The venues are ready, the preparations are in their final stages and COPA Flight 36 and  the City of Kelowna is rolling out the red carpet for one of the most ambitious COPA conventions in recent memory. Under-wing camping for the big event opens at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, and things get rolling on Thursday with a delegates and VIP Welcome Dinner. The exhibitor hall (more than 30 exhibitors) and numerous informative break-out sessions go on Friday. Saturday features the exhibits, COPA’s annual general meeting and awards and the annual banquet, emceed by Mikey McBryan and with a keynote address by Barry LaPointe, founder of Kelowna-based KF Aerospace.

A new addition this year is an impressive static display of aircraft. At our deadline the list included: Stemme S10-VT (Richard Visscher),  two RVs (Dave McLeroy), Diamond DA62 (Diamond), Diamond DA42 (Pacific Rim Aviation), Quest Kodiak (Aviation Unlimited), Cessna TTX (Cessna), Cessna Grand Caravan EX on Floats (Cessna), De Havilland Beaver on Floats, Acro Sport biplane ( Jill Oakes), Cessna 182 on Floats (Acorn Welding), Cessna 340, PA32- 260, Glasair, Viking Air’s Twin Otter 400 C-FMJO on floats and Turbo Beaver C-GODH on floats.