Courtenay Airpark members are well aware of the looming shortage of aviation professionals, a situation much in the news for the past few years. We support all efforts to get young people interested in pursuing aviation-related careers and to this end, several Airpark volunteer-pilots participate in two recognized programs that offer flight experiences at no cost, to youths aged 8 to 17 inclusive.
COPA for KIDS is sponsored by the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association. Founded in 1952, the mission of COPA is to advance, promote and preserve the Canadian freedom to fly. The Association has close to 16,000 members across Canada and the COPA for Kids program, which introduces over 3000 Canadian children to aviation each year, is a vital component of its collective outreach and promotion within the broader community.
EAA Young Eagles is sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The EAA was founded in 1953 and is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts numbering over 200,000 world-wide including many in Canada.
To date, COPA for Kids has introduced over 23,000 young Canadians to General Aviation.
Since its beginning in 1992, more than 2 million young people have enjoyed a free introductory flight through EAA's Young Eagle program.
Volunteer EAA YE's and COPA for Kids pilots bear the total cost of flights and as members of these organizations are duty-bound to operate in accordance with all applicable Transport Canada rules and regulations. In addition to the normal mandated insurance coverage, both the EAA and COPA extend additional coverage for both the pilot and passenger.
For complete information click on the links above.
Interested persons may also contact the Courtenay Airpark Association via email, to connect with a participating local pilot.
