St. Catharines Flying Club Wings Banquet
2012
A good sized crowd came out to support our Club and the new pilots who were getting recognized as well as those getting new ratings. It was a great opportunity to meet the new pilots as well as the new Niagara District Airport manager.
Thanks to Niagara SkyDive, Steve Peglow of Peglow Tool and Die, and the Flying Club for the draw prizes.
Club President Patti Gamble welcomed the guests and members and introduced the new Niagara District Airport Manager, Mr. Len O’Connor, who was the guest speaker for the evening.
Len entertained us with a very interesting story of his background and how he finally came to land in Niagara On The Lake with his lovely wife Samieh to pursue his passion for all things Flying.
Club Manager Mike Neave introduced the instructors, Scott Montean, Jordan Gowland, and Kevin McMahon, who then came up and awarded Certificates to the new pilots and those attaining ratings as follows:
Private Pilot of the year - Cliff McAuley
Recreational Pilot of the year - Andrew Cook
Class 3 Instructor - Jordan Gowland, Ben Whaley
Class 4 Instructor - Matt Calvert
Commercial Pilot - Andrew Sweet, Javier Solano
Private Pilot - Joe Blue, Michael Sommer, Cliff McAuley, Lenny Beauparlant, Andrew Cook, Nick Divito, Paul Lachance, Shayne Hirter, Alex Risi
Recreational Pilot - Craig Atterbury, Alex Risi, Dan Broerse, Cliff McAuley, Andrew Cook, Norm Behring
Multi Rating - Ryan Lefebvre, Michael Sommer, Lenny Beauparlant
IFR Rating - Ryan Lefebvre
Night Rating - Simon Vanspronsen, Matt Houtby, Philip D'Angelo, Andrew Cook, Tom Korchok, Tom Watkinson
VFR OTT Rating - Al Kish, Harold McCrum, Ryan Lefebvre
Much appreciation to Patti Gamble for organizing the Banquet. We are grateful also to Board Members and Club Manager Mike Neave for their dedication to the Club and for their tireless efforts in keeping the club viable despite the many financial and regulatory challenges they face on a daily basis. We are also fortunate to have great flight instructors and dispatch guys that keep the schedules, and records in good standing.
Nice size group. Well behaved too. Lots of new faces as well as old friends.
Mike, Al just made fun of my dress. He says I look like a leopard. He will be needing a ride home tonight. And a place to stay.
Sue bought some new shoes just for tonight.
Didja hear the one about the Pastor and the Rabbi?
Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.
Our Flying Pastor Tom Korcok says grace.
Jim and Elsa
and Ron
and Dan
Rob and Deralyn
Mark, Scott, Jen, and Jordan
Alex and his parents.
Ryan and Amanda
Jordan and Aleigha
Al and Jacki
Cheryl and Scott
Bev and Sue
Len and Samieh
Norm and Barb
Thanks for buying me those new shoes Mike. You have such good taste. Sure, you can wear them any time you want.
I would like to introduce my new boss who is not really my boss but he likes to pretend he is and I get my way anyhow. He knows who really runs the place.
Craig and Bev
Len O'Connor, the new Niagara District Airport Manager tries to explain how he got from Launching Canoes over waterfalls up North, to chasing Pygmies in Australia, to finally settling in Niagara On The Lake to manage our airport.
Somewhere over the Rainbow. Come on folks sing along with me.
Rock - paper - scissors, who goes first?
Ha ha I cheated and Scott didn't even catch it. He is so slow at R-P-S.
Our Instructors. They cleaned up well for this event.
Craig and Scott
Dan and Scott
Alex and Scott
Norm
Nick and Scott
Cliff and Scott
Michael and Scott
Joe and Scott
Paul and Kevin
Simon and Scott
Ryan
Michael
Here ya go Jordan. Now don't ever let me catch you taking students under the Rainbow Bridge again.
Hey Al wanna go for a trip under the Rainbow Bridge?
Ryan and Jordan
Andrew, Recreational Pilot of the year.
Cliff, Private Pilot of the year.
I don't care what your number is. I can't read the darn ticket so I just made up a number. Don't worry about it, just take the prize and get lost before someone else tries to claim it.
Don't ask me what it says. I don't have my glasses either Patti. Just make something up. I won't tell.
You owe me Jim. Sue and I agreed to call our your number cause we couldn't read the ticket.
Hey I think that was MY number. It's kind of hard to read this ticket. Almost like someone blurred the numbers on purpose.
My eyes are good. I know that was my number so here I come.
Dan wins a Niagara SkyDive ticket. He has no idea what he is in for. He thinks it's a new video game. He needs to go get some life insurance soon.
What's wrong with saying Rub a dub dub? Does that offend you Mike?
I'm so happy that I need to hug someone. Who are you by the way?
Lean in a bit Scott and I will give you a good tip on a horse.
No honestly, Tom, I am not the real Santa Claus. Sorry. But tell me what you want anyway and I will see what I can do. By the way, drop the Rub a dub dub bit.
Elsa, if I stand here and smile a lot, Scott will eventually get paranoid and wonder what we are up to, so keep talking and smile a lot. Maybe he will finally pay some attention to me before I have to wack him on the back of the head.
Congratulations to all the new pilots, to those that achieved new ratings and winners of the draws. It was a wonderful evening of great food, great friendships, good fun, and great support for Our Flying Club.