Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-04-10, Page 8Pase 8 Times -Advocate, April 10, 1996 COMMU1TY 41; einirm Where Are Then Now? Where Are They Now? is an extended series on South Huron District High School graduates and their career choices (Richard Moon: teaching people to fly -A LONDON - "I always wanted to fly," said Chief Flight Instructor Richard Moon, who recalls reading Mr. Small Goes to the Airport when he was a child. Althouampealc gh his interest in planes began at an early age, it never occurred to Moon he would make a living by flying. "I had no aspiration of making a career out of it," he said. Now that he co=owns Aero Academy Cessna Pilot Centre in London with his wife, Sharon, who is also a flight instructor, he looks back on a career that happened more by chance than aS a result of planning. Originally from Watford, Moon moved to a farm south of Credlton•with his parents when he was 16. After attending South Huron District High School, he worked for C.A. McDowell Construction in Centralia, then manufactured church pews for Exeter Furniture. in 1964 he moved to Toronto and attended Radio College of Canada but left before graduating to return to his construction job. It was later when he was working for a Cambridge furniture company that he was inspired by his employer to take flight lessons. Being transferred to a job in the furniture nail business provided him with more time and money to learn how to fly. He earned his commercial licence by 1970 but still had no plans to 'make flying his career. Instead he settled into what he considered an easy job. But soon he received a phone call from Labrador, Newfoundland where he accepted a pilot's job for seven months. ` "That's when I finally settled on a career," he said. . Then he returned to Crediton where he pumped gas at a flying club to pay for his flight instructor's licence. Although he was fond of trucks as a child, Moon had no interest in operating them as an adult. He turned down a truck driving job when he was 21. Instead he spent a few years teaching flying part-time for the London Flying Club and patrolling traffic for the Ontario Provincial Police before becoming chief instructor at the club. In 1978 he left the club and began to freelance his flight instruction service. The following year he was offered a flight,instryctor job by Aero Academy and shortly after, he and Sharon purchased the business. According to Moon, it takes a uftique type of person to become a flight instructor. Only 10 per cent of all Canadians, he said, are licenced pilots."I have to deal with people of all ages, `, ``^--_-; all trades and all phases of education," he said, ' `�- adding when he began as an instructor, similar to a salesperson on commission, e- he was paid only for the time he pent flying. "It's not • Your Ve Letters to the editor a9 to 5 job. A flight instructor must gain the trust of students he deals with on a one-on-one basis, said Moon, who preparespeople. for their private,•commercial and instructor's flight licenses. He encourages students to fly with instructors they feel comfortable with. "A lot of people don't like instructing because they don't get to fly the plane," he said, explaining some pilots prefer to fly alone. Moon teaches ground school at Aero Academy and Fanshawe College. During his 24 years as a flight instructor, he's noticed more women are taking an interest in teaming to fly. Only 10 per cent of flight students are female and that, according to Moon, hasn't changed since he began teaching flying. But whereas one per cent of these women were completing their lessons, he finds about half of those now enrolled are obtaining flight licenses. As well as transporting emergency parts needed for automotive industries and conducting plane maintenance, Moon takes customers on flight trips., "You get to meet a lot of people," he said, adding some of them are famous. One of the most satisfying aspects of Moon's job includes watching his students team and improve. Some have moved on to work with Air Ontario or the astronaut program. Moon lives in London where he builds electric train scenes as a hobby. "You look down on all those buildings" while flying, he explained, to get realistic ideas for constructing models. e --- 4 Aflipmesaa Schools cooperate to help students H4re is an opportunity,thattran- scends all politically motivated changes and- all deficit motivated cut backs.... Dear Editor: . On Wednesday, April 17, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. the Parents Associations of Clinton Public School (CPS), Clinton and District Christian school (CDCS), and St. Joseph's Separate School in Clin- ton have planned an evening of fun, learning and sharing for all parents and educators in Huron County. The second annual "Strengthening the Part- nership" evening will be held in the cafetorium of St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School in Clinton. Last year, for the first time, this event was hosted by St. Joseph's Separate School Parent Teachers Association and held in St. Joseph's Separate School. Because last year's evening was so success- ful, this year, the committee has invited members from CDCS and CPS to serve on the planning com- mittee as well. After several meetings of this year's committee, invitations have been sent out to parent committees and principals of all Huron County ele- mentary and secondary public, separate and chris- Ilan schools. This year's exciting evening program is in its final stage of planning. , The evening of April 17 is planned to give schools in Huron County an opportunity to share ideas, to gather information about improving the cli- mate in the schools by improving communication between parents, teachers and students. Various fundraising company representatives will have ex- hibits there. Parents will have ample opportunity to sample fundraising products and as well, they will have numerous opportunities to win door prizes that y have been generously donated. The committee is pleased to provide an opportuni=i ty for parents and educators to hear an excellent mo- tivated speaker, Rob Black. It is the committee's sincere wish that every school in Huron County be represented. Schools have been invited to show off their school colors, school logo, and pictures of school achievements such as special in -school dis- plays, awards, programs and school playground equipment. Here is an opportunity that transcends all political- ly motivated changes and all deficit motivated cut- backs. Everyone knows that the students' achieve- ment occurs in direct proportion to parental involve- ment with the child's education. This Committee hopes to offer all parents and educators an opportu- nity to discuss ways to strengthen the partnership - between parents, teachers and students in order to improve the educational opportunities for all Huron County children. We are looking forward to a great evening. Read- ers, please spread the word. We want you to know that even though you or your school have not re- sponded -to the invitation, you are most welcome to attend on April 17 at 6:30 p.m. The program runs from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. but the doors will open at 6:30 p.m. in order for you to examine the wonderful ex- hibits and sample the products. If parents need more information they are encouraged to call St. Joseph's Separate School at 482-7035, CDCS at 482-7851, Joanne Riehl at 482-7865 or Crlarence Bos at 482- 9609 Sincerely, Clarence Bos Cuts will affect. classroom "...I'm afraid that the recently, an- nounced funding cuts willpresent an insurmountable challenge." Dear Editor: • Residents of Huron County should be outraged by the provincial government's continued attack on our educational system. Despite years of funding ineq- uities - Metro Toronto's over ceiling expenditure per pupil is about five times that of Huron County - we continue to have one of the finest systems in the province. Our pupils consistently score above the provincial average on 'standardized tests grid we are among the leaders in bringing technological advanc- es into the classroom. The leadership, at all levels, and the high degree of professionalism and dedication shown by our teachers, has enabled our to withstand years of inadequsse funding, and twerp *pow 11* Social Contract with stir bluea ;" flowerers, there is a limit, and I'm atraa�t tlebeady an- nounced funding Outs will present an hiiurmogaht- r ble challenge. We arc told that these cuts will not affect the classroom and are to be niade by reducing funding for junior kindergarten, adult education, central ad- ministration and transportation. Huron County has shoym leadership by already having undertaken such measures. We recognize the importance of jun- ior kindergarten and are committed to it. We have ally reduced administration at the central level • and share tr$nsport don.. How then are we to live with these cuts without affecting the classroom? To add insult to injury, we are also told to expect to be amalgamated with our neighboring board. Among many Concern* is that of our technological leadership. What happens when we are amalgamat- ed? Given the current economic realities, obviously there will not be the reeouroes to bring an amalgamated board up to theI� joJi The manner la , tieb we are is shameful. k11M'.; t;tesidenta shwuldirr ezprobittg.t is "to.* to their I& roc.ott F • Comments on aging "Years are a blessing to be lived to their optimum fullness." bear Editor: One does not celebrate just getting old, nor does one mere! tolerate it. Bud can ghtly celet. ateersp , t7ian fins 1 should hope, an measure of cess attained by striving to remain young'at art. Years are a blessing to be lived to their opti- nr fidbre.ls. t is not unusual that a senior is asked to answer the age-old question, "What is it like to get old?" The above -is roughly what the writer came up with on one such occasion and I have come to stick with it from time to time since then. True, it makes no al- lowance for the fact that seniors are given honorable mention in recent and on-going press and T.V. news r4eases as possible targets in the cut -cut programs o ardent government deficit bashers and that a few cracks are beginning to show in their health -shelter ceilings. Even the younger among my contemporar- ies are being accused of creating a threatening im- balance among the generations other than weight wise. But the aging and aged have always been a pioblem and it might be of some help to look back to'.see how previous generations and civilizations dealt with them. Among many aboriginal societies of the world the elders of the tribe were venerated as sources of wis- dom and role models. In ancient oriental civiliza- tions ancestors, living and dead, were respected and feared, even to their possible reincarnations in other than human form. Our western society of earlier generations kept aging family members in the homes of offspring or other close relatives, often in an attached wing of a family dwelling or at times in a nearby "doddie" house. Their is a current move- ment to make it allowable for such small second res- idences to be rmittedon ordinary oretti ur� ds ri sWiithoLFfirt3itjl bust st olttT; titiE<e was' ger -the county "home" or "poor house" where survival was possible without any frills and few'comforts. , Comparatively, our Canadian seniors are well pro- vided for with needs, comforts and some luxuries. Many are enjoying a quality of life better than they would have been able to supply for themselves. True, they pay as they are able, but public subsidies help. Wonderful helpful services are available to make it possible for many seniors to stay on in their own homes, - home makers and V.O.N. nurses, for example - and they are wonderful to have as visitors and helpers. Of this the writer knows from, personal experience. I have heard of no concerted promotion of the practice of euthanasia at 90. If such should appear on even a distant horizon, I know of three vehement and vocal opponents of the threat, yours truly and his two older brothers, the senior 98 and the younger 92. Further to the above answer that started this whole thing i think that it is great to be old. Less is expect- ed in the way of self-help and perforrnance, and when one happens to excel at unexpected times, the accolades are warm and generous. Hang around and try it, you'll like it. Gerry Dobrindt u Thinly veiled discrimination "...he is sadly out of touch with the country in which he lives..." Dear Editor: It alarms me that a newspaper that lauds itself for placing second in the sports category at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association Convention would allow a person like Mr. Jim "Gibby" Gibson to use its newspaper for thinly veiled discrimina- tion. It is your perogative if you wish to give Mr. Gibson the space to pontificate. However, when he uses this opportunity to attack people from his own country and tells your readers,to draw their own conclusions, I question the intelligence behind the decision to publish his letter. As for Mr. Gibson, the only conclusion I drew is that he is sadly out of touch with the country in which he lives (in the warm summer months anyway). Mr. Gibson is clearly someone who enjoys being able to stretch his tourist dollar by going to a third world country to spend the winter. Mexican people typically earn less than $10 a day and most live in conditions that Canadians would consider uninhab- itable. The lucky Mexltnlns who are privileged to serve Mr. Gibson probably don't have running wa- ter or sewage systems in their rundown shacks. In 'addition, infantile death rapes would cause national alarms here in Canada. is it ear weeder that a bottle of Scotch" is so cheap is Millie? Tofu► chat lnly • don't use taxesto f end a social sysiem like we have is tens& Mr. willbe. know that hanger baa robed due ayful+df doe health benefit allowIooe back tvto $400 a Does Mr. Gibson ever wwuder *by at Maxi cab people try a, ibsflf`tJdp►f? Ever think of going to Florida Mr. Gibson? They have CNN too. As someone who has travelled I have heard com- ments about the manners and pushiness of Ameri- cans in foreign countries: I have met some rude Americans, but I certainly didn't meet enough that I would stupidly generalize all Americans as ill- mannered. The few Americans that were rude were no different from people from Germany, Britain, Sweden or any other nationality that I thought had bad -manners. Maybe I wasn't accustomed to the nu- ances of their respective cultures. It could be that in their countries they wouldn't have been acting rude- ly at all. Even if their rudeness was blatant it wasn't because of their nationality. It was simply that they were rude people similar to those one might meet in any town or city inCanada. For the most part I enjoy reading Mr. Gibson's let- ters. He has a vast range of opinions from the amount of grass clipping that end up on Carling Street to what a good job the Conservatives always 'seem to be doing. His letters make me realize how in touch with reality I am. However, attacks on members of our own country at a time when we should be trying to consolidate should not be passed off lightly as more of "Gibb's" verbosity. Some of his views are better left for some sort of under- ground newspaper and not a community oriented paper like the Exeter Times Advocate. The next time Mr. Gibson writes a letter to the editor, I sug- gest you read it More than once befbre publishing it. David Irons, Exeter P.S. Do you suppose the Americans and French Canadian$ that Mr,Oibson has encountered think all people in ti;xetsr are like him? • i . 'S: