A new club for aspiring pilots in the Bulkley Valley is taking flight.
Earlier this month the Bulkley Valley Flying Club (BVFC) held its second ever meeting at Smithers airport.
A small group of pilots and flying enthusiasts, both novice and experienced, met to discuss the possibility of a Bulkley Valley group that would provide training for people looking to obtain their Private Pilot’s License (PPL).
The main item up for discussion: a 1977 Piper PA-28 Cherokee aircraft that one of the group’s founders, Kyle Brown, had secured as an aircraft for the group.
At the meeting, interested participants talked numbers, specifically how much it would cost to pitch in for a “share” of the plane and exactly how the logistics of sharing it would work.
As Brown explained, the hope is for at least six people, pilots and those looking to get their private licence alike, to divide the cost of the aircraft and share it among themselves for training and recreational purposes.
He added that, so far, BVFC has three people committed to sharing the cost of the plane and a small handful of trained pilots committed to getting involved with the club.
Brown said he made the purchase despite not having six committed people because the deal was good and the timing seemed right.
“And if we [get] eight?” another individual at the meeting asked.
“Well considering we’ve had three for a month-and-a-half, I’m hoping that six is reasonable,” Brown said with a laugh.
He said the end goal is to get a plane that people looking to get their PPL can log hours in under the supervision of qualified instructors — in this case, current pilots.
“The full intention is to … get a plane for the club, for people with their licences to fly.”
Brown added he is hoping to bring more pilots with the ability to train others into the fold and that as long as they have the appropriate licence they are able to provide training to registered owners of the aircraft looking to log more hours for their license.
He said he encourages anyone who is interested in learning about getting their PPL, but doesn’t know where to start, to check out the group’s Facebook page.