Wilf Stark stared doing monthly member profiles back in the mid 90’s. Several others have carried on, however none have been done in the last few years. This is my first and penultimate profile. I am doing this in the hope someone else will carry on.

Discovering I was not the oldest member in the club I think it is appropriate to profile the oldest member who of course having soloed at 17 is obviously the earliest pilot in our club. Ivan Myslawchuk soloed in 1955, 10 years before Stu Simpson was born. Ivan started drawing pictures of airplanes before the BallPoint Pen was invented, joining air cadets at the age of 13 he trained in a piper Super Cruiser and Aeronca Champion. He soloed at the age of 17. During and after High School Ivan studied airframe mechanics while a member of the Air Force Reserves. This training resulted in him landing a job with Bristol Aircraft in Winnipeg. Ivan later joined the Air Force, hoping to become a pilot, however he was put into Search and Rescue and retired as an Air Traffic Controller. After the Air Force Ivan moved to Calgary. With the help of Bert Hoskins, he renewed his PPL in 1977. Reviewing Mr. Myslawchuk’s Logbooks I discovered certified aircraft he has flown include Grumman AA1’s, Travellers, and Cheetah’s, a Fleet 80 Canuck, C-150, C172, C177, PA 28- 151, PA 28-161, Citabria 115, Varga Kachina (Shin 250), PA-15, Piper Warrior II, and a PA Tomahawk. I may have missed a few.

Ivan’s first Ultralight ride was in a Skyseeker in 1984. While in Acme watching the first flight of George LeMay’s restored De Havilland Rapide he saw his first Lazair. He immediately started Ultralight training with John Reed’s Chinooks and Beavers at Indus. In 1987 Ivan purchased a derelict Lazair R-185 from Wayne Winters and restored it to flying condition. (See before and after Photo’s).

While doing taxi tests a bizarre accident resulted in Ivan Breaking both ankles. With a lot of help from Don Rogers Ivan was in the air within 3 months. Since then, Ivan has owned and flown a Kolb Ultra Star, VPII, Chinook, and a MiniMax.

In the years I’ve known Ivan, I have found him to be generous and helpful. He has carved propellers for himself and others. One instance that impressed me was when he found that Andy Gustafsson had looking for a propeller for his 1/3 scale “Man Cave” Piper Cub, Ivan went to work and carved a lacquered a beautiful propeller for it. After his first door prize of the Club’s great LED Flashlights, Ivan has been drawn for 2 more which he refused so that others would have a chance. One of Ivan’s biggest flying thrills was a flight in one of Tom Conroy’s Harvard’s.

Ivan has a 1000 ft runway on his property which needs your undivided attention to use. His pride and joy is what’s inside his hangar. A VW Beatle, motorcycles etc. But what is most eye catching are all the aircraft parked or hanging from the rafters. The aforementioned Kolb Ultrastar, a couple of Lazairs, a minimax and a VP, to name just a few. He has gathered a lot of interesting items and is proud of it all. A great collection.