Dax Air operates a Pilatus PC-12 out of Vernon and Kelowna. It can do Nanaimo - Palm Springs non-stop no problem.

I contacted our POI on that. He said it was still being drafted. My guess is it'll be an annex to the new 624 Standards.

Alpha Crit

Why am I suddenly reminded of my many years flying Grumman Trackers in the Forces. That was over 25 years ago, and my ears are still ringing!

I instructed Chris through his second phase of military Primary Flying Training in the summer of 80. Taught him aerobatics, spins, etc. I remember it well, as he was my very first student after completing the flight instructor course. He did me proud, and topped the course. As far as I'm concerned, ...

Expect questions from the Cap Gen. Might want to focus on the following: Aerodrome Operating Restrictions - Visibility; Application of RVOP procedures; Take-off Minima; Approach Ban - General Aviation; and Alternate Aerodrome Weather Minima Requirements. Also, do a thorough weather and notam review ...

I use the Bad Elf GPS Pro with JeppFD. Works great!

I don't believe the TBM 700/850 meets the redundancy requirements for SE-IFR Commercial ops. I'm not familiar enough with the aircraft to know what it lacks, but of the 11 TBMs currently registered in Canada, none are registered for commercial operations.

Yea, that's how it was last time I was down there. Thanks, guys.

Flying down to Mexico in a couple of days. Going to be doing several flights within Mexico. I know filing into Mexico from Canada or the US using FltPlan.com is no problem. Just wondering if anybody has used it to file Mexico domestic pairings, and if so, what was the result?

I spent 4 years in the Middle East. Established myself as a non-resident of Canada, and didn't have to pay any income tax on foreign earned income during that period (the country I was residing in had no income tax). I did have to pay a flat rate 25% tax on my Canadian earned income (I have a Canadi...

The iEFB I'm using is the one put out by Flight Guide (yes, the same folks who publish the directory). I haven't read the reviews, but yes, there were some issues with an earlier version that was causing lock ups. Those seem to have been resolved now. Just did a trip to Santa Fe and back, including ...

I've been using iEFB Pro on the iPad, and also have the wireless GPS unit that turns it into a moving map. Still carry paper charts for backup, but never look at them. Works great. Gives you every IFR chart you can think of for the US. I contacted them, and they say they're creating data for Canada ...

Engine pressure ratio (EPR). The ratio of turbine discharge pressure divided by compressor inlet pressure, which is used as an indication of the amount of thrust being developed by a turbine engine.

I have been using Flight Guide iEFB on the iPad for my US trips for the past 2 months or so. It's great. Hi's, Lo's, Topo's, SID's, STAR's and approach plates all at your fingertips. And yes, you can bookmark, so you can line up your STAR, approach, aerodrome chart, and pull them up in a heartbeat. ...

I did my basic wings training on the Tutor jet in Moose Jaw. My first operational tour was on Grumman Trackers with 880 Squadron out of Shearwater, Nova Scotia. It was a great first tour. Lots of good, hard IFR in nasty weather. Our primary role was sovereignty patrols of Canada's coastal waters out...

Maelstrom, I spent 20 years as a Canadian Forces pilot ('72 - '92). In a nutshell, I enjoyed every minute of it. The training is as good as it gets. It has its tribulations, like any endeavour, but the camaraderie, the security, the excitement , it's great! Go for it! And good luck!

Thank you, all, for your input. Very interesting. For the AvCanada "Asshole Brigade", I was aware of Banff's status as an emerg/diversion only A/D, but thanks just the same. You'll also note that the CFS states PPR, the obvious implication being that if you have prior permission, you can land there....

Thanks, X-wind. I will heed your words.

Thinking of taking the PC-12 into Banff in the next day or so. Anyone been in or out of there lately? What's the gopher hole situation?

I flew the Yankee, Traveller, and Tiger many years ago. Great little airplanes, from my recollection. Free castering nose-wheel, so all steering is by differential braking, but you'll get on to that quickly. The stall is more aggressive than typical training planes. Be sure to stop any yaw with rudd...

Check your PM's, Chaitanya. I can help you out.

I knew Russ Williams very well. I was his boss from '90 to '92 in Portage la Prairie. At that time, he was a model young officer and pilot. He was smart, hard working, and an excellent pilot. I hand picked him as one of my wingmen for the final display of the Musket Gold Formation Demonstration team...

I was in and out of Pemberton this past Friday and Saturday (Feb 5th and 6th). No big deal. Had to do the full-on security screen in Kelowna. First they checked me out. Then, while they screened the passengers, an RCMP officer checked out the plane. Everyone was friendly and pleasant. In Pemberton, ...