The Buttonville Flying Club COPA Flight 44

Given recent events (two killer accidents at Buttonville within a month) I think every pilot flying out of our airport needs to stop and think for a bit.   Both accidents maybe stall spins under aggravating conditions, ( one a skidding Turn back to the airport with a dead engine, the other a low-speed Climbing Turn ).
 
I for one have been doing a bit of a review.  It might be a good idea for every pilot to do the same.
 
A) First, do you know your aircrafts straight and level, ball centered, stall speeds at normal gross weight?
 
Everyone does… right?
 
For my cirrus SR20 its 65 kts without flaps, 56 with full flaps.
 

Checkout Page 8 of the April issue of COPA. Dave Cox, the BFC's safety Guru gave a command performance at the January Transport Canada meeting, and we were there to soak up every word!
 Have attached article for those who need a second dose.
 - Mark

 
I am happy to announce that so far we have raised $1950 for supplies for our Haiti relief flight efforts.

We have setup a BFC team page for those who would like to either join or sponsour our efforts:
 
http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=144757&langPref=en-CA
 
We are also currently talking to several corporate sponsor's about delivering donated goods via a major airline. Hopefully will have some good news on this shortly.
 
Just to recap:

Here is the presentation from our Feb 10th 2010 meeting. In August 2009 six planes from the Buttonville Flying Club made a 5000 nm odyssey out to Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte islands) and back.  The presentation was given by Paul Clark, Gerry McMunn, Lind Nyman and yours truly.   Prepare to be amazed!
 

The Jan 2010 monthly transport Canada seminar at 4900 Youge street Toronto featured a specially invited guest, Buttonville Flying Club (BFC) Safety Guru, Dave Cox.  Dave is a well know member of the BFC  who every year volunteers to host a safety seminar.  Dave got his pilots license before many members of the BFC were born and,  for the last five years has been doing his best to transfer four decades of hard won flying experience to the younger club members.  This night Dave opened the door for all pilots to what has normally been a “Club members only” event by raising the veil surrounding the annual BFC safety seminar.
 

Over the last several weeks a few Buttonville Flying Club members have tried to figure out how our club could help out with the relief effort in Haiti. The idea is to join dozens of other GA aircraft from the US that are now bypassing the bottle neck at Port-au-Prince airport by flying relief supplies daily into Haiti's smaller General Aviation airports.
 
 Here is what we have come up with:
 

Happy to announce that the Flying Club has finished its fund raising efforts with a total of $2550 raised for the DR family trust. Any one still looking to contribute can do so directly ( ask for information at the Millionair front desk at Buttonville). This money is now in the hands of Ingrid ( our treasurer) and will be transferred to the trust account shortly.
 
 On behalf of the family I would like to like to thank everyone who Contributed. You have done our club proud!
 
 - Mark

This is an update of the GA effort to move relief supplies into Haiti.

It is with a heavy heart that I must report the sudden passing on of David Richardson. Although only in his fourties, for most of the club members Dave was a fixture at Buttonville.  His light hearted  bantering and helpful hand made flying fun, even in the dead of winter. He helped out so many of us over the years that it is hard to picture the airport without him.

How to Self-Fly in Africa!