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3 EA mp ald' PORT PERRY STAR SECOND hd. SECTION PORT PERRY, ONTARIO -- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1976 -- PAGE 17 Will attend World Championships Aerobatic team practices over Scugog It looks. a lot like bronco busting." Like a wild, powerful beast, the tiny red and white biplane sporting the maple leaf of the Canadian Aerobatics team twists, turns, spins, dives, and flips in what seems like an effort to shake off the insignificant hitch-hiker in the cockpit. But the 720 pound Pitts Special, a marvel of maneuverabil- ity and structural strength, is responding to every slight nudge of the 'stick' by pilot Jay Hunt, and the onlooker is quickly convinced that should he want to, Hunt could maneuver the homemade double-decker through the prover- bial eye of the needle. Jay's next trick? To raise enough money so the team can represent Canada at the world champ- ionships i in Kiev, Russia this summer and sometimes it seems that flying through the eye of a needle would be easier. Two airplanes, pilots, and four ground support Upside down manoeuver "of encouragement; personnel must be somehow brought to Kiev. Wardair, a private charter has offered to ship one airplane to Eur- ope, but the Canadian military and all the Canad- ian carriers have turned the team down. "They say they don't have the money. It seems we picked a bad year," said Jay. The air force, which -operates the big transport Hercules aircraft, could _easily carry the small team aircraft to Europe but the Canadian military claims preoccupation with the Olympics. The extent of federal government assistance, says Hunt, is the printing of an Aerobatics Canada Poster in French and English, and Wintario has provided a small grant that roughly equals the amount given to model airplane clubs in the province. Not that there hasn't been enthusiasm--at least from individual Canadians. An appeal for financial assist- ance to many flying clubs, pilots and individuals has had heartening results. A lot of small donations of $2 or $5 have been coming in from individuals along with letters small clubs have passed the hat around at meetings, collecting $50 donations. But while the encourage- ment is sincere and inspiri- ing, it won't pay the more than $40,000 still needed to send the team and equip- ment overseas. Govern- ment, corporate, and organ- izational support is needed to get the team on their way, and so far, its been a dead end road. = Of over 200 major indust- ries canvassed for support, only two have sent money for a grand total of $200. . 4 Into the cockpit "Soma She performs as good as she looks "I's that old problem facing Canadian sportsmen who want to compete inter- nationally and represent their country---money." *Strangely--or' iroially enough, one foreign airline has offered to take planes, men and equipment: Airoflot, Russias state- owned airline. According to Jay, Airoflot officials they talked to were very sympathetic and offer- ed to fly the entire operation. Subsequent checks, how- éver, revealed that the team's aircraft would not fit inside Soviet carriers operat- ing in Canada. But the offer to carry people and equip- ment still stands, and the team is grateful. Jay's own financial contri- butions and that of other members of the team have been sizable, considering the three months he's taken off work to do the continual practice necessary for the event, the Olympics of aero- batic flying. Story, photos by John Gast He plans to do at least 100 hours of practice flying be- fore leaving for Russia. That's at about $40 an hour including fuel, support crew, insurance and other costs. Although he's flown for 14 years (aerobatics for 4) the edge goes to U.S., Russian, East German and Czek- oslovakian pilots who can and do practice all year. The Canadian winter severely restricts flying time. Operating from the grass- ed strip at the Greenbank Airport, Jay's biplane has been ploughing the skies around Utica since May in a spectacle that often leaves local residents breathless-- and concerned. The team is anxious to avoid any more trouble, and is very concerned about a number of complaints reg- istered with local farmers who are allowing the aero- batics. "I can understand how people could be alarmed, but our first concern is absolute safety. Believe me, no (continued on page 20) A spin of the prop, and.... ek aha 1s 7 py Xp AY wl FAAS Nich Fi ri a SRC RE AER Se eh a 3 oN yo 5 Ge ar - EH HE NE CIT RR -~ ¥ TTS Ra NST Te "= ana A vo tren A SET A SS ENN N-- IN > % SPL RE & ~ Ch ~ i p, Ss SRS STN NL Re ak Nl TE od Hy > To et EEN SL ar' a pA 0 Pw a ao Ci yo ---.. Vins 0 or ai oH Ls a