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Festival of Flight 2022

Happy Spring to you all!  We hope that you have had a chance to get some flying in over the winter.  If not, you won’t have to wait much longer – spring is practically upon us!

HPAAC Exec discussed the spring 2022 Festival of Flight and the consensus is, since we are still experiencing some COVID-related issues this year, we have opted to postpone the Festival to the end of the summer flying season this year.

The 2022 Festival of Flight will be held on Labour Day long weekend, (Friday, September 2, to Monday, September 5).

In addition to the change of date, the 2022 Festival of Flight will be held in PEI this year!

Many benefits of a PEI Festival include:

  • Our sites are actively maintained
  • Our 3 primary flying sites are located around Point Prim/Orwell area (25 minutes from Charlottetown – between where the NS Ferry in Caribou lands on PEI at Wood Islands and Charlottetown).  These sites take a variety of wind directions (NW, N, and W).
  • Possibility of tow launching at Cable Head Flight Park and Summerside Airport.  (Need a winch and operator)
  • The launch site at Cousins Shore (N-NE wind) – requires a good briefing prior to flying.
  • Launches from some small cliff sites with South and SW-SE winds (these sites are typically quite small sections of cliffs, beach landings are possible at low tide)
  • A wide variety of accommodations are available, ie. Campgrounds, Cottages, B&B’s hotels, motels
  • Tons of restaurants with a wide variety of food and price point.  Great grocery shopping available.
  • We have active PG pilots here, even some ultralight pilots and PPG pilots too.  (My neighbor is an ultralight pilot and I know a couple of active PPG pilots here. We could invite them in as guests to participate and/or simply hang out with other like-minded people who have a passion for flight of any brand).
  • If the wind is too strong/too weak for flying, there is no shortage of things to do:
  • there is a good chance of kiteboarding (south shore, north shore sites) if winds are too strong for flying.
  • Golfing
  • Beaches
  • Hikes and biking mountain biking trails, or the tamer rails to trails system (from tip to tip)
  • Restaurants, Pubs
  • Museums and Heritage, Parks

We are open to any suggestions for activities anyone would like to offer – just let me know.  We will be planning the Festival details very soon. More to come as we get things together!

Safety message from HPAC

March 19, 2020

Fellow Pilots:

We find ourselves in a dynamic situation that is evolving daily. While the pandemic is not expected to have a significant direct impact on association operations, it will undoubtedly affect individual members, instructors, schools and tandem operations in many ways.

Aside from the obvious recommendation to follow local guidelines about travel and avoiding groups of people, I feel it is important to ensure members consider some less obvious effects of the pandemic when making decisions about flying.

  • Landowners may not be happy to have visitors under these circumstances, please check with the site organizer or landowner before heading out.
  • Your fellow pilots may wish you to keep your distance, please respect their space.
  • First responders and emergency services are likely to be increasingly overloaded. If you have a bad ending to your flight, you may wait a very long time for rescue if they are able to respond at all. If you need emergency care you will be using resources that someone else may need more than you.

With respect, I ask you to weigh the relative importance of your desire to fly against the needs of your community to limit the spread of the virus. It is your decision where and how you fly. Please make your decision wisely.

Best Regards,

Nick Jones
President, HPAC/ACVL

25th Annual Festival of Free Flight : May 17-20, 2019

The event marks the start of the flying season for many people and is the largest gathering of Maritime pilots during the year.  With over nine different potential flying sites and friendly competitions, it is a social highlight for many pilots.


2019 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Flying (Friday – Monday) locations depend upon wind and weather conditions.
Location updates will be posted on whiteboard on Mainstreet (Loctation TBD) , Twitter @HPAAC and on the HPAAC Facebook page– and see site map above.

Friday May 17

  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • 6:00 pm – Lobster Boil – members only

Saturday May 18

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 0730 – 0800
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying – Check the whiteboard for locations (dependent on wind conditions)

Sunday May 19

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 07:30 – 08:00
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying – Check the whiteboard for locations (dependent on wind conditions)
  • 18:30 – Dinner and AGM – Harbour View Restaurant

Monday May 20

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 07:30 – 08:00
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying -Check the white board for locations (dependent on wind conditions)
  • Pilots leave throughout the day
  • Often the best flying of the Festival to be had by those who stick it out.

Reminder that Fox River and Chignecto sites are closed to all flying.

This incident report is a good read to learn from. Many lessons can be learned from it.

https://hpac.ca/pub/?pid=478#collision

Pilots from across Canada looking to visit the East should consider making the journey to Nova Scotia for this premier event.  With several days of potential flying and a lobster boil on the beach overlooking the scenic Bay of Fundy, this is a very special event.