The Patrician AUGUST 2021
The Victoria Flying Club ~ Aviation Excellence Since 1946
CIRCUMNAVIGATING VANCOUVER ISLAND Around the island with John and Camille! www.flyvfc.com
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The Patrician
NEED HANGAR SPACE? Contact Marcel at the Club to see if a hangar spot is a good spot for your plane and to get on the waitlist.
“To promote flying and aviation in general, and to teach and train persons in the art and science of flying and navigating and operating all manner of heavier-than-air aircraft.” (Victoria Flying Club Incorporation Bylaws, 1946)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRESIDENT Tony Allen
VICE PRESIDENT Adam Johnston
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News around the Club
& Ground School Schedules
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Member Achievements & First Solos
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GM Article: The Physics of Flight
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Feature Article: Circumnavigation of VI
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The VFC's Recreational Fleet
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The Great London to Victoria Air Race
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Meet Your Board: Glen Rippon
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Thanks for the Share
SECRETARY Glen Rippon TREASURER Colin Williamson DIRECTORS John Ainsworth Graham Palmer Iain Barnes Don Devenney GENERAL MANAGER Greg Matte CHIEF FLYING Mike Schlievert INSTRUCTOR
CONTACT 1852 Canso Road Sidney, BC V8L 5V5
www.flyvfc.com P: 250-656-2833 info@flyvfc.com F: 250-655-0910
Editor: Kelly J. Clark vfcpatrician@gmail.com
PARKING AVAILABLE! Interested in prime paved parking spaces for your aircraft? Good News: there are spots available! Secure, pull-in/pull-out, easy access.
The Patrician accepts unsolicited submissions.
Call Dispatch at 250-656-2833 to arrange a spot or to get on the waitlist for hangar spaces!
This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part with prior permission of the publisher or author. The opinions expressed are strictly those of the authors.
MENTORSHIP
SUBSCRIPTIONS vfcpatrician@gmail.com http://flyvfc.com/subscribe-to-the-patrician
Looking to brush up your skills? Email mentors@flyvfc.com to find a mentor or to become one.
PHOTO CREDITS Front cover photo by Camille Angus.
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AUGUST 2021
VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
News
NEWS and EVENTS AUG 2 AUG 10 AUG 30 SEPT 6 SEPT 7 SEPT 16 SEPT 18 SEPT 22
BC Day Islamic New Year Krishna Janmashtami Labour Day Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur VFC Open House Autumn Equinox
Around the Club
NEWS and EVENTS &
Know of an aviation-related event that's not listed? Let us know at vfcpatrician@gmail.com!
VFC OPEN HOUSE On Saturday, September 18th from 1000 and 1500 hours, the VFC is holding an open house. Come and enjoy BBQ and aircraft displays that will include the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, PBY Canso amphibious plane, and the C-64 Norseman bush plane. There will also be tours of the Beechcraft 95 rebuild project!
HISTORY WANTED Know about an important moment in VFC's history? We're collecting stories for the 75th Anniversary Issue this November! Please contact vfcpatrician@ gmail.com!
VFC MENTOR PROGRAM Would you like to meet other pilots to fly with, split the flight cost, share knowledge, or get help getting into a new airport for the first time? VFC's mentors have their resumes posted on a special VFC Mentors bulletin board beside the Dispatch counter. Contact details are on each mentor's resume or email mentors@flyvfc.com for more information. Looking to become a mentor yourself? There's always room for more experienced pilots! Send an email to mentors@flyvfc.com for more information on how to join up!
75TH ANNIVERSAY GALA Save the date! This year marks the Victoria Flying Club's 75th year and to celebrate we're having a Dinner Gala Event at the Wardroom at CFB Esquimalt. Save the date for November 20th, 2021! More details forthcoming!
HAVE SOME NEWS?
Let us know at vfcpatrician@ gmail.com!
GROUND SCHOOL SCHEDULES PRIVATE PILOT LICENCE GROUND SCHOOL
PPL #21-11: June 29 – Aug 20/2021: Mondays, Tuesdays, & Fridays (18:00 - 21:30) PPL #21-13: August 27 – Oct 08/2021: Mondays, Tuesdays, & Fridays (18:00 - 21:30)
COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENCE GROUND SCHOOL
CPL #21-12: June 30 – Sept 29 /2021: Sat & Sun (09:00-12:00) & Weds (18:00-21:30)
MOUNTAIN AWARENESS TRAINING COURSE MTA #21-05M: August 27, 30 & 31/2021 (09:00 - 13:00)
Individual scheduling requests are available for Private Pilot Licence, Commercial Pilot Licence, Mountain Awareness Training (MTA), Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (Drone) Courses (RPAS) by request. Individual tutoring is also available for PPL and CPL upon request. Confirm your attendance with Neil Keating (204) 291-9667 and Brenda Hardwick (250) 656-2833.
www.flyvfc.com
Sustaining and Lifetime members: 15% discount on Cessna rental rates and purchases in the Little Pilot Shop. 10% discount for everyone who pays fully in advance for their annual aircraft parking fees for 2021 only!
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[PICTURE YOUR AD HERE] What's better than free advertising?
Not much! The Patrician is giving away free spaces in each issue during 2021 to support our community businesses!
NEWS and EVENTS
Just email vfcpatrician@gmail.com with your ad and we'll set you up with a free business-card sized ad space in a future issue!
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE! Two 400-square foot rooms are available* on the 2nd floor of the VFC building! Contact Marcel Poland at marcelpoland@flyvfc. com for more information! *All prospective businesses must be Victoria Airport zoning compliant
VFC CHARTER SERVICE Be there in minutes!
VFC Charter offers inexpensive, on-demand, and direct transportation to places not serviced by other commercial carriers in the lower BC area. The charter service is operational in day VFR conditions. Contact us for more information on destinations and costs or to book a flight at: Email: tedk@flyvfc.com Call: 1-778-350-3213
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AUGUST 2021
VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS FIRST SOLOS
CPL FLIGHT TEST
Isaac Craghtten
CPL WRITTEN EXAM
Dave McRobb
Anthony Bocquentin Travis Dhasi David Wilkinson Glen Barkman Jackson Waniek Patrick Hamilton Mariko Rabetts Kaitlin Cranston Marek Gomolka Nate Korby
PPL WRITTEN TEST
Gavin Vales Daniel Wang
MULTI-RATING
Jakob Steele
MULTI-IFR RATING
Christian Lange Tristan Avery
Member Achievements & First Solos
Josh Bartley Samuel Biagioni Leith Balson Nico Reindl Luke Bergen
PPL FLIGHT TEST
FIRST SOLOS "Without disruption of air traffic, these fearless, forthright, indomitable and courageous individuals did venture into the wild blue yonder in flying machines.
Leith Balson Instructor: Geoff Steeves
Luke Bergen Instructor: Darren Rich
www.flyvfc.com
Furthermore, these skillful individuals did safely land said flying machines at Victoria International Airport, incurring no significant damage to self or machine, thus completing first solo flights."
Nico Reindl Instructor: Darren Rich
Samuel Biagioni Instructor: Mami Iijima
Oscar Shepherd Instructor: Darren Rich
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THE PHYSICS OF FLIGHT BGen (Ret’d) Gregory C.P. Matte, CD, PhD
GM Article: The Physics of Flight
VFC General Manager Admittedly, this article is nearly two years overdue, and was inspired by a brief yet enlightening discussion with Dr. Geoff Steeves as it pertained to providing his undergraduate students with a guest lecture on practical applications of the laws of physics. As fellow aviators, Geoff was intrigued with my brief yet visceral explanation of the application of energy management in “dog fighting”, as it pertained to aerial fighter tactics. As for myself, I was interested in the performance metrics of the Cessna 172S. My military experience infused an interest in exploring the outer performance limits of the CF-5 Freedom Fighter, and more specifically, the CF-18 Hornet, so as to establish my own baseline of the ultimate limits of performance. This knowledge and experience served to provide me with the confidence to take the CF-18 to its established limits (and beyond), while enjoying the ability to fully exploit the entire spectrum of the Hornet’s performance envelope in mock dogfighting training sessions. Underlying this discussion with Geoff was a narrative that I would loosely describe as the “physics of flight”. As a starting point, lets agree that everyone who takes flying lessons becomes acquatinted with and learns to trust Bernoulli’s equation and the theory of lift. This theory is witnessed every time we take-off from terra firma as a result of the lift created by the low-pressure environment on the top surface 6
AUGUST 2021
an asymmetrically designed wing such as we find on the Cessna. However, the theory of lift and the physics of flight can quickly expand beyond the basics, as I came to appreciate when I progressed from flying the CT-134A Beechcraft Musketeer, through to the CT-114 Tutor and onto the CF-5 Freedom Fighter. The CF-5 was the “lead-in” conversion trainer that was required before advancing onto the CF-18 Hornet.
lowest airspeed in which the maximum permissible G-forces can be applied. In the CF-18, corner speed was situated between 310 to 325 KIAS depending on the weight and configuration (external stores) of the aircraft. A primary factor in dogfighting is gaining “angles” on My introduction to basic the opponent, particularly when fighter maneuvers (aka “dog the duel starts with a neutral fighting”) was preceded by an advantage (e.g., the aircraft meet academic introduction to energy head on). As such, when one management theory as well as considers the(simplified) formula the dynamics of 3-dimensional relating to turn radius, namely maneuvering that were part of r=v2/g2,the importance of corner the basic fighter pilot training curriculum. The primary objective speed becomes apparent. If your airspeed is well in excess of corner of dogfighting is to maneuver speed, say 500 KIAS, then the one’s aircraft into a weapons turn radius will be approximately engagement zone (WEZ) against 12,350 feet despite being able the opponent in which either to pull 7.5 G, whereas at a speed a missile can be successfully of 315 KIAS and 7.5 G, the turn fired, or the gun can be applied. radius would be considerably However, unless the opponent tighter at approximately 4,900 is caught completely off guard, feet. Conversely, as airspeed one must balance the efforts to maneuver into a WEZ with that of decreases below corner speed, avoiding becoming the target due the amount of G that can be to an error in maneuvering tactics pulled decreases as well. Thus, at an airspeed of say 200 KIAS, the or an excessive loss of airspeed. CF-18 can only pull about 2.5 G, Airspeed dictates maneuvering performance, with the sweet spot thereby leading to a turn radius of approximately 17,800, so getting commonly referred to as “corner speed”. It is also why fighter pilots slow in a dogfight can quickly become a fatal disadvantage, often state that “speed is life” further reinforcing the adage that when it comes to dogfighting. “speed is life”! Corner speed equates to the VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
However, when dogfighting an aircraft of a different design, then other factors come into play such as wing loading, thrust, G-limits, weight, and parasite drag (external stores), which all factor into the equation as well as weapon system capabilities. As such, different aircraft types perform differently, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of an opponent is crucial to gaining the upper hand. The unification of these competing factors into dog fighting tactics was first achieved by Colonel John Boyd with the assistance of Thomas Christie, a mathematician with the United States Air Force, and became known as energy www.flyvfc.com
GM Article: The Physics of Flight
While the solution to quickly regaining airspeed is to push the aircraft over into a zero-G environment (thereby minimizing lift-induced drag), doing so results in sacrificing angles while giving the opponent an opportunity to close into their own weapon solution on you. Consequently, corner speed is the ideal airspeed for dogfighting and to score an aerial victory. However, the ability to maintain corner speed is where energy management theory factors in. Although aerodynamic performance is affected by density altitude (e.g., temperature and humidity), the dominant factor is altitude, with the best performance being achieved at sea level. As such, at higher altitudes, one must exchange altitude to maintain airspeed while pulling G; essentially converting potential energy into kinetic energy. The other benefit of a turning descent is that the aircraft benefits from the earth’s gravitational pull in addition to the G-forces that the aircraft can generate. It is for this reason that even if the same G is pulled doing a loop, the resulting loop is never symmetric but egg-shaped over the top.
management theory. By studying aircraft designs and power plants on different aircraft, they were able to create energymanagement (E-M) diagrams that showed performance limits at different altitudes above sea level in 5000-foot increments. By overlaying a transparency of your own fighter aircraft with that of an opponent’s, at any given altitude, one could immediately determine areas of advantage and disadvantage in performance. This knowledge could then be combined with 3-dimensional maneuvering to achieve the most effective performance and the quickest achievement of a WEZ solution. In some cases, this meant consciously bringing the opponent below corner speed to gain the advantage. For instance, the F-16 has a similar corner speed with the CF-18, yet it can pull up to 9 G, while the CF-18 is limited to 7.5 G. However, given the leading edge extension on the CF-18 (that gives a cobra appearance) and the superior vertical stabilator authority of its twin tail, the CF-18 had an advantage over the F-16
in a slower speed regime wherein 3-dimensional maneuvering could be augmented by un-loaded (zero-g rolls) to further intimidate F-16 pilots thereby causing them to lose airspeed and/or altitude to avoid falling into the CF-18’s WEZ. This form of dogfighting was affectionately known as a “knife fight in a phone booth”. Given that Boyd was a pioneer in developing E-M theory and a fighter weapons instructor, he was able to combine his knowledge and skills with consistently winning results and earned the call sign “Forty Second Boyd” given his ability to achieve a weapons solution against his colleagues in about 40 seconds despite starting the dual from a neutral position. Although E-M theory originated in the world of fighter aviation, understanding the underlying principles is useful in civil aviation, such as for aerobatics, but also simply to better understand aircraft performance in a variety of flight regimes.
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Feature Article: Circumnavigation of VI
MISSION:
The Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island
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By John Bullock (with Camille Angus)
ual training and practice flights help us acquire and maintain skills. While vital, few of these will stand out as memorable flights. My first night solo is one flight that lives on in my mind; my PPL flight test is another. But there is nothing like going from A to B on a specific, personal mission to reach next-level memorable. For my partner Camille and I, that mission flight was last May.
WHY CIRCUMNAVIGATION? Our reasons included: • My partner has lived in, or has childhood connections to, many parts of the island, but has not been to them for decades • as a kid I was captivated by my dad's large map of the island — the place names sounded exotic, and I have always wanted to see as many as I could • driving the entire island isn't possible and touring it by boat is out of our reach • it was a travel adventure that was still possible during pandemic restrictions • planning the 1000km mission and executing it would teach me new skills • time building toward my commercial license Finally, we thought a whale sighting would be fantastic.
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The flight path
THE PLAN
I decided on a clockwise orbit. My partner would be photographing the shoreline and mountains, so it made sense for her to be on the land side. I am not instrument rated, so going clockwise from Victoria also meant we could transit the most remote stretches before the weather could degrade to instrument conditions. The next decision was the altitude. I chose 2500' on the way up and 3500' after rounding Cape Scott. This would maximize our views of the shoreline, and hopefully any whales, while still leaving some safety margin. Engine failures are not ideal at any altitude, and because we would be flying over water pretty much the entire route we wore lifejackets for the duration of the flight. I based refueling stops on the maxim: "you only have too much fuel when you are on fire". This conveniently ignores density altitude and weight limits, but it held for us since: we would be relatively low; we had little cargo; and temperatures were still mild in May. Given the long distance between FBOs, I chose to refuel at both Tofino (CYAZ) and at Port Hardy (CYZT).
THE FLIGHT
I spent the first two-thirds of the flight looking for emergency landing sites while my partner took pictures. It wasn't until after Cape Scott, with over 300 nm behind us and lots of fuel to VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
make Port Hardy, that I eased up in my search for beaches. It wasn't as intense as it sounds; I'm convinced I enjoyed the flight even more than my partner.
All smiles on the flight deck
We made an extra stop at Alert Bay (CYAL). Thinking that I might not get that far north for a while, I did a stop and go not only for the practice, but to also add another field to my "I landed there" list.
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SUPPLEMENTAL
We had considered including the tiny Scott and Triangle islands near the top of the route. A climb would have been required to get to them and stay within gliding distance of shore. But we'd
already be arriving at Port Hardy quite late and there's a substantial callout charge for after-hours fuel service. In the end, we decided to skip them, but if you're planning a circumnavigation consider adding these end-of-the-line islands. Both Tofino and Port Hardy charge landing fees. These aren't significant — about $15 and $25 respectively — but know that the charges will trickle back to you, though they can take up to two months! A belated reminder of your wonderful trip?
CONCLUSION
Feature Article: Circumnavigation of VI
Self-serve fuel at Tofino (CYAZ) was a non-issue. I had refueled there before so knew what to expect. As usual, I took multiple credit cards in case one or more failed. Fuel at Port Hardy (CYZT) was full-service courtesy of the friendly, professional staff at the only local FBO.
We will never forget this trip. My partner got a chance to see places from childhood and I finally saw the places with exotic names I was beginning to think I would never see. It was a perfect flight and the views were stunning. Our success has encouraged us to plan more memorable flights. In the end, there was only one downside: we didn't see a single whale. Next time!
Base leg at Tofino (CYAZ) www.flyvfc.com
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Meet the VFC's Recreational Fleet
MEET THE VFC'S RECREATIONAL FLEET
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o, what’s the scoop with Victoria Flying Club’s (VFC) new Recreational Fleet? Thank you so much for asking! Let me start with a brief backgrounder. During my tenure at the club (5 years or so) there has always been a challenge around aircraft availability. Instructors, recreational pilots and CPL ‘time builders’ all placing demands on VFC’s fleet of aircraft. Additional pressures come from requisite maintenance and the inevitable rescheduling that occurs due to weather.
Solution: a separate fleet of aircraft designed to meet the needs of CPL ‘time-builders’ and our recreational members. However, their challenges were obvious: funding, sourcing, acquisition, compliance, inspection, maintenance. Ultimately, the monumental task of bringing 4 ‘new’ aircraft online. A remarkable achievement in the best of times… to accomplish that feat amidst a global pandemic; miraculous!
Recently, a joint initiative between the VFC’s Board of Directors and its’ management team set out to address this problem.
PRICING Once again, membership has spoken and the VFC leadership has listened! Hourly rates for all but the Piper Arrow are $138/hr., WET!! The ‘Arrow’ is a complex aircraft, and its rental rate has been set at $165/hr., wet. Anyone who has spent any amount of time looking at rates in the current market will recognize these as awesome rental rates!
BONUS: Sustaining members get 15% off these already remarkably attractive rates. 10 AUGUST 2021
By Laurie Ingalls
INTRODUCTORY PROMOTION And there’s more good news: From now until the end of October, 2021, each complete hour of flight-time in one of the club's new recreational fleet aircrafts qualifies for a monthly draw! Winners receive a free hour in the Recreational Fleet aircraft of their choosing!
LET’S GO FLYING! Based on the response thus far, I know I’m not the only club member excited about this program! This initiative addresses a longstanding need here at the VFC and members of the Board, along with the entire management team, deserve kudos for having pulled this off! With the 75th Anniversary celebrations ahead we have much to be thankful for and I encourage you to come on out to the club, check out the new fleet and rekindle that passion for aviation that sparked your flying journey in the
first place!
VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
As of this writing, the fourth aircraft has yet to be determined. The search is on for another Cessna to complement and round out this exciting line-up of aircraft. Meet the VFC's Recreational Fleet
THE RECREATIONAL FLEET C-GUPA
A Cessna 172N model that will be familiar to most club members. No check-out is required. Simply check with dispatch and they can forward a one-sheeter that outlines the differences along with appropriate aircraft checklists.
C-FQEP
A Piper Cherokee PA28 140B. This one does require a check-out with an instructor to secure the type-rating. Typically, this can be accomplished in 1 to 2 hours of flight time. Dispatch can forward documentation so one can be up to speed quickly. Heads up: there is a brief one-page open-book exam; just to make sure you’ve read the POH.
C-FUHA
A Piper Arrow ll – a great cross-country machine with a constant speed prop, GNS-430W, Auto-Pilot, retractable gear, and 200 HP engine. For those with limited or no experience, the type-rating will require a more detailedcheck-out… but that comes with its own set of rewards… broader horizons!
www.flyvfc.com
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The Great London to Victoria Air Race
AVIATION HISTORY
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The Great London to Victoria Air Race
t’s a well known fact that Victoria and its surrounding area are steeped in history. The world of aviation has certainly added to the colourful mix of locally and nationally significant historic events over the past 97 years beginning with the flight of William Gibson’s twin plane from a farmer’s field near Mt. Douglas in 1910 – the first aircraft to fly in British Columbia and only the second in Canada! One of the more recent aviation events, the great London to Victoria Air Race of July 1971 entailed more than 5,700 miles of sometimes
By Larry Dibnah
grueling flight over icy water and through four countries. Also, the London to Victoria Air Race was just one of many events held throughout 1971 in celebration of British Columbia’s Centennial year. The Victoria Flying Club played a major role by offering up its premises for aircraft marshalling and by officially welcoming each of the participants to Victoria at the end of this World Class event. You may recall a reference to the London to Victoria Air Race in my story about Britten Norman Trislanders in the February 2007 Patrician. It was during this event that I saw a
Trislander for the first time when it had just arrived in Victoria at the finish of the Race. With a little extra research I managed to find the registration letters of the participating Trislander (G-AYZR) plus lots of other information about the Air Race in general. An impressive group of fifty four pilots and forty seven crew members from all over the world competed in the London to Victoria Air Race. Among the fifty four registered aircraft were types which ranged from Piper Cherokees to Lear Jets in categories including piston engines - single & twin, turbo props and jets. Participants included the famous aerial photographer and Hollywood camera pilot Clay Lacey who flew a Lear Jet and the well known aviation author Ernest K. Gann who flew a Cessna 310 twin. A little closer to home, twelve Canadians participated in the Race and included British Columbians E.W. Crombie & K.W. Akers (Lillooet), Hank Coleman (Nelson), D. Ireland & M.G. Meeker (Mission), Claude Butler and Rick Cockburn
Pilot's welcome at the VFC 12
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VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
(both of Victoria). Claude Butler had become a well known, popular local pilot and business man. Claude flew a twin-engine Ted Smith Aerostar while Victoria Flying Club member Rick Cockburn, who wasn’t quite as well known, flew a North American Harvard in the Race. I personally had been cheering for Rick because he had taken this challenge completely on his own with no aircrew and in a single engine aircraft older than most others in the Race. And since the Race organizers had given Rick a handicap of 192 mph, a speed that no stock Harvard could ever achieve, he realized that there was no hope of winning anything. Rick was basically in it for the fun and for the invaluable experience. The overall first place prize went to German airman J.H. Blumschein and his crew who flew a Swearingen Merlin III twin turbo prop aircraft. Second and third place and various other category winners were too numerous to mention here. But if you had asked any of the participants what was their greatest reward for participating in the Race they would have told you it was the privilege of meeting other people who possessed the same aviation spirit and to have competed against them in one of the greatest air adventures of the century. The spirit of flight is growing stronger throughout Canada and the world with organizations such as the Victoria Flying Club taking the lead.
www.flyvfc.com
Jean Pierre Germain
The Great London to Victoria Air Race
The Trislander
Hank Coleman & Beech18
Rick Cockburn
Claude Butler & Aerostar 13
MEET YOUR BOARD
Glenn Rippon
Meet Your Board: Glen Rippon
On flying, the military, the law, and being your new VFC Secretary the legal branch. I tried private practice for a bit, but when I saw that the Canadian Forces were recruiting lawyers to become officers in the Judge Advocate General branch, I put in my application. That conjoined two of my passions, and when family and finances permitted I got my pilot’s license and completed the set.
Tell us a bit about yourself. My interests are threefold: aviation, law, and the military. I’ve been able to combine all three—sometimes two at once, sometimes three at once. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to pursue my passions together. What can you tell us about your You wouldn’t think they would, but time in the military? they conjoin at various places. I joined the Canadian Forces in 1990 and How did that happen? served in Ottawa and I’m a lawyer. Growing up, I was at various bases across interested in aviation, the military, Canada and on overseas military history, and the law. When deployments. Because of I was an undergraduate, my father our military’s size we’re not sent all of his children for career dedicated to one particular testing. Mine came back as a lawyer environment, so I had what or a military officer. was called a ‘joint career’ At that stage I didn’t know you and worked in land, sea, and air. I could do both, but in law school I was in what’s known as a purple became aware of military law and trade; called that because it’s the colour you get when you mix the three uniforms together. I went to sea three times, slept in leaky tents in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and spent time with the Maritime Patrols based in the Persian Gulf during sanction enforcement against Iraq.
Which was the most interesting? Afghanistan was the most interesting and hands on conflict — and the hottest conflict. We were responsible for the crafting and application of the rules of engagement to achieve that end. We brought to bear, particularly on the air side, issues related to targeting and use of appropriate 14 AUGUST 2021
force to avoid collateral damage. I went twice, the first time a microlevel event that involved a friendly fire inquiry where we had to sort out what happened. The second time I served with the International Stabilization Assistance Force HQ in Kabul. That was a much larger scale, very much the macro-level. It was all interesting and unlike many jobs, there was a sense of purpose in the work. Very gratifying.
I also did some traditional lawyering as counsel at the Somalia Inquiry and for both prosecution and defence at courts martial; including a few flying offenses where I was able to apply training acquired on the CF Flight Safety Investigator Course. What did you do after the military? When I retired in 2017, I knew that I wanted to live in one of three places: Ottawa, Calgary, or Victoria. I’d never been posted to Victoria, but I’d been out a number of times and was able to get a position as a Pensions Advocate with Veterans Affairs Canada. I did that for close to three years, getting better pension judgements for veterans, and then decided I wanted to relax a bit.
VFC | Aviation Excellence Since 1946
www.flyvfc.com
Meet Your Board: Glen Rippon
You were President of Namao Flying Club and have belonged to several other flying clubs. Anything they do the VFC should look at? We’re doing great in the short term. In the longer term, based on my experience at Namao and observations with mainland clubs I believe that we have the population to support and train in a tail-wheel Then you joined the VFC board? aircraft. These planes are great Well, it’s not full time. for people looking for something different or who are licensed but Fair. So what else are you up to? Do you have a favourite flight? don’t know how to fly tail-wheel. It’s up in the air right now, but from The first time I flew a single-seat It only takes ten hours it takes to time to time the UN hires what biplane. The joy with single-seaters become a tail-wheel pilot, and I they call International Consultants. is that it’s just you and the airplane. think there’s the scope for that. These are people on retainer they The first time you’re flying in it send to mentor or support certain you’re alone. This one was open Any final advice for newer pilots? projects. One is the Maritime canopy: very loud, very buffeting, My advice for anybody headed for Crime Project in the Indian Ocean, not very relaxing, but exhilarating. It the career path is to remember which confronts human trafficking, was great. that flying is a small community smuggling, and piracy. I don’t want in Canada. Your reputation is to work full time anymore, but these Do you have any goals for your time paramount. smaller, 6-7 week deployments, are on the board? For recreational folks, basically perfect. It’s only been a few months, so it’s a cautionary tale. When I came I’m still learning the ropes. I don’t into aviation it surprised me how How did you become a pilot? know the club’s past experiences, often people would choose to I got my private pilot’s license on but I want to make sure that every ignore the rules. People chafe my own. The Canadian Forces had member or student knows that if against government regulations a program called the Second Career they do run afoul the rules they’ll because they don’t seem to make Assistance Network, which I think get an opportunity to fairly present sense, actually don’t make sense, was designed to help soldiers pick their side of the story. or make sense only if one is aware up skills that would help them Our goal is to share all of the of the hidden rationale. The best transition to civilian life. information so that we’re able policy is always to adhere to those I used the money from that to put things into context and rules, no matter how particular or program to cover 3/4s the cost of analyze them from all sides. These impractical they may seem, because a commercial pilot license and then procedures are in place already, but they keep people alive. got my instructor rating. From there I want to make sure people know Aviation attracts people with I was able to work as an instructor in about that procedural framework rebellious streaks, but outlawry has Ottawa and then in Edmonton. because it promotes better no place in the skies. decisions in the air. Favourite kind of plane? Either modern aircraft or really, really old ones. I instructed on Katanas, which I loved, and also on the Citabria. I love the center-seating and right-hand stick, left-hand throttle. We have great Cessnas at the club, but I do wish we had tailwheel aircraft. All the fun airplanes are tail-wheeled. I’ve owned a couple of bi-planes, a single seater, a two-seater, and a Stinson. What can I say? I think there’s room in the margins for some of the stranger stuff. The mainland has a couple of places that train on the Citabria.
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