Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada -  UPAC planted a seed last year and it grew and blossomed!

 Last year a seed was planted by the Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada - UPAC for short that this year blossomed into one of the most refreshing aviation events that I have attended in many years.

The annual general meeting, this year called the UPAC convention was held over three days at the "Lubitz Field" just west of Kitchener Ontario. I would estimate that well over 200 pilots flew into the event over the three days, with one pilot visiting from British Columbia.

Others came in motor homes and camping trailers, to arrive to a friendly greeting from a group of dedicated volunteers. Camping for both planes, pilots, campers and parking for cars was FREE. (Although donations were accepted.)

While the facilities were the basic "Johnny on the Spot" the camping areas and grounds were both clean  tidy, well signed and organized.

Those that flew in arrived to a friendly greeting and were directed by one of the many volunteers to freshly cut grass tie down areas on high ground, which pilots camping in tents would have appreciated had "Mother Nature" decided to make her presence known.

Pilots flying in just for the day were escorted by Flight Operations to tie down areas beside the main runway. Those driving in late found parking space a little harder to find, because the large parking area that I would estimate at close to 5 acres was packed early in the morning!

A tram service was provided from the parking area to the main forum area on a regular basis which was nice when you have camera equipment etc. weighing in at some 40 lbs.

Many like myself started out flying in, but were turned back by bad weather, and had to resort to driving in, but the beautiful "red sky" Friday night promised, and delivered fantastic weather for the rest of the weekend.

Pilots were greeted Saturday morning by the smell of bacon and eggs cooking on an "SMALL" open electric grill that meant you had to sit there and suffer several minutes, with the sounds of the bacon cooking, the smell of coffee brewing, while the early risers savoured a very delicious and affordable breakfast of bacon, eggs, with toast and jam, or pancakes.

In the afternoon the cafe switched over to serving hot dogs and hamburgers, the size of which even Wimpy of Popeye fame, would have had a hard time finishing more than one of!

From 9 a.m. until evening pilots and enthusiasts packed the forums. Carl Hiebert is a long time ultralight pilot, has flown across Canada in an ultralight and uses ultralights to give earth bounders a view from above from his camera's eye.

But it is not just a view, the pictures Carl takes show the very essence of the heart and soul of Canada. From the "elegant arches of the Humber River bridge" in Little Falls Newfoundland to the "whalelike mountains breaching in a wave-crested sea in Lumby British Columbia. My personally autographed "Gift of Wings" an aerial celebration of Canada sits on special shelve in my office, and has been opened hundreds of times over the years when I need to have my "spirit lifted."

The biggest problem facing attendees first thing in the morning was which seminar did they want the most to attend, for while one was going on in the main forum hangar another packed forum on engines was being held in the second forum.

Dave Chesterman gave a presentation on engines that was so well attended that the question period at the end ran into overtime making it necessary to reschedule the weight and balance forum.

While not many pilots will ever have to do a weight and balance for aircraft that are already flying, that have not had anything added or removed from them.

For others such as builders just completing projects or pilots looking to add fuel tanks, floats, storage compartments etc. it is a MUST.

Rob Godby took us through the steps of doing a weight and balance. From having a level floor and correct scales to the formulas and calculations necessary to come up with a correct C of G. All the time explaining in very understandable language what datum, cord, C of G, etc were and how they fit into the equation.

After explaining he then took an actual plane set it up on scales, showed how to pick a datum line, how to measure from it to get the figures to do the correct calculations.

Peter Henshall, Kathy Lubitz

He also showed  ways of adjusting to get the correct C of G. Such as moving the gas tank, engine seating position. This alone would have been worth the price of admission - HAD their been an admission charge!

We no sooner got out of the seminar and the Annual General Meeting was called. The forum building in which it was held filled up very quickly with standing room only for those arriving late.

While I am not going to get into this part of the convention, there is one person I

 would like to spend a few minutes on.

Since resurrecting UPAC back in the early 80's, there were two people that I always relied on.

One was the treasurer of UPAC Mike Collins, who made sure we didn't spend more than we could afford, and that when we did spend we were made accountable for every penny.

The second was Peter Henshall. Peter is the oldest standing director of UPAC and he was given what I consider to be one of the toughest jobs of any of the directors, that of membership.

Peter has dedicated over 20 years of his life to UPAC in the service of ultralight pilots across Canada. He is the one that sends out the membership renewal forms, keeps track of members change of address information etc.

While the directors of UPAC are all volunteers and do their jobs on what many would consider a part time basis, Peter's job is not part time and his dedication to us deserves to be recognized by far more than just a few words in the coverage of UPAC's AGM.

There was also a "Commercial" area where a number of vendors set up shop.

Vassili Tarakanov or Air Trikes out of Pierrefonds Quebec had one of his trikes on display powered by a Suzuki auto conversion. The engine was stock right out of the car, and was equipment with a bolt on reduction drive unit.

The total package, with starter, exhaust, and alternator came in at around 200 lbs complete, and can be purchased separately, so that you can buy a good running used engine from an auto recycle or rebuilder and install the drive and be flying a 3 cylinder 4 stroke 65 hp auto conversion with drive for about half the price of a 912 Rotax, and about the same price as a Rotax 582.

Air Trikes also offers plans for their trikes.
For more information contact Air Trikes 6043 Clark St. Pierrefonds, PQ H8Z2G3 514-685-2856

Tom Reavell of T Bird Aviation had his beautifully finished Quad City Challenger on display.

Tom who operates an ultralight school out of London Ontario also gave a presentation, with some beautiful slides on flying from Ontario up the St. Lawrence River with a group of fellow Challenger pilots. For more information on the Challenger and T Bird Aviation contact Tom Reavell 89 Victoria St. London Ontario N6A 2B1.

Last year a friend of mine from Uxbridge Micky Jovkovic called me about my recommendations for buying a plane. I new of a Merlin that had been used in a training environment that needed a good home. While the plane looked a little rough it was a Merlin, which is one tough little plane, with a good safe history. 

It was a pleasure to see this old "workhorse" restored to her original flying shape, with new fabric, paint, and interior, if their had of been awards given out she would have walked away with one for sure.

Micky has recently purchased the Green Bank Airport which is near Port Perry Ontario. It has two runways, hangars, classrooms etc. Micky is looking to have a flight school operate out of Green Bank, and invited anyone flying in that area to drop in.

Another advantage to pilots attending the convention was that their "Recency" requirements could be met. A number of years ago a "Recency" requirement was added to an ultralight pilots license.

While not difficult to do it is a "pain in the ...." and something that most pilots either don't know about or tend to forget.

By signing in and attending four forums at the convention pilots met this requirement.

The four forums were divided into separate sections to satisfy the requirements of Transport Canada. Emily Coffey of Capital Airsports gave a presentation on Flight Safety.

Mike Thorp gave a very entertaining presentation on his first ultralight cross country experience flying from Southern Ontario to the Northern Ontario and back, in a TEAM Hi Max on Muk Luk floats built from plans, which filled the requirement for navigation and flight planning.

Rob Godby, did the Weight and Balance seminar, with UPAC President Kathy Lubitz finishing the four requirements hosting a very interesting forum on "pilot experiences" that dealt with the "what if this were to happen to you." How would you react what would you do or have done?

This started with Andrew Forber who talked about the recent loss of two close friends in a two place ultralight crash, when a the control system on their craft broke in flight, due to modifications done to two push pull tubes that weakend them causing them to fail.

This in turn lead to him and a friend more closely examining each others craft, and coming up with a list of repairs and maintenance items that they had either been neglecting or missed while doing their regular pre-flights. Each promised the other that they would do the required service or repairs!

His friend called several weeks later to inform him about an experience he had just had. Apparently one of the things Andrew had noticed on his friends plane was that the fuel lines had deteriorated and needed to be replaced.

This apparently did not get done as promised, and while flying with an instructor at altitude fuel could be smelled, and then was spotted running down the floor of the cockpit. This ended with an engine being shut off and a safe dead stick landing being made.

Andrew did a very good job of bring home to attending pilots that it is students, pilots and INSTRUCTORS that have to learn and teach  "decision making" and proper follow up procedures in order to fly our craft safely.

The convention closed on Arlo Speer of Transport Canada giving an update on the passenger carrying legislation for ultralight pilots of Advanced ultralights and schools. His update indicated that the program is back on line and should be acted on in the near future.

The training requirements will be similar to that of a Recreational Pilot permit but can be taught by ultralight schools, in ultralight aircraft both basic and advanced.

As I mentioned this closed out the convention, at least for the pilots. For Kathy and Ed Lubitz who along with a group of volunteers, must have spent months and hundreds of hours of work putting it together, the work is not over, things have to be put back they way they were and then the work starts over again to produce what will no doubt be an even bigger and better AGM next year.

On behave of myself, those attending, and those who were unable to attend, Ed and Kathy, and all the volunteers involved please accept our gratitude for producing one of the most fulfilling and refreshing ultralight experiences held in Canada.
 

Dave Loveman

In closing:

Ultralight pilots are different from any other pilots that I have encountered over my 30 years of covering this sport . We fly our little craft from farmers fields, or backyard runways, in many cases there will be no other ultralight or ultralight pilot for hundreds of miles.

We just love to fly, and don't want all the hassles and regulations that conventional flying involves. There comes a time however that we have to pull ourselves out of our wilderness seclusion and give support and input to those that help to protect our rights and privileges as pilots and aircraft owners.

In Canada one of those events is the UPAC AGM. This group of dedicated volunteers has worked since 1981 to protect your rights and privileges. If not for them you would not be able to legally fly the planes you are currently flying, under the limited rules you fly them under.

Whether you are a UPAC member or not, you have enjoyed ultralight flight the way it is in Canada because the Ultralight Pilots Association along with COPA, RAA, PUFFA, the Calgary Ultralight Association, and Challenger Owners Group, have been guiding "government legislation" down a path that few other countries have been able to travel successfully.

These associations need your input and deserve your support in the way of membership, to protect you, your aircraft, and the future generations that will one day want to enjoy seeing the world from above.

"For once you have tasted flight, you will walk this earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return. Leonardo da Vinci.

Ultralight Aircraft News Magazine
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