Aviation has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I had Royal Canadian Air Force radio-navigator wings on my chest before I had a driver’s licence. I had an airplane before I had a wife. So, when I got a very short-notice posting to Germany, I didn’t take a car—ours had suered through a year-long posting, travelling the gravel Holberg road on Northern Vancouver Island— instead, I set about figuring out how to ship our airplane.
It took a while. My wife Carol and I left Canada in August 1990, bound for Germany and the first Gulf War. Finally, in September 1992, a 40-foot sea container housing our Piper Cherokee arrived at the Canadian base at Baden-Soellingen, just as I was promoted and posted to Belgium. The first change to the aircraft on reassembly was the addition of Canadian flags to each side of the fin.
We took our little Cherokee to the Belgian base at Chièvres where SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) kept his VIP airplane. We were excited to start touring. The first cross-country trip was to Spa, the famous auto racing circuit in Belgium. Then came a flight to BadenOos, where both the airport and the railway station were located, so our younger son could catch a train to Bavaria.
Denne historien er fra October/November 2019-utgaven av Our Canada.
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Denne historien er fra October/November 2019-utgaven av Our Canada.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Day & Night
Clive Branson of Ottawa explains the fascinating psychological effect of seeing the same scene in daylight and then at night
BACK-ROAD ADVENTURES
Capturing the history and beauty of Quebec’s Eastern Townships in winter
A Very Merry Christmas
Waiting for the turkey to roast has never been so much fun!
BEAUTIFUL BERMUDA
This lovely island nation boasts friendly locals and incredible views
Room with a View
This window on the natural world brings a sense of peace and joy
Sled dog Salvation
Tracing the incredible journey of a musher from Edmonton who fled her abusive spouse with her dog team and made it all the way into Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Christmas on Display!
Unpacking and showcasing the family collection of Santas, snowfolk and village scenes is an annual labour of love
SOLITARY PURSUITS
Enjoying brisk winter days in the great outdoors
WILLIAM POPE: An Artist for the Ages
A tribute to Norfolk County’s Naturalist
The Intrepid OJIBWAY
The story of a man, and a community, who fostered a sense of pride and dignity for those to come