2014 COPA for Kids, a lost opportunity

On September 27th we were ready to take to the sky 50 kids and show them the joy of flying. Carl, Bob and Ed worked for three weeks prior to the COPA for Kids day planning, preparing, assembling the volunteers and assigning them to different tasks. Our club members were ready with their beloved airplanes to take 50 of the future generation to the sky and show them the glory of being a thousand feet above the ground, making them feeling the ability to move in three directions, the excitement of the takeoff movement and the pleasure of the successful landing.

Carl and Ed received the candidates’ names and everything was ready to rock and roll with one reservation, weather permitting.

The weather forecast was not bad for the weekend, but few days before the date, forecast story changed and the clouds and the morning fog was more likely for the Saturday. Well pilots know how the weather can impact their plans and they develop their seventh sense to feel the weather. As well, pilots develop the mindset of accepting the weather impact on their plans as well as they accept the fact that they fly only when weather permits.

On Friday September 26th Carl had to break the news of postponing our Saturday event due to bad weather. I imagine the disappointment of 50 kids, who were dreaming about flying, maybe for few nights. I also imagined the parents’ disappointment for missing a good event, and explaining “why” the kids are not flying in the very next day. However, there was still hope of commencing COPA for Kids event on Sunday September 28th. Carl made his arrangements and put “Plan B” in action and we were ready to fly on the Sunday, weather permitting.

On Saturday evening, the forecast and the TAF didn’t improve and Carl had no option but to cancel the event. Further disappointment was in store for the kids and their parents, and maybe some negative impact on them when they discovered how the weather impacts the general aviation.

We canceled this year COPA for Kids but the hopes are still there with our kids that one day, one day they will hop into a cockpit and enjoy flying. Our job is to keep the hope high and realize our kids’ hopes when weather permits.

I highly thanks Carl, Bob, Ed and all the volunteers from our beloved club for their dedication and commitments toward general aviation and most important, toward our future our kids.