Successful 25th ICOA Winter Fly-In
From Bits & Pieces Newsletter, February 2015 Issue
By Patrick Gilligan, EAA 1164458
The annual International Challenger Owners Association Fly-In, led by Claude Roy and with help from Challenger distributor Bryan Quickmire, COPA Flight 121, and many volunteers, has once again attracted a large number of ultralight and amateur-built pilots and aircraft. Braving the very low temperatures, an impressive quantity of aircraft flew to Montebello, Quebec, to attend five highly informative sessions during the day and drop by suppliers and associations’ booths or tables. The Château Montebello get-together has seen more parked Challengers in the past years, but we were fortunate to see 15 of them in the marina despite the bitterly cold minus 20°C air temperature.
A good turnout for minus 20°C. Photo credit J-P Bonin.
The Challengers’ annual winter rendezvous always attracts pilots flying other types of planes. Despite the cold, 22 different aircraft came on Saturday, including a very conspicuous Antonov An-2 on straight skis!
Antonov-2 on skis. Photo credit J-P Bonin.
The Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada and COPA were present to answer questions and concerns regarding this sector of aviation. The event culminated in the evening with a banquet that had an entertaining feature: a combined presentation by Kevin Brown, Bruce Marshall, Claude Roy, and Patrick Vinet about their wonderful experience when all four flew their Challengers to Eastbello 2014 on Canada’s Atlantic Coast.
The beautiful backdrop of Château Montebello was also the venue for convention activities for pilots. Photo credit J-P Bonin.
A quarter century of winter fun was something to highlight and celebrate. Congratulations to the ICOA organizers!
The air is crisp as the Challengers fly out. Photo credit J-P Bonin.
To read more about this event and interesting details of the 2015 ICOA fly-in, please visit the Challenger website to read the invitation letter sent out last November.
