GORDON—Two more Manitoulin residents are now pilots, having passed their flight tests within the past week. Richard Anger and Cameron Runnalls both passed their tests for the Private Pilot’s Licence.
Both flew the Gore Bay Flying Club’s plane, a Cherokee 140, as part owners. They trained under the club’s instructor, Wade Cook.
“These two guys have done a great job,” said Mr. Cook. “Great students, eager to fly at every chance, and they will be very good pilots.”
This brings to five the number of new pilots trained by the Gore Bay Flying Club’s instructor since the Club was formed in March 2017.
Cameron Runnalls is the third generation of pilots in his family, following in the footsteps of his father Scott and grandfather Oliver, all Barrie Island farmers. “This is a long-time dream for me, to fly like my dad and my grandpa,” he said.
Richard Anger has long yearned to soar in the sky above Manitoulin. “Thanks to Robby Colwell (manager of the Gore Bay-Manitoulin Airport) for taking me for a flight in his Cub—it gave me the bug. It has taken me 10 years make it a reality. And thanks to Wade Cook and the Gore Bay Flying Club,” he said.
The Gore Bay Flying Club has several more student pilots in the works, and a Youth Pilot Training Scholarship in place to train one eligible high school student a year to become a pilot, still open this year for applications (GBFCScholarship@gmail.com).
