Win a couple of awards, get asked to hold a major meeting.
The Vernon Flying Club is playing host this weekend to the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association's (COPA) annual general meeting, bringing together association members from across the country.
The organization's board of directors met in Vernon Friday, June 20, and the AGM takes place Saturday, followed by a barbecue.
"We won a couple of prestigious awards last year, and that put us on the map," said Alison Crerar with the Vernon Flying Club. "They asked us to host the AGM. It's never been in Vernon before."
The local club was the recipient of COPA Award of Excellence in 2024, making it one of the top flying clubs in Canada, and member Rob McDicken was honoured with the Director's Award for his work with Discover Aviation, a popular program that introduces children, teenagers, and young adults to flying, perhaps a pre-cursor for a career down the road.
McDicken, fellow pilots, and numerous club volunteers are prepared for the annual Discover Aviation Day Saturday, June 28, at the Vernon Regional Airport. A full field of 120 has already been accepted but, like in real life, the local club will create a standby list.
Discover Aviation is for people aged eight-to-20, and participants MUST have turned eight. If their eighth birthday happens to be June 28, that's fine.
"This is where we introduce people to aviation and enjoy, what is for many, their first flight in a small airplane - for free," said McDicken, a corporate pilot. "We will make a standby list for June 28. All people have to do that haven't already registered is to be at the airport for 8 a.m. and they'll get put on the list."
For more information on Discover Aviation, email McDicken at disc.av.vernon@gmail.com.
