15
fal l
2011
Escarpment Magaz ine
Once in the air Steve suggested that he’d try a few banked
turns to see if that bothered me. If it did, he said we would opt
for a ‘granny’ ride, if not he would try an aerial loop and then
move on to some other aerobatic maneuvers. We did a hard
bank to the right and then the left and all I could say was,
“Wow!” Steve asked. “Howwas that?” and I responded with,
“Great… let’s do more!” He then took us through a corkscrew
or barrel roll and a few other thrilling moves. The sensation
was unlike anything I had experienced before.
The impression from the ground, when you watch these planes
do their stuff at an air-show, is that of a roller-coaster. In fact
in the air, as Steve explained, it is more like an aerial ballet.
Next he did a hammerhead — where the plane climbs straight
up until it runs out of speed then pivots 180 degrees and nose-
dives back towards earth...ending with another half loop. I
must admit that particular maneuver did bother my sensitive
stomach just a bit, but I didn’t want to say anything… I was
having too much fun.
Steve’s enthusiasm for flying is contagious and has infected
many others at the Owen Sound Billy Bishop Airport. In recent
years the city’s airport had fallen on hard times and after
going through a number of managers, the airport operations
had no direction. The city had pretty much washed their hands
of the facility and was prepared to either sell it or close it out-
right. Finally, Steve and the other hanger owners got together
and approached the city with a proposal to take over the op-
erations. After the usual haggling over the final details, an
agreement was passed by city council on July 1st, handing the
management and operation of the airport to the hanger own-
ers. Now the people who have a vested interest in keeping
the facility going are able to do something about it. They have
already cleaned up the area, trimmed the grass and have
begun promoting the airport in earnest.
!
It’s too nice a day
to be on the ground,
let’s go flying!