Local youngster inspired to reach new heights

A beautiful sunny day greeted pilots, car enthusiasts, and spectators to the annual “fly-in barbecue” at the Fort Frances Airport on Saturday.
Nine pilots flew their own crafts to the airstrip to join in the festivities and put their aircraft on display for the 220 people who went through the gate.
One of those pilots was Winnipeg resident Holly Oakes, a professor of Environment at the University of Winnipeg.
“It’s fabulous,” she said of the fly-in barbecue, which also featured a static car, motorcycle, and radio aircraft display. Cher Pruys, a prominent local aircraft artist, also was on hand showing and selling her artwork.
“I appreciate any excuse to come to Fort Frances,” added Oakes. “It’s a beautiful place to fly in to.”
Oakes is a pilot and mechanic who has been flying for many years. She flew here Saturday in an Acro Sport bi-plane she built herself and has put 245 hours on since last year, including a trip to Vancouver over the Rockies.
“I got the idea when I saw a Red Pitts [bi-plane],” she said. “I said to myself, ‘I’d love to own that plane.’ But, I couldn’t afford that.”
So she built her own.
The Acro Sport was designed by Paul Poberezny as a high-performance, fully acrobatic sport biplane suitable for the first time home-builder, according to a Web site on the aircraft.
The fuselage and empennage are built from welded steel tubing, the wings are primarily wood, and the entire structure is fabric covered. Special consideration was given in the original design to make both flight and ground-handling characteristics as forgiving as possible.
Enthralled with the fact Oakes had built the plane herself, 11-year-old Brook Paterson caught up to her in the burger line and asked: “How’d you build that plane?”
“Piece by piece,” Oakes replied. “It used to be 4×12 sheets of aluminum. I formed them into an aircraft.”
“I could never do that,” quipped Paterson, clearly in awe of the pilot.
“You sure could,” Oakes answered right back, telling the youngster that she knew very little about building a plane when she started.
She said the key is knowing to ask how to do things you don’t know how to do.
“You could easily do it,” Oakes continued. “You have just got to ask. Ask how to do it, ask about engines.”
Oakes said she fashioned most of the plane herself, including the wooden wings. She did buy the wooden prop, though.
“I don’t know of any other women [in Canada] that have built their own plane,” said Oakes, but she wouldn’t confirm she was the only one who has registered her own home-built plane.
And for the next generation of female pilots, a few minutes spent on an tarmac here could go a long way in promoting flying—something Oakes and fellow Winnipeg pilot Ken Wiebe, who also attended Saturday’s fly-in barbecue with his ’70s Cessna 150 Classic, are heavily involved with.
Both are part of a program called “Young Eagles,” which gives free rides to youth to promote aviation.
In that spirit, Oakes gave Paterson a chance to sit in the cockpit and learn about the aircraft.
“I’ve always wanted to fly,” said Paterson, who’s only flown in commercial planes in her short life. “I’ve never been on a fly-in fishing trip, yet.”
Oakes put the Amelia Earhart-looking flight goggles and leather cap on Paterson and had her climb into the pilot’s seat—being sure she was careful to step in the right spot on the wing as much of it is fabric.
Oakes pointed out the various instruments to Paterson, explaining each one and its function. The pilot had her pupil turn the control stick, showing her how the ailerons on the wings and elevators on the tail moved up and down.
Paterson had a permanent smile planted on her face.
She even was strapped in tight. Oakes explained the plane has special seat belts—which resembled those in a race car—because it is an open cockpit plane and can be used for aerobatic stunts, including loops.
The belts are designed to keep you planted firmly in your seat.
After several minutes, Paterson had to climb out—already very warm from the gear and belts. The plane and gear are much cooler when flying at 5,500 feet (the cruising altitude).
Paterson’s experience drew a crowd of other young children, so Oakes took the time to give them a chance to also climb into the cockpit. Paterson moved to the passenger seat.
Though Oakes was only in Fort Frances for a few hours before making the 2.1-hour trip back to Winnipeg, she made a positive impression on a number of young minds that won’t soon be forgotten.
(Fort Frances Times)