We had the pleasure of attending the first Open House Fly Day of the season at the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA). The event, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Sunday, May 12th, coinciding with Mother’s Day due to weather conditions. It turned out to be a beautiful and breezy day, perfect for flying.

The day started slowly, but the excitement quickly picked up. Our very first rider was an international student from Spain, Iria Dorado. Iria, who had been staying with our dear friends Pat and Ruth Hanna during her school years in Canada, chose to spend her last day in Canada at CHAA. She embarked on her first Harvard flight, piloted by CHAA’s multilingual pilot, Sean Voskamp, before her departure back to Spain later that night. It was an absolutely unforgettable experience for her.

As the day progressed, riders kept coming in. Interestingly, the majority of the riders were women, all of whom returned from their flights with big smiles on their faces, clearly having had an incredible time.

What makes CHAA truly special is the people – the volunteers who dedicate their time to keep those classic, beautiful yellow birds in the sky. Their love and dedication are immeasurable. We saw many volunteers on site, working hard and having fun at the same time. A special thank you goes out to all the mothers who volunteered at CHAA on Mother’s Day.

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