General Manager's Article

Greg Matte, VFC General Manager News Around the Club

As we continue to look ahead to the coming months, there are a number of exciting initiatives and activities on the go or under planning, so I thought it would be a good time to provide an update.

Beechcraft Travel Air 95 Rebuild Project

The first rebuild (C-GGMF) is progressing nicely with lots of concurrent activity. The AME team is focused on the engine nacelles which have required additional TLC due to wear and tear. Murray Palmer’s master craftsmanship in metal fabrication and fitting has been amazing! The glass cockpit segment is being produced offsite by Victoria Air Maintenance, while the seats are also being re-upholstered off-site by another local company. By the time you read this article, the second Beechcraft (C-GGWA) will have flown to the VFC from Penhold, Alberta bringing with it one of the overhauled engines that will go on C-GGMF. The other engine will be overhauled by our Lycoming expert (Al Girard). We should have also received the two new variable-pitch propellers and gearboxes. For those wondering about the painting of C-GGMF, we require about 20-25 degrees C for the paint to dry evenly, so we elected to allow mother nature to save on the hydro bill by waiting until the day-time temperatures rise into the teens later this month. Cessna Fleet Virtual AGM

As the Cessna fleet progress through its phase inspections, the AMO is also taking the time to remove the defunct auto-pilot systems. Although the saving in weight is minimal, it will allow for the removal of these long-standing deferred defects and replacing the yellow tags with green tags on the aircraft journey logs. We’re also in the process of installing the 406 MHz ELT, as they must be installed by November 25th, 2021. These ELTs will greatly improve SAR response as they enable the COSPAS/SARSAT system of satellites to fix a crash location to within 100 meters. Finally, as the exterior lights wear out on the aircraft, they are being replaced with LEDs to increase reliability as well as performance. As with the recent Annual Awards Gala, the upcoming AGM (scheduled for the evening of Thursday, May 13th) will be conducted virtually using Zoom. Details will be provided in due course as to how this will be conducted, including the voting process for the Board elections. Speaking of which, four of the Board positions will be coming up for election, so if you’d like to be more involved with the VFC during this exciting time of multiple strategic initiatives and activities, then contact me directly for a nomination form. Just a reminder that only Sustaining and Life members in good standing are eligible for nomination/ election to the Board of Directors.

Ground School

Additional Hangar Space

Although this has not been formally brought forward to the Board of Directors for consideration, we’ve been examining a conceptual plan for the construction of additional hangar space at the VFC, as the demand for partial or full shelter from the elements remains strong. As with fleet expansion, this is another strategic initiative that will take time to fully develop with the Board, and will likely be undertaken through incremental phases of implementation once approved given the capital costs involved. For those who aren’t aware, we now have a highly experienced, full-time ground school instructor (Neil Keating). In addition to nearly 18,000 hours of flight time as a pilot, Neil began his career as a high school teacher and was also a certified ground school and simulator instructor with Flight Safety Canada before relocating to Sidney and joining the VFC staff. Since his arrival, the VFC has successfully introduced distance learning using Zoom as well as CPL-level ground school, a revamped mountain rating course, and RPAS (“drone”) training. More recently, he’s begun providing one-on-one tutoring. This has already proven popular with some of our students preparing for their written exams.

Clarification – Solo Monitor Rate

There has been some confusion regarding the new solo monitor fee that was introduced by the Board of Directors, commencing January 1st, 2021. This fee is only charged for pre-PPL students as well as anyone working towards earning their night rating.

Fleet Expansion

For those who haven’t already heard, the Board of Directors has approved an expansion of the fleet. The objectives of this strategic decision is to improve single-engine aircraft availability for recreational flying and “time-building”, as well as to allow for increased usage of the Cessna 172S fleet for training purposes. The mandate allows for acquisition of four aircraft with the objective of bringing them into flight operations as soon as possible, preferably in time for the busy summer period. The mandate further specifies three categories of single-engine aircraft as follows:

1. Two simple aircraft with the basics (“6-pack” instrumentation, 2-way radios & transponder) that will allow for a low-cost rental option that will be ideal for “time builders”;

2. One older model 4-seater, also with the basics, that will allow for a competitive-priced rental option for recreational flying / cross-country trips; and

3. One higher-end 4-seater equipped with an attractive IFR suite (e.g. full instrumentation including GPS as well as ADS-B In/ out compatible in Canada and the United States).