Today was the annual COPA for Kids event at Smiths Falls. COPA for Kids provides free aircraft rides for children, to give them a taste for flying. I was lucky to grow up around aviation, but most children don’t get that chance.

Last year was the first year I had participated in this event, and it may have been the first year it was done in Smiths Falls. There weren’t very many kids last year, and there were several four seat aircraft involved, so I only had one passenger. This year there were many dozen children, so I was busy doing ride after ride. I took five enthusiastic passengers up before I was finished. Everyone seemed to enjoy their flight.