L’ASTRONAUTE CANADIEN ET NOUVEAU COMMANDANT DE LA STATION SPATIALE INTERNATIONALE PARTICIPERA AU SPECTACLE AÉRIEN DE GATINEAU

GATINEAU, QC. – Chris Hadfield, astronaute de l’Agence spatiale canadienne, fera une visite lors des portes ouvertes et du spectacle aérien des Ailes d’époque du Canada, samedi 18 septembre à l’aéroport exécutif de Gatineau-Ottawa.

Chris Hadfield est un membre du conseil de direction des Ailes d’époque qui piloté le F-86 Sabre « Hawk One » pendant les événements du centenaire de l’aviation en 2009. « L’avenir de l’aérospatiale canadienne est un produit direct de notre excellence actuelle et passée. En maintenant en vie notre riche patrimoine de l’aviation nous continuons à enseigner, à lancer des défis et à inspirer les explorateurs de l’air et de l’espace d’aujourd’hui ,» a dit Chris Hadfield. « C’est si central à ce que fait et ce que représente la fondation des Ailes d’époque. »

Ces portes ouvertes existent depuis maintenant cinq ans. Cette année elles seront commanditées par la ville de Gatineau et un hommage sera rendu à trois récipiendaires de la Croix de Victoria (VC) de la seconde guerre mondiale.

En hommage à ceux qui ont mérité cette médaille, les Ailes d’époque mettront en vedette le Avro Lancaster (Andrew Mynarski, VC) et le Consolidated Vickers PBY 5A Canso (David Hornell, VC) qui appartiennent au Canadian Warplane Heritage et le Goodyear FG-1D Corsair (Robert Hampton Gray, VC) des Ailes d’époque du Canada. Tous les autres avions de légende de la collection des Ailes d’époque feront également l’objet d’une démonstration en vol au-dessus de Gatineau y compris notre bien aimé F-86 Sabre Discovery Air « Hawk One ».


Le spectacle commencera peu de temps après l’ouverture des portes à 10h00 avec des démonstrations d’acrobaties aériennes des Classic Wings de Smiths Falls, de la Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team, des Ailes d’époque et finira un passage en vol commémorant la Bataille d’Angleterre.

Un stationnement sera disponible le long du Chemin Industriel non loin de l’aéroport pour $5 par véhicule et une navette gratuite sera fournie par la Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) entre le stationnement et l’aéroport. L’entrée au spectacle est gratuite, cependant les dons sont acceptés à l’entrée principale.

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Note aux éditeurs : Les journalistes et photographes sont invités aux Ailes d'époque jeudi 16 septembre à 11h00 pour des photos et prises de vues avant le spectacle ainsi que des interviews au 1699 Rue Arthur Fecteau. Veuillez contacter Mary Lee, responsable des Relations publiques, pour confirmer votre présence à mlee@vintagewings.ca ou par téléphone au (819) 669-9603.

CANADIAN ASTRONAUT AND NEW COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO ATTEND GATINEAU AIR SHOW

GATINEAU, QC. – Chris Hadfield, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut, will visit during the Vintage Wings of Canada Open House and Air Show on Saturday, 18 September at the Executive Gatineau-Ottawa Airport.

Chris Hadfield is a member of the Vintage Wings Board of Directors and a pilot of Vintage Wings’ F-86 Sabre. “The future of Canadian aerospace is a direct product of our past excellence. By keeping our rich aviation heritage alive we continue to teach, challenge and inspire today's explorers, both in aviation and aerospace,” said Chris Hadfield. “It’s so vital to what Vintage Wings does and represents.”

Now in its fifth year of Open Houses, this year’s event, sponsored by the City of Gatineau, will pay tribute to three recipients of the Victoria Cross medal (VC) from the Second World War.

In tribute to the VC winners, Vintage Wings will feature the Avro Lancaster (Andrew Mynarski, VC) and the Consolidated Vickers PBY 5A Canso (David Hornell, VC) belonging to Canadian Warplane Heritage and the Vintage Wings’ Goodyear FG-1D Corsair (Robert Hampton Gray, VC). All other vintage aircraft from the Vintage Wings collection will perform over Gatineau including the beloved Discovery Air “Hawk One” F-86 Sabre.

The flying will begin shortly after the gates open at 10:00 a.m. with aerobatic displays from Classic Wings of Smiths Falls, the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team, Vintage Wings, and will finish with a flypast of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

‘Park and Ride’ is available along Industrial Road for $5 per vehicle with free bus shuttle service to the airport provided by Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO). Admission to the show is free, however, donations will be accepted upon entry at the main entrance.

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Note to Editors: Media are invited to Vintage Wings Thursday, 16 Sept at 11:00 a.m. for pre-air show footage and interviews at 1699 Arthur Fecteau St. RSVP with Mary Lee, Public Affairs to confirm attendance at mlee@vintagewings.ca or, (819) 669-9603.

Simcoe Article: Borden Air Show this weekend

Simcoe Article: Borden Air Show this weekend

Where the heck is the Hawk One Website?!

It's coming. A few glitches have been worked out and the new www.hawkone.ca will go live soon, promise.

In the meantime, its nice to know what is going on with that awesome jet and where might it be seen this season. This weekend she travels to Borden Ontario for her first Air Show weekend. However, A low pressure system is currently keeping her on the ground at Vintage Wings today but she should be airborne within the next 24 hrs.

Here is a team summary from outgoing team lead, Paul "Rose" Kissmann...

We are at long last about to head into the airshow season 2010 after many months of preparation. We are sporting a new look to the aircraft with the Discovery Air logo wrapped securely around the aircraft mid-section – our lead sponsor – and a new Orenda 14 engine installed and purring like a kitten – supported by Magellan. Our technical team has worked hard to bring the aircraft in line with civilian standards for potential IFR operation, and to mop up the inevitable snags that pop up after months on deck over the winter. All that to say, the aircraft is operating better than ever, and Mike “Woody” Woodfield and Will “Fat Daddy” Radiff are ready to put her through her paces with a more dynamic solo air show performance than last year.

Chris Hadfield got his “fix” with the aircraft last week with a recurrency check and flight to St Hubert to talk to 650 or so Air Cadets. As many of us found our roots there, we all feel strongly about supporting an opportunity like that, with a star like Chris. That may be the only time he flies the aircraft this summer as the Canada Day festivities are not planning to feature the Sabre at this point – we will save that for a very big day on the 4July and the Vintage Wings Open House featuring the Snowbirds - a show that promises to be the biggest aviation event in Ottawa area since the air shows of old.

Steve “Swill” Will’s quick departure in February left a significant hole in the team at the critical time of the year. Duty called to him from a surprise location, Moose Jaw and the Snowbirds. He has, in the meantime, brought the Snowbirds team through some challenges and restructuring, which include the creation of a LCol CO position and helping get the team ready for this year’s show season.

While he was busy out west, I have been trying to keep this Hawk One venture moving forward within Vintage Wings, rather than along-side like the year before. I am happy to say that we are there now, and the Sabre show will thrill millions again this year, importantly with a week long stint in Oshkosh where a million plus aviation enthusiasts will see and hear the story of the Golden Hawks and the Sabre jet in Canada. We are again going coast-to-coast with the Sabre, although with a reduced schedule to stay within our budget constraints. It is not cheap or easy to run a 50+ year old bird – but we are up to the task with the help of our volunteers and supporters.

One of our most important volunteers this season has been Jeff Hill who has worked very hard to keep our show moving along – from working with Sam Reid on music and commentary to support manuals and airshow bookings.

There are other great team members out there like Dan Dempsey, who is chomping at the bit to get back into the Sabre next year, and we will look forward shortly to see how folks like Dan, who bring such an important passion and experience to the fray, can best stay engaged with Vintage Wings.

We have a very small team this year of less than 10 folks, out of necessity, and a focused airshow presence. I think this will be the recipe to success this year, a year that is very different from 2009 but will be no less successful and will touch many people again. Best of luck to the team, and thanks again to those that stepped up to support as volunteers and sponsors.

-Paul Kissmann

Flight Ops Update

With the air show season quickly upon us, there is a hub of activity on the flight deck preparing the birds for the summer flying season. Here is a quick and dirty status report on some of the fleet:

Gray Ghosts:
Gray Ghost One is the Robert Hampton Gray FG-1D Corsair. All systems are a go for her Naval Centennial celebrations. Only one recent set back and that's the weather, which kept her on the ground Saturday 8 May for the 65th Anniversary VE-Day celebration here in the nation's capital.
This Saturday, 15 May, the Corsair is scheduled for a flypast at the Vice Admiral Kingsmill Dedication over Portland ON.

The other half of the Gray Ghosts program is our Fairey Swordfish, Gray Ghost Two. Still without an engine, the contribution she will make in celebrating the Naval 100th Anniversay is not clear, but not completely ruled out. She is still on the books for the International Fleet Review in June.

For more information on the celebrations for the Canadian Naval Centennial in 2010 visit www.navy.forces.gc.ca/centennial.


Discovery Air Hawk One Sabre:
Continuing on the success of the 2009 Centennial of Flight celebrations, our Sabre will, once again, take to the skies for another air show season beginning 5-6 June in Borden. Hawk One is now completely under the Vintage Wings' umbrella although we continue to receive financial and in-kind support from DND. She also has acquired an additional namesake. Well, two new names actually. In recognition of this year's principle sponsor, Discovery Air, we have adopted the name in the title and their logo on the side the jet.

A not-so-obvious name appearing on the jet is Al Lilly whom the F-86 Sabre will be dedicated to later this month. Lilly is Canada's first test pilot to break the sound barrier in 1950 when flight testing the Sabre prototype. Prior to his distinguished career in aviation, he was a member of the RCMP and became instrumental in the formation of the dog-handling team. It was only fitting that Vintage Wings partner with the RCMP in the dedication to one of our great aviation legends.

Now be sure not to address Will "Fat-Daddy" Radiff or Mike "Woody" Woodfield as Mr. Al Lilly when you see them exiting the jet a an air show near you. Our two new flight jocks to join the Hawk One team may not be well recognized yet but they will be. For now they carry the responsibility, albeit an honourable one, of explaining the new name below the canopy when they tour the air show circuit this summer. Returning pilots Paul Kissmann (Team Lead) and Chris Hadfield are familiar enough faces that it should be an issue for them. We shall see.

Spy Taxi:
The third key flight operation for 2010 is the Westland Lysander IIIA. She has undergone a major restoration and will soon be ready for a flight test. Transport Canada inspectors were just in yesterday to pay a visit. They didn't leave with the plane or appear to be unsatisfied so the visit couldn't have been all that bad. The techs are still happily carry on about their business for the next engine run-up. A sure sign of progress. Stay tuned for her flight check. Be sure to read Dave O'Malley's Vintage News article "The Second Coming" for a more complete story on the Lysander restoration and the team that made it all happen.

Sponsored Ride Program
The word is spreading and the interest is growing for a sponsored flight on one of the aircraft designated for the program. The P-40 Kittyhawk has undergone an annual inspection (AI) and the last of the snags is fixed. Dave Hadfield will conduct a test flight Friday in preparation for the air show season. A memorable flight has already been flown this season, at least for one fellow. Stay tuned for his blog entry to learn more about our Hawaiian connection and the man who spent a lifetime pursuing his Kittyhawk passion.

The new Tiger Moth will be a featured aircraft in the Sponsored Ride Program and has already been signed up for flights. A few broken ribs underneath the wing walk - a delicate area on the aircraft - will be necessary until then, but she will be ready for operations in very short order.

The de Havilland Beaver has undergone an extensive and detailed AI and was in need of much TLC as per the NTD inspection guidelines. That means repairs to meet airworthiness standards. She has met those standards now and is ready for her 2010 mission, the Sponsored Ride Program.

And purring like a charm is our North American Harvard. Later this month on 29 May, she and Mike Potter will participate at the Air Cadets Aviation Day in St Hubert, QC. along with the Chris Hadfield in the Discovery Air Hawk One Sabre.

- This update is brought to you by Mary Lee, VW Public Affairs. My goal is to learn the lingo on the hangar floor to better articulate maintainers' "tech-talk!" The maintainers' goal is to learn blogging 101 so they can keep these regular updates coming and keep you, our members, informed.