Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero Linx: Canadian Owners And Pilots Association

Canadian Owners and Pilots Association turns 60 years old this year. The idea to form COPA was born in April, 1952. Laurentian Air Services pilot John Bogie was having lunch in the Ottawa Flying Club lounge with Spartan Air Services pilot Bill Peppler and Paul Saunders when Ottawa pilot Margaret Carson came storming in and declared that something had to be done about the way small aircraft owners and operators were being mistreated by the government.
 
At the time no one was looking after the small operators and individual aircraft owners in Canada. One of the issues that sparked Carson’s initiative was the application of highway tax on aviation gasoline.
 
As a result of that informal discussion, interested local Ottawa pilots chipped in $5.00 each to pay for printing and mailing of notices. An organization meeting was held on Friday, Dec. 12, 1952, at 1:30 p.m. in the Ottawa Flying Club lounge. Bogie acted as chairman of the meeting and Carson acted as secretary. From those humble beginnings COPA grew to be the largest Aviation Association in Canada.

FMI: www.copanational.org