MOOSE JAW — Aviators, their aspiring young counterparts, and guests with a love of flight soared into history at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport this month as the Moose Jaw Flying Club affiliated with Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) Flight 215 held its annual pancake breakfast on Aug. 17.
The event also gave a nod to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) 100-year centennial.
The weather, which Roger Blager, chairman of the Moose Jaw Flying Club and the flight captain for COPA 215 described as being “the X-factor,” was good enough to host the show despite a somewhat low ceiling and hindered visibility due to lingering smoke from ongoing wildfires.
“We got some fly-ins, we got many drive-ins, and (we had) probably the best attendance in five years,” he said. “We’re happy with the turnout for sure.”
In his estimate, this year’s event saw at least 250 attendees.
Blager himself was kept busy and spent most of his time running the grill and making sure everything ran smoothly. Still, he did receive some early feedback.
“I’m the president (of the flying club), so I’m making sure all my people are happy and looked after… You don’t want anybody to go without breakfast,” he said.
“I would say though that I did get a couple of comments that it was fun and that… people really enjoyed themselves.”
To celebrate the RCAF’s centennial year, a few additions to the traditional itinerary included a Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft and a CT-156 Harvard II aircraft from 15 Wing on static display with some pilots willing to answer any questions young guests may have had.
Indoors, the Queen City Drone Club and the Moose Jaw R/C Aircraft Club set up a display table, and Skydive South Sask. was able to hold a quick jump when the smoke cleared later in the day.
As well, several children and their parents were given the chance to take their first flight in a light aircraft for only around $20 per person with the aim of introducing them to the joys of flight.
“Just to raise awareness about aviation in general (is part of our goal),” he continued. “We want boys and girls to know that they can be a pilot, they can be an aircraft mechanic, (or) they can be an air traffic controller.
“The problem is, a lot of (people)… don’t know a lot about what we do,” he said. “So really, this is the only way to get them out and introduce them to aviation…”
The focus on providing flights for children under the age of 16 helped advance the flying club’s mission of being good ambassadors for aviation.
“There’s a huge need for pilots (and other aviation roles) around the world, so we’re always trying to get kids involved, and get them up in a small plane for their first little flight,” he said. The hope, he explained, is to spark an interest in any youths who may be interested in pursuing a future career in the field of aviation.
The history of the Moose Jaw Flying Club goes back to its founding in 1928, but the club has been operating in a similar manner since around the early ‘80s. Events such as this help raise awareness for the civilian municipal airport that is oftentimes conflated with 15 Wing Moose Jaw.
“The Moose Jaw Flying Club salutes our military brethren and counterparts over the years… who have fought and died for our country,” Blager added in honour of the RCAF centennial. “We want to honour them.”
For more information about the Moose Jaw Flying Club COPA 215, visit SkCopa.ca/Flights/Copa-215-MooseJawFlyingClub.
To learn more about the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority, visit CJS4.ca or email Info@MJMAA.ca.
The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport is located 14.8 kilometres northeast of downtown Moose Jaw and can be accessed by Highway 301 North.
