Thank you Vern at Keystone, Greg at Mid-West Avionics, Gary at Standard Electric, and Art Tendies for Transponder n Encoder

Lindsay, Becky and Marissa helped Jim install the encoder, transponder, antennae.

Thank you to:

1. Greg at Mid-West Avionics for contributing the encoder 

2. Vern at Keystone for contributing the transponder wiring harness

3. Gary Smith at Standard Electric, St Andrews for donating the Transponder

4. Art Tendies retired from Advance Avionics for advice on Transponder-Encoder compatibility

and 

5. Jim Aitken, C-FLUG's volunteer AME for patiently explaining to Lindsay, Becky and Marissa what he needed help with!

Here are a couple of photos taken by Becky..."I love working with Jim and it sure helps me understand the amount of work involved in installing the transponder, plus I had no idea the encoder was a separate box!"

Soon C-FLUG Women Pilots will be taking C-FLUG for coffee in Winnipeg...and  will soon be legal to cross the border to explore the USA! 

Thank you for all your help, support, and encouragement for making the C-FLUG Project such a success!

Today Lindsay headed out to Lyncrest to see if Murray needed a hand grooming the runways after the fresh snowfall; and Becky walked the runways with Mark to see how deep the drifts were. C-FLUG pilots are learning first hand some basic 'bush flying' techniques from experienced commercial pilots at Lyncrest. C-FLUG is owned by RAA, donated by Bill Vandenberg for women only to fly in our attempt to identify why only 6% pilots are women and what steps can be taken to improve this to 50%. Check https://womenflyfree.facebook.com/ for more photos and details.  

A "little job" 1/2 a day later :)

Jim Aitken regularly invites all C-FLUG Pilots and Pilots in Training to help him with the daily maintenance of C-FLUG. He chuckled at the "little Jobs" as each one expanded into some fun challenges and for each one Jim took the time to work at the pace of his helpers. Lindsay said "I've never seen all the wires and hoses underneath the dash. Am still not sure what they all do and what they are for but I sure appreciate the opportunity to follow Jim's directions as now I know what's behind the voltmeter we put in; and that the new fuel sender sensor I helped install sends fuel quantity info to the fuel gauge; and the nuts n washers associated with the heater element we installed for winter! I'm definitely coming back tomorrow to help Jim on whatever he's working on"

One of Lyncrest's neighbours, Kendra, dropped in to see C-FLUG after she visited with Santa who flew in from the North Pole. Jim took the time to show her what Lindsay was helping him install.

While working on C-FLUG, Lindsay had the chance to see one way that a ski plane gets into an hangar while on skis! And Kendra had never seen a door the whole size of one wall open up so she helped with the door!

Lindsay and Becky "hijack" a Land Africa on skis at Lyncrest Airport, Manitoba

Kris from CASARA discusses personal survival kits with C-FLUG pilots and the 99s International Assoc of Women Pilots

Kris Buschau-Lapointe, CASARA, discussed personal survival kits December 5th at Lyncrest Flight Centre at presentation for the Ninety-Nines, International Association of Women Pilots' C-FLUG Pilots. One of the key points covered was to be familiar with the items in your survival kit, keep it light, compact, and carry it essential items on your body in your pockets or in a fanny pack...so it goes with you if you get separated from your aircraft.

 

Art Tendies and Jim Aitken install new ICOM radio donated by ICOM!

Art Tendies, retired avionics specialist helped install the ICOM radio generously donated by ICOM for the C-FLUG Project so the women pilots would get familiar with their new technology. Thank you to Steve Sadler and Bill Dawson who leant us their hand held radio and intercom system! and to Jim Aitken who built the wiring harness! Its fabulous to have a good quality working radio!

Once we paint C-FLUG's tail we look forward to installing the ICOM decal on the tail along with the other sponsor's decals.

Ken Catton has donated an encoder to go along with the transponder Gary Smith donated. We hope to have it installed within a week or two...once it is A-OK, C-FLUG is off to CYWG...CYYJ...here we come KORD :)...well, YWG anyway!

Becky, Rachelle, Daphne, and Lindsay Winter Flying with C-FLUG - "Loved the Soft Field Landings" + Flying on SKIS!

Thank you to Murray Bryson and Mark Odegard (check out pilots), Jim Goold (Airport Mgr and #1 runway groomer) and Dennis Kowalyshyn (ski pilot), C-FLUG pilots had a first-class opportunity to practise soft field landings "for real" with an experienced pilot in the passenger seat. And some got a chance to do some landings in the Land Africa on skis or fly in Dennis' C140, which has an engine similar to C-FLUGs engine - it also loves Carb Heat...in contrast, the Land Africa's carbs hasn't needed any yet - partly due to the carbs positioned so they stay warm? Soft field landings and ski flying was a lot of fun - check out the photos below.