205:
185:(AOPA) which had been formed 13 years earlier in 1939. After meeting with AOPA principals and receiving encouragement from them, COPA was set up with headquarters in Carson's garage. As the association grew, they hired their first paid employees and moved into more permanent offices. Bogie became the association's first president and today there is an award in his name to both honour his legacy and to celebrate other outstanding pilots who advance, promote, and preserve the Canadian freedom to fly.
40:
213:
259:
that provide information to members on buying an aircraft, creating your own aerodrome and dealing with government regulatory enforcement action. There are also guides on each category of aircraft in Canada from ultralights to certified aircraft. COPA also provides technical assistance to its members
321:
The COPA For Kids
Aviation Program has been inspired by Young Eagles but is not associated in any way with Young Eagles or the EAA. I am pleased that the EAA will continue the Young Eagles program through its Canadian Chapters. With our two programs in place, we can maximize the opportunity for kids
195:
In April 2023, the
Canadian federal government announced funding of C$ 558,903 from the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund to COPA over three years to establish the COPA Aviation Academy. The academy will be an on-line teaching tool in English and French, to provide recreational pilots with
171:
COPA has 13,000 members from every province and territory in Canada. The organization's mission is to "Advance, Promote and
Preserve the Canadian Freedom to Fly". Its members represent about 50% of all private and commercial pilots in the country.
220:
COPA is governed by a 15-member board of directors, who are elected by the members of the association on a regional basis. They serve four-year terms, with elections held in even-numbered years. Board meetings are held three times a year.
180:
COPA was formed in 1952 by Ottawa aviators
Margaret Carson and John Bogie. They saw the need for an organization to represent the interests of private pilots to the government of Canada. Their model was based on the US-based
244:(ret. Canadian Astronaut) as the new voice and spokesperson for COPA. COPA offers their members numerous benefits, including offering a unique aircraft group insurance program. The program was previously administered by
330:
to be more inclusive of adults interested in discovering aviation. Each year, COPA's chapters (known as COPA Flights) organize
Discover Aviation events all across Canada. On average, 30 events are held each year.
309:
first flight. The goal was met with COPA's members flying about 10% of the total Young Eagles flown in the world. COPA's participation in the program was terminated on 31 May 2008, due to insurance issues.
352:
This scholarship is sponsored by
Diamond Doors and is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 21 and older. One individual is awarded $ 5,000 to pursue their private pilot licence (PPL).
339:
COPA offers nearly $ 33,000 in flight training scholarships for those pursuing their private pilot licence, and those interested in advanced flight training ratings. These scholarships include:
305:
program between 1992 and 2008. Young Eagles was started in 1992 with the goal of flying more than 1,000,000 young people between ages 8 and 17 by the
December 2003 100th anniversary of the
346:
This is open to
Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 16 to 21 at the time of the application. One individual is awarded up to $ 14,000 to pursue their private pilot licence (PPL).
839:
272:
364:
This scholarship is open to COPA members 18 years of age and older interested in pursuing their advanced RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft systems) certificate.
849:
771:
189:
854:
844:
182:
613:
509:
289:
COPA holds an annual general meeting in June of each year and staff and board of directors attend regional events across the country.
721:
298:
746:
667:
475:
435:
532:
586:
236:
Until May 2016, COPA published a monthly tabloid-format newspaper. Since June 2016, it is full colour magazine still named
245:
212:
382:
640:
559:
279:
renamed the
Freedom to Fly Fund collected from its members over the years, which is often used to fund court cases.
204:
694:
255:
The association also has a large website, with some sections available to members only. The website includes its
358:
This scholarships is open to COPA members 18 years of age and older pursuing advanced flight training ratings.
775:
263:
COPA is a registered lobbying organization and conducts advocacy work on behalf of aircraft owners with
249:
501:
617:
196:
safety and search and rescue training, with the aim of reducing both incidents and accidents.
264:
306:
153:
286:
annually run many local aviation events, including many of Canada's summertime fly-ins.
282:
The association has a network of more than 200 local chapters across the country. These
241:
161:
68:
671:
39:
833:
248:
until August 2011. Currently, the COPA VIP Aviation
Insurance program is run by the
479:
439:
302:
409:
536:
590:
268:
797:
327:
271:
and other governmental agencies. The association is a member of each of the
17:
698:
563:
386:
644:
165:
192:(IAOPA) and remains an active participant in this international body.
225:
224:
COPA has a staff of eight who work from the association's offices in
78:
211:
203:
168:
services for Canadian pilots who fly for non-commercial purposes.
460:
Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, "John Bogie: A Lifetime in Aviation,"
822:
317:
on 11 February 2009. Then COPA President Kevin Psutka stated:
190:
International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations
158:
Association canadienne des pilotes et propriétaires d'aéronefs
131:
770:
Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (February 2009).
275:'s (CARAC) nine technical committees. COPA has a large
745:
Canadian Owners & Pilots Association (July 2008).
313:
COPA introduced a replacement program, under the name
720:
Canadian Owners & Pilots Association (May 2008).
772:"COPA For Kids Aviation Program cleared for takeoff"
462:
Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society,
126:
116:
106:
93:
85:
74:
64:
46:
344:The COPA Neil J. Armstrong Ab-Initio Scholarship:
319:
356:The COPA Advanced Flight Training Scholarship:
273:Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council
8:
208:The original association logo used 1952-2017
32:
164:association that provides information and
38:
31:
373:
840:Aviation organizations based in Canada
765:
763:
747:"COPA to launch kids aviation program"
183:Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
146:Canadian Owners and Pilots Association
33:Canadian Owners and Pilots Association
297:COPA was the Canadian partner in the
7:
260:on aviation questions and problems.
122:Mark van Berkel (May 2023 - Present)
502:"Ottawa Announces Funding for COPA"
322:to experience the thrill of flight.
216:The association logo used 2017-2020
512:from the original on 22 April 2023
188:COPA was a founding member of the
25:
362:The COPA Drone Pilot Scholarship:
326:In 2021, the program was renamed
299:Experimental Aircraft Association
850:Lobbying organizations in Canada
27:Canadian non-profit organization
410:"Mission Statement and History"
350:The COPA New Wings Scholarship:
315:COPA For Kids Aviation Program
1:
855:1952 establishments in Canada
845:Organizations based in Ottawa
533:"The COPA Board of Directors"
240:. The first edition featured
160:) is a federally registered
112:Doug Ronan (2022 - Present)
108:Board of Directors Chairman
52:; 72 years ago
871:
798:"Discover Aviation – COPA"
89:General Aviation, Advocacy
37:
476:"COPA History 1957–1962"
436:"COPA History 1952–1957"
668:"COPA Accomplishments"
324:
217:
209:
157:
293:Youth flying programs
215:
207:
257:COPA Resource Guides
246:Marsh Canada Limited
566:on 13 February 2017
442:on 16 February 2017
277:Special Action Fund
34:
722:"COPA e-NewsFlash"
620:on 2 February 2017
218:
210:
701:on 4 October 2010
508:. 21 April 2023.
328:Discover Aviation
142:
141:
118:President and CEO
81:, Ontario, Canada
16:(Redirected from
862:
826:
825:
823:Official website
809:
808:
806:
804:
794:
788:
787:
785:
783:
774:. Archived from
767:
758:
757:
755:
753:
742:
736:
735:
733:
731:
726:
717:
711:
710:
708:
706:
697:. Archived from
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
670:. Archived from
663:
657:
656:
654:
652:
643:. Archived from
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
616:. Archived from
609:
603:
602:
600:
598:
589:. Archived from
587:"COPA Insurance"
582:
576:
575:
573:
571:
562:. Archived from
555:
549:
548:
546:
544:
535:. Archived from
528:
522:
521:
519:
517:
506:Canadian Aviator
498:
492:
491:
489:
487:
478:. Archived from
471:
465:
458:
452:
451:
449:
447:
438:. Archived from
431:
425:
424:
422:
420:
414:copanational.org
405:
399:
398:
396:
394:
385:. Archived from
383:"Why Join COPA?"
378:
265:Transport Canada
138:
135:
133:
98:
60:
58:
53:
42:
35:
21:
870:
869:
865:
864:
863:
861:
860:
859:
830:
829:
821:
820:
817:
812:
802:
800:
796:
795:
791:
781:
779:
778:on 21 July 2009
769:
768:
761:
751:
749:
744:
743:
739:
729:
727:
724:
719:
718:
714:
704:
702:
692:
691:
687:
677:
675:
665:
664:
660:
650:
648:
647:on 7 March 2017
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
611:
610:
606:
596:
594:
593:on 8 March 2017
584:
583:
579:
569:
567:
557:
556:
552:
542:
540:
539:on 8 March 2017
530:
529:
525:
515:
513:
500:
499:
495:
485:
483:
482:on 7 March 2017
473:
472:
468:
459:
455:
445:
443:
433:
432:
428:
418:
416:
407:
406:
402:
392:
390:
389:on 7 March 2017
380:
379:
375:
371:
337:
307:Wright Brothers
295:
234:
202:
178:
130:
119:
109:
99:
96:
56:
54:
51:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
868:
866:
858:
857:
852:
847:
842:
832:
831:
828:
827:
816:
815:External links
813:
811:
810:
789:
759:
737:
712:
695:"COPA Flights"
685:
674:on 22 May 2010
658:
631:
614:"COPA Members"
604:
577:
550:
523:
493:
466:
453:
426:
400:
372:
370:
367:
366:
365:
359:
353:
347:
336:
333:
294:
291:
242:Chris Hadfield
233:
230:
201:
198:
177:
174:
162:not-for-profit
140:
139:
128:
124:
123:
120:
117:
114:
113:
110:
107:
104:
103:
100:
94:
91:
90:
87:
83:
82:
76:
72:
71:
69:Not for profit
66:
62:
61:
48:
44:
43:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
867:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
824:
819:
818:
814:
799:
793:
790:
777:
773:
766:
764:
760:
748:
741:
738:
723:
716:
713:
700:
696:
693:COPA (n.d.).
689:
686:
673:
669:
666:COPA (n.d.).
662:
659:
646:
642:
641:"COPA Guides"
635:
632:
619:
615:
608:
605:
592:
588:
581:
578:
565:
561:
554:
551:
538:
534:
527:
524:
511:
507:
503:
497:
494:
481:
477:
470:
467:
464:(Spring 2009)
463:
457:
454:
441:
437:
430:
427:
415:
411:
408:COPA (2018).
404:
401:
388:
384:
377:
374:
368:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
345:
342:
341:
340:
334:
332:
329:
323:
318:
316:
311:
308:
304:
300:
292:
290:
287:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
261:
258:
253:
251:
247:
243:
239:
231:
229:
227:
222:
214:
206:
199:
197:
193:
191:
186:
184:
175:
173:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
137:
134:.copanational
129:
125:
121:
115:
111:
105:
101:
92:
88:
84:
80:
77:
73:
70:
67:
63:
49:
45:
41:
36:
30:
19:
801:. Retrieved
792:
780:. Retrieved
776:the original
750:. Retrieved
740:
728:. Retrieved
715:
703:. Retrieved
699:the original
688:
676:. Retrieved
672:the original
661:
649:. Retrieved
645:the original
634:
622:. Retrieved
618:the original
607:
595:. Retrieved
591:the original
580:
568:. Retrieved
564:the original
560:"COPA Staff"
553:
541:. Retrieved
537:the original
526:
514:. Retrieved
505:
496:
484:. Retrieved
480:the original
469:
461:
456:
444:. Retrieved
440:the original
429:
417:. Retrieved
413:
403:
391:. Retrieved
387:the original
376:
361:
355:
349:
343:
338:
335:Scholarships
325:
320:
314:
312:
303:Young Eagles
296:
288:
284:COPA Flights
283:
281:
276:
262:
256:
254:
250:Magnes Group
237:
235:
223:
219:
200:Organization
194:
187:
179:
170:
149:
145:
143:
75:Headquarters
29:
782:12 February
678:24 December
624:24 December
570:24 December
543:24 December
486:24 December
446:24 December
393:24 December
238:COPA Flight
95:Membership
47:Established
18:COPA Flight
834:Categories
803:6 November
419:20 January
369:References
269:Nav Canada
705:4 October
597:31 August
516:15 April
510:Archived
166:advocacy
752:30 July
730:20 July
651:26 July
176:History
127:Website
55: (
639:COPA.
612:COPA.
585:COPA.
558:COPA.
531:COPA.
474:COPA.
434:COPA.
381:COPA.
226:Ottawa
154:French
102:12,000
97:(2024)
79:Ottawa
725:(PDF)
232:Today
86:Field
805:2023
784:2009
754:2008
732:2008
707:2010
680:2007
653:2009
626:2007
599:2011
572:2007
545:2007
518:2023
488:2007
448:2007
421:2018
395:2007
150:COPA
144:The
136:.org
65:Type
57:1952
50:1952
301:'s
152:) (
132:www
836::
762:^
504:.
412:.
267:,
252:.
228:.
156::
807:.
786:.
756:.
734:.
709:.
682:.
655:.
628:.
601:.
574:.
547:.
520:.
490:.
450:.
423:.
397:.
148:(
59:)
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
