The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association Flight 149, which flies out of the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport (NCDRA), held its final barbecue of the summer season last Thursday under blue skies and fair weather.
“There was great food and an enjoyable evening for all in attendance,” said COPA Captain Adrian Verburg, who has been in the cockpit since the 1960s, and is remarkably several years older than his 1947 Stinson monoplane which he has flown out of the NCDRA on River Road in south Pelham for many decades.
“We recapped our events and achievement of the past year,” said Verburg, “including our Christmas gathering, which included a substantial food donation to Pelham Cares, an overhaul of our website, updated sponsors for our courtesy van which enables visiting aviators to see our area, maintenance by COPA members of our main runway, and another successful Discover Aviation Day, which introduced flying to almost 100 youngsters, with a similar number already signed up for next summer’s event.”
A $1000 COPA Flight 149 flight training bursary went to Ethan Foster.
“I want to thank all the pilots who gave their time, expertise, and financial support to our projects,” said Verburg, noting that COPA 149 receives no airport, municipal, or government monies.
