. Later that evening, Dispatch called and said that a Cessna 206 on floats had just landed in the grass besides runway 22.

Landing a float plane on the grass is not that unusual. The floats are designed for it and float planes sometimes have to do this each season for storage or to have wheels or skis attached. The 206, though, is an amphibious plane, meaning it has wheels as well as floats, so its landing on grass was likely the result of a problem with the gear.

Glad to see that everything worked out.

Mike.

Ronen Raz by JFERonen Raz, one of our instructors, has accepted a job with Creeway Aviation. Located in Thompson Manitoba, Creeway Aviation provides aircraft charter and maintenance services to Northern Manitoba. They have a newly acquired Piper Navajo CR and provide charter services from Thompson to locations across Canada.

Ronen Raz has been with the Ottawa Flying Club since graduating as a Student from the Algonquin Aviation Management Program in the fall of 2008. A hard worker, Ronen applied himself to flight instruction and logged over 750 hours of instructional time in his first year – more than twice the average across all the instructors and 150 hours more than the next highest instructor.

We will miss Ronen's positive, infectious attitude and sense of good humour.

Ronen, best wishes from the Ottawa Flying Club on this next stage in your career!

Mike.

Oshkosh, for those who haven't been, is mecca for aviation enthusiasts. The energy and excitement of flying is evident in every aircraft that attends. Experimental planes and home-builts abound, some with amazing technology. Manufactuers flaunt new aircraft designs and there are gadgets - lots of gadgets.

In Canada we do not have a similar event which brings such energy into the market, at least not until now. From September 17 through 19, EAA members will be hosting their first Canadian EAA convention. It will be held in conjunction with the Vintage Wings’ “Victoria Cross” air show in Gatineau. You can read about the EAA plans here.

More information will follow as we get it.

Summer is upon us and we are encouraging people to organize club trips for a day, weekends or 3 or 4 days.... Last year 3 club members and 3 students flew to Calgary/Edmonton... was a great trip...

Club trips have always been a great learning experience for both members and students and there have been many to various places across North America... California, Florida, Bahamas, Western Canada, the East Coast and much more.

I am organizing a weekend to fly to Killarney Ontario (at the tip of Georgian Bay)... perhaps depart on a Saturday early morning and come back Sunday...

Suggested date: July 17/18

Contact me ASAP... planes have been booked.... president@ofc.ca

http://www.killarney.com/killarney-airport.php

http://www.municipality.killarney.on.ca/index.html

I encourage people to organize other trips... I had hoped to maybe organize a trip to Charlottetown/Halifax/Moncton at end of August... perhaps someone could run with that...

Should be a great summer... let's travel....

Marc
President