On Saturday April 29th 2017, PrepAir YYJ was held at the Pacific Sky Aviation hanger at the Victoria Airport.
PrepAir is a pilot refresher seminar that was introduced by Darlene George and Simon Dennis with the support of NavCanada.
PrepAIR YYJ was the last of three seminars that took place in April, with the other two previously held in Boundary Bay and Nanaimo.
Over 120 pilots attended the YYJ event and we were all treated to morning snacks and a great lunch.
This presentations was aimed at improving aviation safety, operating in and around YYJ control zone and fulfilling the bi-annual regency requirements.
We started the day off with Darlene George and Simon Dennis from Nav Canada, who are both clearly passionate about aviation and pilot safety.
We then heard from
-Mike Garraway the Safety Manager for YYJ’s Airport Authority about airport safety, safety improvements and runway incursions.
-Dave Gagliardi, Kent Wickens and Mike Beese from Transport Canada talked about Safety Management Systems, Enforcement and Follow-up process.
-An Air Force Captain with a great sense of humour from JRCC gave an eye opening presentation on their roll in Air/Marine rescues. The importance of Flight Plans, their filing, following your flight plan, position updates and closing your flight plans, PLB’s and in the event of an emergency how critically important it is to have correct and updated contact information on file with your Spot’s, PLB’s and 406 ELT’s to expedite a rescue.
After lunch we broke into two groups;
-IFR procedures presented by Nav Canada’s Jason Grist from YYJ Tower & Adrian Taylor a Victoria Terminal controller. The other group reviewed VFR weather with Nav Canada’s Simon Dennis a YYJ Controller.
We then came back together to listen to Adrian Taylor, he help de-mystify Victoria Terminal’s Class “C” airspace, VFR/IFR traffic flows in Victoria Terminal airspace and the importance of flying assigned routing and altitude.
We finished off the day with Simon Dennis going over flying in and around Victoria Airport; YYJ’s Arrival and Departure procedures, safe Taxiing through JYY’s vast network of runways and taxiways and how clear concise two way communication between the Controller and Pilot play a key factor in keeping all of us safe on the ground and in the air.
I believe PrepAir YYJ was a great success and would like to thank everyone involved for all their hard work and dedication to our flying community.
Another rust remover was also held today in Vernon where presentations were made by the JRCC, Nav Canada and local flight instructors. The Vernon Rust remover was also Transport Canada Accredited.
