Wednesday, November 27, 1991 - North Shore News — eae arc ea ee Octogenarian in the sky HEWS photo Mike Wakeliels NORTH VANCOUVER resident Cleyton Wilson is the olcest fleensed pilot in Canada. Now 82, he earned his private licence at age 68 and still enjoys flying the blue yonder. THERE’S NOTHING like that feeling when the wheels of your plane lift off the tarmac and the world below gradually shrinks to a miniature-train scene as you float up into the blue ether. Some people get the willies from speeding through the air on metal wings, while others find it relaxing. And it has nothing to do with age. Take 82-year-old pilot Clayton Wilson, for instance. He's the oldest licensed pilot in Canada, having earned his “wings’’ at the ripe age of 68. The North Van- couver resident was aiways inter- ested in flying as a boy, but couldn’: afford to take it up until in his 60s. Now he’s racked up over 250 hours behind the con- trols. Looking trim in a crisp blue windbreaker ernblazoned with golden wings reading ‘‘Boundary Bay Flying Club,”’ Wilson relates his first taste of flying. “1 became interested in fying when I was a boy in the Prairies. | had my first ride in a Curtis Jen- ney. They used to barnstorm in those days."’ he says. ‘tA local farmer, Burt McNaughton, bought a Jenney airplane and it came in a crate. He assembled the airplane and the day it was finish- ed he held a celebration. There were quite a few farmers around who had been pilots in the First World War. They had to be, the way they could fly around a flag pole,’’ he chuckles, adding, ‘‘i’d be afraid to sit in that plane now even on the ground!"’ Wilson’s friends, some of whom were pilots, talked him into flying 14 years ago. “1 was 6844 when I started tak- ing lessons at Vancouver Interna- tional Airport with the Acro Fly- ing Academy. It’s no. there anymore.”’ NOTICE TO MOTORISTS LIONS GATE BRIDGE SINGLE LANE TRAFFIC The Ministry of Transportation and Highways announces there will be singie lane, alternating traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge from Sunday, November 24 until Friday, December 20. Single lane, alternating traffic is needed to allow replacement of the expansion joints on the bridge and will be in effect as follows: Sunday te Thursday 11:30 PM -~ 5:00 AM Motorists should expect delays or plan to use an alternate route. For fur- ther information, please call the Ministry of Transportation and Highways 24-Hour Road Report at 525-4997 (Greater Vancouver), 938-4997 (Whistier), 371-4997 (Kamloops}, 860-4987 (Kelowna), 855-4997 (Ab- batsford), 380-4997 (Victoria), *4997 (Cellular). In ail other areas piease call 1-300-663-4997. Province of British Columbia Cr ee ee ad Ministry of Transportation and Highways By Barbara Black News Reporter It took Wilson about 40 hours to get his private licence, and he says that he didn’t experience any problems Icarning, just the usual bumpy landings at the beginning. “When [ was learning to fly ! flew from Vancouver Interna- tional to Pitt Meadows where I did circuits,’ he recalls. He bought a plane a few years ago (events ave always ‘‘a few years ago’* because Wilson doesn’t like to keep track of time). }t was a single engine TravelAire, ‘“‘really nice, only had 300 hours on it.” But he had to sell when his wife had a heart attack and became concerned about him flying. What does his wife think of all this flying business? “She gets sick just watching an airplane take off,"’ he muses. One of his more memorable trips — a few years ago — was a flight with a pilot friend to Saska- toon. The six-hour trip took him back io his place of birth where he managed to scout out the Venetians ¢ Verticals » (excluding silk) Sale ends Nov. 30/91. Dec. 7 order deadtine for all proucts house he grew up in. Wilson has flown the skies to Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley and points southern and northern. His favorite local air- ports ace Pitt Meadows and Chilliwack, while “toverseas”’ landing spots that rate are Vic- toria, Campbell River and Nanaimo. Not one to decline the perks of modern technology, Wilson and his pilot friend designed their own computer flight planner program which he uses on his {BM cione. “We use the program to plot the course and then correct it with the weather,’’ says Wilson. ‘it’s a lot faster than doing it. by hand. | did the Saskatoon trip by hand. | remember Graham saying ‘Geezuz, you're taking a long time!’ "’ How does he respond to people who say they're too old to do something? ‘‘I just laugh!*" he says, while doing just that. Wilsan doesn’t plan to quit un- til he has to. As long as he can pass the fitness test he'll be swooping up into the blue once or twice a month in a rental plane. Jusi what is it about flying? Wilson comments without hesita- tion: ‘i's the most relaxing thing there is. The only thing that wor- ties me is if the bad drivers start flying.” 2 WINDOWS Pleate’i Zhades Speciatizing in Blinds and Draperies for aver 7 years 1877 Marine Ov, 8. Van. #8-380418 Progress Way, Squamish i Whistler 984-4104 892-5057 332-6687,