Well, turning 60 can sometimes have its perks. Looking at a recent bank statement they now say my accounts have a “Seniors Rebate” applied to them. Although I don’t care for the word “Senior”, I’ll happily take the fee discount. Same applies to Denny’s or anywhere else I can use this “time earned” privilege.

Something I’ve always wanted to do but, never managed to arrange, was a flight in a WWII vintage type aircraft, specifically the Harvard. Fortunately for me, my fantastic wife listens to the things I talk about, at length, and filed that one away.

She covertly made arrangements for a flight in one and her and my lovely eldest daughter, Jenn, lured me out of town under the guise of going to a great farmers market somewhere near Gleichen. After we drove past Gleichen and Cluny, I was getting suspicious. When we turned the back way, into Bassano airport it got me thinking that maybe… but nah, probably not. Pulling up to the hangars, they sprung my birthday surprise and from that moment on, I felt like a giddy kid in a candy store. To say I was excited and full of enthusiasm is putting it mildly.

Some of you may recall a guest speaker we had at our club meeting sometime in the last decade named Jim Hyrmack, who gave us a great presentation one evening. Well here we were arriving at his Hangar in Bassano!!!

Jim has a tremendous aviation background. He started flying at 16, and would eventually become an RCAF Pilot. While there, he taught in CT-114 Tutor jets and flew T-33 jets at cold Lake. He also flew Twin Otters in the high Arctic. After his military service, he went on to fly the Bush in Northern Canada, UN humanitarian missions in Africa and also instructed pilots of the Royal Saudi Airforce. He began his Airshow career in 1998 flying Pitts specials and later the Harvard Mark 4. His 35 years of experience includes over 10,000 hours and 50 aircraft types, ranging from Piper J-3 cubs to Boeing 737’S airliners. Considering all of this, I found him to be one of the most humble and nicest guys I’ve met in aviation.

Shortly after arriving, we’re out in the hangar where he’s giving me some aircraft familiarization and a cockpit orientation. Many, but not all, of the items in the cockpit I recognize from aircraft I’ve been in but find everything just bigger and beefier. This aircraft feels like its built like a tank.

As we proceeded out to the ramp Jim gave me a briefing with a rundown of what our flight would entail. He asked what my comfort level was with aerobatics and I told him in my private pilot training, that I had done spiral dives, and multiple turn spins (when they used to teach them) so I’m okay with some mild aerobatics and happy to try some.

We fired up that big Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp Radial engine and it’s deep growl was a reminder of how special this flight was going to be. Sitting in the cockpit of an old military training aircraft like this, with the engine running, I experienced a very profound and humbling feeling. Thoughts about all those who had gone before, trained in these aircraft, and wondered what they went on to fly and where their path took them. It was thought provoking indeed.

After warming up and run-ups, we were taking off and climbing out. At altitude Jim let me have the controls and it was an exhilarating feeling I find impossible to fully articulate. Its something very special to have your hands on the controls with that big radial chewing its way through the sky at your direction. Very powerful feeling you can’t easily forget.

After a bit, we switched control back to him and he dived down to do a river run. It was fantastic! He gave me control again as we climbed back to altitude. Once we were high enough and after some clearing turns we did the really fun stuff.

I never imagined how exciting rolls and loops could be in a Harvard. Arriving back at the Airport, we did a high speed low pass for my family spectating, which now included my Daughter-in-law Kelsey and her dad Bart, who were nice enough to drive out there to share in this experience with me.

As we landed, I was amazed at Jim’s skill level as the windsock was firmly straight out at 90 degrees, and you only have one strip in Bassano to use. The Harvard can be prone to ground-looping, as I’ve seen in some videos, but as I watched his tap dancing on the rudder pedals, he tamed that strong crosswind and made a beautiful landing. I had absolute confidence, he’s one hell of a Pilot.

During wartime, the Harvard was very significant as the gateway aircraft, for those who started on a Fleet Finch or a de Havilland Tiger Moth, and advanced to more complex aircraft, because it had a constant speed propeller, retractable landing gear, etc. If you wanted to eventually end up in a Hurricane or a spitfire, you had to get through the Harvard first. I feel It is deserving of much credit for it’s role in World War Two. It’s contribution was being the “Pilot Maker” of so many in the BCATP who would eventually fly overseas.

It’s so nice to see one of these airworthy and operational instead of on a pole guarding a gate somewhere. Its even more amazing to go for a flight in it. Truly a piece of Canadian aviation history being preserved in a living way.

My personal connection to these aircraft would be my mother, who back during war time, was a young girl and lived near an airforce base back east. She told me she always remembered the distinct sound of the Harvards as they flew overhead. She would later work at that same base in the early 1950’s as civilian personnel. That always stuck with me.

I think every pilot has a small handful of memorable flights that he truly treasures. This one topped my list, being second only to my First Solo flight.

It was an unforgettable experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It makes you feel that sense of wonder like when you were a kid. They say that “growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional”. It made me that excited kid again, at 60.

A big thanks to Jim for such a great experience. I can’t thank my loving wife Sue, for all she did to make this dream come true and my beautiful daughter Jenn, for being there to share in it.

It was a thrill of a lifetime!