During the annual COPA for Kids event, several luckly teenagers and younger children had the chance to hop into the cabin of a small aircraft and see their home city from a different view.

In the Airdrie Airpark just east of the city, planes and pilots opened their lives up a little to allow interested parties to have just a taste of the aviation world.

Michael Reeves, president of the Airdrie Flying Club, said this event is something they always plan to have annually, weather permitting.

"What we're doing here is, we're trying to get kids who typically wouldn't have the opportunity to be exposed to aviation the opportunity to go for their first plane rides."

Reeves said the opportunity to affect the next generation of pilots is extremely important.

"Aviation has become, over the last few years, something that has become not as accessible for everyone to experience, so this is kind of first exposure."

Reeves became involved with the Airdrie Flying Club about three and a half years ago, but Airdrie's history with aviation goes back much farther.

"The flying club has been around here since at least the mid 80's, even beyond that. It was under a different name. The Airdrie Airpark here has been in existence since World War 2 days. It was originally a training airport under the Commonwealth Air Training Plant. That's the reason for it to be here today," said Reeves. "Over time, as that went by the wayside, the civilian aspect of flying and experiencing flight has increased and taken over the role that used to be here. However, through the years that has also dropped off a little bit. So, what we aim to do here at the Airdrie Flying Club is to sort of be an advocate for aviation within the community simply because it sometimes seems to be out of reach for some people."

Reeves said that there are many pilots and aviation professionals living in and around the City of Airdrie and that any opportunity to help the next generation of pilots is greatly important.

"Spark that flame."

 

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