The Western Canada IMAC Eruption

[wizard]

Written by: Russ Hillman A.K.A hillmanr2.---
A few years ago I asked around as to why there wasn’t any IMAC contests in British Columbia, Canada and only a very few pattern events. I was told many things, “no one is interested”,” its to hard”,” it will never happen”, “no one wants a contest”, “contests are way to hard to run”, well you get the idea. I kept persisting, well pestering would be more apt, the guys in my club and others from around B.C. One day at a jet rally (just there to watch and it was awesome) I ran into a long time pattern pilot, Mike Allman, and asked him about an IMAC event. I didn’t get halfway through my question and he said “LETS DO IT”. So we started. I brought it up at the next club meeting and while no one knew what the hell I was talking about they allowed the “3d thing” or “IMAA event” or whatever it was to go ahead as long as I would finally shut up. I started posting tons of threads to advertise it and everything looked very positive. A ton of guys said, “they would be there for sure” At one point it looked like there would be up to 45 pilots. Being such a neewb I should have realized something was up when I had only 1 pre-reg pilot. The eve of the event I was extremely nervous and spent a very lonely evening at the field wondering if any one would show up. At 6:30am contest day I got a call from Shaneo asking what the combo to the front gate was. Seemed like a good sign. By 8:am however there was only 3 of us, looked like I threw a party and no one came. At the end of the weekend I had wrangled 7 more for 10 pilots and we had a great time.

Being my first IMAC event ever, I had never even flown in one before, I was glad there were only a few. I persisted with demo flights at various events and some folks started talking.

Then in February, out of the blue, The Kamloops club called and wanted a Boot camp , Chris Hammond called and wanted to do a contest in Edmonton. Then another fellow called and wants to do one in Calgary next year. My fellow SA committee member organized a Vancouver boot camp at his club only to have the biggest club in the province request it be held there, with a full contest next year. We did the boot camp in Kamloops this year and 19 pilots showed up!

The Kamloops boys want a yearly event now. A fellow out of the Bellingham club was interested in a boot camp there. With the tremendous support from Bob Hudson the Scale aerobatic Committee president in Canada and Bruce Hanley, the NW Assistant Regional Director, we are going to have a great year this year and possibly up to 5 contest next year in a place where people “didn’t want a contest” one year ago. Every week someone either pre registers or wants some info on a boot camp or contest.
I am very excited about the future of IMAC in Western Canada,
Russ Hillman

[Highlights]

Yeah it is a tuff one here in Canada.

[Kiwi]

Russ,

Great story and congratulations on getting it off the ground. I'm sure you guys have some of the same issues getting people together and distance in our case is the killer. Canada's a whole whack bigger than little old Chile so I expect your distance issues are ten fold that of ours.

Still once you break that barrier and get people involved its amazing how this will grow. In two or three years time your going to be asking yourself how the heck you got yourself involved in this so deep.

Don't let it slow down the ambition Russ, good luck with what you guys are up too.

[Dangerous Dan]

how many month out of the year can you fly in canada

[crhammond]

Nice article Russ!

I'd like to thank Russ, Bruce Hanley and Bob Hudson for helping me get our contest going in Edmonton (Stony Plain just outside of Edmonton...) Bruce in particular gave me a ton of advice and help. Website is here: http://68.151.33.14/CRHAMMOND/MMF%20contest.aspx

We had our first boot camp in early May with a small turnout of 6 folks (just like Russ's first year.) We have another in July that I have had lots more folks say they are coming too. It's hard to know what our first year will be like but I am optimistic we'll have a decent turnout in the range of 20+ pilots. I'd be happy with any number - it takes time to grow from nothing.

Russ has really helped to generate a lot of interest around IMAC here in Western Canada and his enthusiasm is contagious. We have a lot of area but not as much population as you lucky folks down south. It's going to take some time but I believe in the next 2 to 3 years w will be able to get a "circuit" going out here that will allow folks to compete 4 or 5 times a season. Combine that with some travel to NW zone contests in the USA and we may have some pilots in a few years able to step up to some of the bigger contests. I know Russ and I share that goal (hey it's a long shot and life gets in the way - but you have to have goals!)

There are a few of us from Alberta travelling to the Kelowna contest this year. I keep trying to encourage more people - but it is a 10 hr drive minimum. Once we have a couple of contests going here in Alberta ther will be more groups of people willing to travel to other events.

	Quote: Originally Posted by dangerous dan
	how many month out of the year can you fly in canada

Dan - it's all over the place here in Edmonton, Kelowna enjoys a much longer season and has a totally different climate than we do.

In 2005/06 we flew from May 05 to October 06 almost solid as we had a VERY mild winter. It would have stopped most of you guys down south but I think I only stopped for maybe 3 weeks. We fly less in the winter and I've never seen anyone trying to practice for real - just fly a couple of flights and go home to get warm.

This year we started mid-April. Normally September is very nice (but mild) ... and depending on snow and cold we can fly for most of Oct into early Nov.

Since the season is short we fly HARD. I flew 1200 flights from April-Sept last year.
I have burned almost 20 gallons of gas since mid-April this year and it has been a VERY slow start with wind, snow, rain etc. The good weather is finally here and people are starting to fly a lot more.

[hillmanr2]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Kiwi
	Russ, Great story and congratulations on getting it off the ground. I'm sure you guys have some of the same issues getting people together and distance in our case is the killer. Canada's a whole whack bigger than little old Chile so I expect your distance issues are ten fold that of ours. Still once you break that barrier and get people involved its amazing how this will grow. In two or three years time your going to be asking yourself how the heck you got yourself involved in this so deep. Don't let it slow down the ambition Russ, good luck with what you guys are up too.

Thanks KIWI. Lucky for us 90% of Canada's population is within 3 hours of the US border so that cuts down the traveling a bit. The other thing about Canada is for the most part population centers are relatively close to one another. For me it is 4hrs drive to Vancouver, 8hrs to Calgary and 12hrs to Edmonton. Not to bad considering.

	Quote:
	how many month out of the year can you fly in Canada

As Chris said it depends where you live. Here in Kelowna we have a very mild and usually short winter from late October to the end of February and a guy can always use skiis. Other parts are not so lucky however. The one advantage we do have in the summer is daylight. Even now a guy could fly till 8:30 in the evening. I put in a last flight at 9:30pm last year so after work flying is no problem.

It is really a Cinderella story up here for IMAC. All of a sudden folks are coming out of the woodwork. I just had an email conversation with a guy who tried to get things going back in the 80's. He is now 85 and said he would help out with judging as he didn't have anything to fly. I told him to come and fly my backup plane. I think it would be fantastic to have an 85 year old competitor!

[shaneo]

Great article Russ! I think the whole mentality around the concept of an event or competition is that people think they aren't good enough. Hell if I can do it anyone can! After your event last year, I came back talking to all the guys I fly with, telling them how much fun it was. I finally convinced two other guys to come to Kamloops with me and they had a great time. Unfortunately being early in the year we hadn't put many flights on before, and we spent alot of time dealing with set-up issues. I wouldn't hesitate ever to get get more people involved to at least give it a try. How do you know you won't like it if you don't try. Keep in touch with me if you need any help with anything in the Fraser Valley area, or if you are going to do a demo somewhere else. Call me anytime!

[hillmanr2]

Thanks Shane. It is great guys like you and your friends that are reason things are moving forward so well!

I am looking forward to going to the Edmonton event as well. I better see all you FG guys from Alberta there.

[mavacpjm71]

Great Article russ!!!

[Bryan Mailloux]

Sound like a great start.

[50%plane]

Great article! Congratulations on the contest! I hope that IMAC takes a hold in Canada as I'm sure there are many talented pilots up there.


50%

[hillmanr2]

Thanks guys. I know this is going to get big, there are a lot of enthusiastic folks out there that are doing more than their part and spreading the word.

I hope people sitting on the fence will choose to get involved, now is a great time to come out and have some fun. No one has to worry about a lack of experience, cause no one here has any
Although some may fly in different classes all of us here in Western Canada are all IMAC newbs!
I would also like to thank you US guys for preregistering. Having you guys come up will help us out a ton.