Flight School Prince George & Vanderhoof "Guardian Aerospace"

You never know what life will show you, or how it will humble you. I just finished a quick road burger in 100 Mile house A&W… just heading back home to work. My wife and I were speaking to an older gent who was eager to converse. He looked like a friendly chap, still working in his eighties and maybe just scraping by.
He asked what I did for a living….then he said “You’ll like this next story!” He mentioned his father was one of the first pilots in Canada, had at one point met up with Wilbur and Orville Wright, he was a journalist in Toronto PRE & POST World War I.
This gentleman showed me is ID and I wrote his name down. He said his father has the same name as his. Listen folks…he told me to Google his name and when I left the restaurant I did exactly that.
You won’t fricken believe this….the Name is Alfred Atkey….Canada’s Top Scoring Ace in World War I, whilst flying a 2 seater reconnaisance plane !! Also Canada’s Forgotten WWI hero and Fighter Pilot Ace. Take the time to read the link below and Google the name. I am fricken humbled on so many levels. So Alfred from the A&W…God Bless You and for your Father…Thank you Sir for your Service, Bravery, Skill, Chivalry, and hard-core Canadian Humility. These 2 gentleman, representing 2 generations….span 127 years.

Canada's Forgotten Airman — 116th Battalion CEF It would have been a spectacle of the upmost beauty to behold. Something akin to watching a swarm of starlings perform their magnificent ballet in the sky above the moors in the south of England. For the men on watch far below in the trenches, the show would have started with the morning sun luminat...

I wanted to wish all our friends, families clients and staff a warm wonderful Christmas time and Best Wishes for 2024. Guardian Aerospace has trained and employed some great flight instructor pilots over the years and they are required to do a little more in their day to day, than their counterparts at other schools. They are good hearted, well intentioned, patient humble and well suited for helping others learn to fly. So my thanks to those staff past, present and future. There are more coming. To our Maintenance team that can troubleshoot and fix aircraft on the turn of a dime and keep us safe. I find it incredible that a team of 7 includes an office receptionist, 3 pilots and 3 maintenance and this team conducts a variety of charter programs, flight instruction, commercial and structural aircraft repair, aircraft tube welding and run a metal shop with custom fabricating and computerized milling and lathing as well as plasma cutting to support the industries in Vanderhoof. We have helped design and build hay dryers and assist in supply parts for tri-axle truck trailers built in Vanderhoof.
This year has been particularly difficult for aviation in this region and my heart felt thoughts and wishes for those families.
Flying is not the neatest part of our occupation! It’s meeting all the different personalities that cross our paths, their struggles and triumphs, their perseverance in their busy lives to learn to fly. It’s their passions and interests…so diverse and interesting and we get to meet them all. Our combined experiences would fill many volumes of books and every page would captivate us.
So, to all we have rubbed shoulders with….More right rudder….stay on the centerline….get your nose up…UP!, that’s not the right attitude….name the 6 decisions you make on the ground before the engine failure on departure decides for you…. I, and we have enjoyed working with you all. I will get all the pictures posted from First solo and successful Flight Tests posted early in New Year. Shout out to Steve Buchi with the highest combined Written and Flight Test score of 93.7%.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year….💪❤️

Head cam photo taken by Ted Arnold from Yukon Skydive. In Carcross, Yukon pre-covid and floating around at 10,500’….feels like a regular day in the office.

Vanderhoof Water Aerodrome CVH4 Seen from my backyard

Tandem Skydiving and First Jump Solo is coming to Vanderhoof Airport 13-15 October. Free groundschool for skydiving in preparation for your first jump will occur Thursday evening in Prince George and Friday morning at Vanderhoof Airport. Contact Niki 250-964-8228 to enrol and join our skydive community! [email protected]
skydivecanada.ca

Congratulations Katie Paolucci on his first solo in Aug 2022! Also congratulations to his instructor Yong Ming (Nimbus Aloft) !!

Have questions about becoming a student? Drop them below!

Congratulations to Arnold Malushi on finishing his Private Pilot License! Also congratulations to his instructor Yong Ming (Nimbus Aloft)!

Have questions about becoming a pilot? Drop them below!