Brandon Neufeld is all smiles as he prepares to take off with pilot Phil Anderson during the COPA For Kids event at the Oliver Airport on June 10. (Keith Lacey photo)

Brandon Neufeld has been talking about becoming a pilot almost from the time he learned to walk and talk.

His passion to become a licensed pilot grew exponentially this past weekend as he went on his first airplane ride, courtesy of the Canadian Owners’ and Pilots Association (COPA) For Kids event, held Saturday morning at the Oliver Airport.

Neufeld, 9, was one of 70 children who showed up to fly the friendly skies courtesy of five local pilots who volunteered their airplanes and piloting skills to transport the kids on a 20-minute flight from Oliver Airport, over Osoyoos Lake, west towards Keremeos and back to the Oliver Airport.

The airplanes get up to 2,500 feet in the air and gave the children an amazing view of the South Okanagan landscape.

After his flight with pilot Phil Anderson, Neufeld was grinning ear to ear as his proud parents looked on.

When asked what the experience of flying in an airplane for the first time was like, Neufeld’s eyes lit up.

“I thought I’ve never done anything like that before … and it felt awesome and I felt happy and I just loved the experience,” he said. “It was so much fun.”

Neufeld made it very clear that his passion to fly airplanes and become a pilot is something he is going to pursue when he gets a little older.

“That’s what I want to be when I’m an adult,” he said. “I have wanted to be a pilot my whole life.”

This is the third year COPA members from the Penticton Flying Club and the South Okanagan Flying Club base in Oliver have organized this event, said Joe Hamann, a longtime member of COPA.

The COPA For Kids aviation program provides – free of charge – an introduction for Canadian youth into the world of general aviation, said Hamann.

To date, the COPA for Kids program has introduced more than 23,000 young Canadians to general aviation.

The COPA For Kids Program is sponsored by AIG Canada, the underwriters for the COPA VIP Gold and VIP Silver Aviation Insurance programs and delivered by our national network of COPA Flights all across Canada, he said.

The goal is to introduce as many youngsters to the wonderful world of aviation as possible with the hope some might consider pursuing a career in aviation or perhaps joining the Air Cadets program, said Hamann.

The vast majority of kids who signed up to participate in the COPA For Kids event had never been inside the cockpit of an airplane and the experience is overwhelmingly positive for all of them, he said.

“The looks on their faces makes all of the time and effort we put into organizing this event worth it,” said Hamann, who came to Canada from Australia back in 1967 and made getting his pilot’s license one of his top priorities after becoming a Canadian citizen 50 years ago.

After going on their airplane ride, each of the children was given a Flight Certificate certifying that this was their first aviation experience.

Davin Graham, 11, also loved the experience.

“It was pretty awesome to be honest,” he said smiling. “There was a little bit of a dropoff and that scared me a little bit, but the pilot told me he wanted to give us a bit of a thrill, so that was pretty cool.

“I would love to do it again.’

Davin’s mother Melissa signed both her sons (Kayson, 9) for the COPA For Kids event and brought her two daughters Delia, 7 and Kallie, 2, along for the day.

“What a fantastic event for the kids,” she said. “The fact that these pilots use their own planes to give the kids an amazing experience is such a wonderful gesture. My boys loved it and I’m sure they will both be back again next year.”

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times