The draft version of our minutes from the February Members’ meeting is posted for your perusal.  Please take a look.  It will keep you informed of club happenings, and saves meeting time not having to plow through them live!  Thanks:

You’ll find them at THIS LINK.  (Members only – must log in to access)

Cheers

Women Fly Too!

Here’s a look at the aftermath of last week’s snow storm … several aircraft had tail knockdowns due to snow load, but no damage as far as I know…

Greetings fellow aviation buffs!

I am pleased to inform you that Kevin Varey of Discovery West Aviation will
be leading a “PILOT’S RUST REMOVAL SESSION” at Parksville Qualicum Aero Club
(CAT4) that will help you fulfill your 24 month recurrent training in
accordance with CAR 401.05 licensing standards.

The session will be held in PQAC’s member’s lounge Saturday March 15th,
starting at 10 AM (coffee will be ready earlier) and we will wrap up around
2 PM. The cost is $20 per person and will include a light lunch.

If you plan to attend, please register in advance prior to March 11th by
email to parcels942@shaw.ca or call Randy at 250-594-7273.

If you know others including non PQAC members that might be interested,
please forward this note to them as well. We’d like to help as many get
current as the room can comfortably handle.

We hope to see you then.

Randy Parcels
PQAC – Secretary

New service from Nanaimo to Seattle was recently announced by the airport commission.  See the CYCD website here for details… It’s good news.

But you can’t help but wonder if one day …

There are rumours that Air Canada is considering better links direct to Alberta.  Time will tell, but probably this won’t involve the new B787.

The weatherman co-operated, and our first Fly In for 2014 was a busy one.  Several aircraft managed the trans-Salish crossing in time for a delicious brunch served up by our intrepid cooks, Joyce Clarke, Jenny Janecek, and Jim Vallance.

Reminder: those who fly in for these events are given the NFC member’s rate on a refuel, so the line up at the pumps gets a little busy at times.  But it’s worth it.  Check out our current fuel price on the home page of our website.

After the Air Canada Express Dash 8 blew an engine last month shortly after take off, the pilots returned to Nanaimo and the aircraft ended up at Mike Taylor’s shop (Nanaimo Maintenance) for a small “tune up.”

Mike is a certified AME on leave from Air Canada, but no – he wasn’t hired to accomplish the work.  Air Canada expressed over a new turbine and a team of specialists who pressed on through the night to get the ship back in service asap.

Mike reported that the problem involved a seizure of “the number eight bearing,” (probably due to lack of lubrication from a broken oil line.  Apparently, this is only the third time in the history of that the trusty Pratt & Whitney turbo prop engine has experienced such a failure.

Someone sent me these contrasting photos of Ron White – Before getting airborne, and after.  Can you tell the difference?!

Now that’s what it’s all about!

May 2014 be a year full of all the best kind of flying adventures you can imagine.

Cheers!
Grant