AA5B Tiger, has just arrived at Kelowna International Airport . It will be on display at the
KFC clubhouse, 6135 Airport Way, from 5:00 pm on Tuesday 5 th September.
Press and other visitors are welcome to come help celebrate this milestone in
the Club’s evolution.
Club President Dave McElroy said he’s delighted the organisation has made this acquisition.
He expects it will lead to an increase in club members beyond the current 92.
“People join flying clubs to fly, and we had not been in a position to provide an aircraft
for their use until now,” he said. “There is great enthusiasm in the club about this aircraft.
It’s been financed by members, and others, who’ve loaned the club money to make the
purchase. And eighteen members have already signed onto the Flying Program and paid
up for 12 hours of flying over the next year. We expect this number to quickly grow to
twenty-five, which we’ve set as the maximum number of Flying Members for one
aircraft.”
The Grumman Tiger will be flown by club members who hold private pilot licenses and
are keen to fly but do not want to make a larger financial outlay to purchase an aircraft
themselves. The Flying Program will be managed by Club Member Jim Hannibal and
overseen by the Flying Program Committee, chaired by Chad Gartly.
The 1979 Grumman Tiger is arriving this week from Oshawa Airport. C-GVXY is a four
seat, single-engine aircraft powered by a 180 Horsepower Lycoming O-360 engine.
Cruise speed is just under 140 knots (250 km/hr) and the aircraft’s range is about 500 nm
(900 km).
The current Kelowna Flying Club has been in existence since 1984 and occupies a
building near the north end of YLW. The KFC is also known as COPA Flight 36; it acts
as the local presence of The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association. COPA is the
national voice of General Aviation, with more than 16,000 members from coast to coast.
The KFC is active in the community and each year sponsors the COPA for Kids Event
which flies more than 150 youngsters between the ages of seven and seventeen in a single
day using members’ aircraft.
This year the KFC also hosted the COPA Annual Convention, Trade Show and AGM. In
late June, more than 150 aircraft, 400 delegates and 700 members of the public descended
onto YLW to attend this signal event – the largest in COPA’s 80 year history.
This year the KFC also hosted the COPA Annual Convention, Trade Show and AGM. In late June, more than 150 aircraft, 400 delegates and 700 members of the public descended onto YLW to attend this signal event – the largest in COPA’s 80 year history.
In mid-September, the Kelowna Flying Club will launch a much improved, fresh, new website which will showcase the many benefits available to pilots and all other aviation enthusiasts in the Central Okanagan and beyond. www.kelownaflyingclub.com
For information on the Club: [email protected]
For information on our Flying Program: [email protected]
