PHANTOM
Gold Member
FLYING IS ONE THING, LANDING?
Posts: 130
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Post by PHANTOM on Jul 13, 2021 11:13:30 GMT -4
fingers and toes crossed
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Post by coyote on Jul 13, 2021 23:32:34 GMT -4
Tks Kevin
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Jul 25, 2021 17:16:12 GMT -4
Here's a short update. Both our club (in fact all clubs) and the Shearwater Museum are waiting on the BComd to approve re-opening. the Base and 12 Wing Shearwater are both now 2 weeks in condition 'Green' which is the least restrictive level of Covid protocols for the Military here in HRM. It is frustrating for me as there is just nothing I can do but wait for the chain of command to action the paperwork submitted, either accept or decline either way I can continue the fight. but waiting sucks.
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PHANTOM
Gold Member
FLYING IS ONE THING, LANDING?
Posts: 130
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Post by PHANTOM on Jul 26, 2021 12:01:37 GMT -4
Fingers crossed
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Aug 12, 2021 21:00:37 GMT -4
another update, I emailed my contact at PSP 2 weeks ago and he is on vacation until the end of the month so I won't get any further updates until he returns. He does have personnel filling in for him but not for the entire time. I missed his first fill in by one day and his other won't be until next week . but I doubt they would be able to help me until my contact's return. The museum in Halifax and Shearwater are both still locked down but all other military museums in the province are open. it is just HRM military museums still in lock-down.
We just have to wait and see. There isn't much of a season left.
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Post by scooterboy on Aug 16, 2021 8:59:43 GMT -4
Kevin I would like to thank you for all your efforts in trying to get the Shearwater club opened again. I am quite surprised that everybody and their dog are able to drive by the gate to the field to overcrowd at MacDonald's beach. There has been a large sign out there for weeks, saying the beach is open and most everybody is welcome. But..... we cannot just pick up a key and have a 1/2 dozen folks fly off the field next door. I fear that most club members are going to be lost to other clubs while the Shearwater club gets bogged down in official paperwork. Most have already joined other clubs and are already flying somewhere else, and I can understand it. I don't mean to complain, but I don't see why 100's of people can picnic up the road, but we can't unlock the gate and go flying. Kevin Baker
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Aug 16, 2021 12:08:18 GMT -4
Kevin,
You are absolutely correct. But I would re-emphasize that the beach is only open to military families and vets/RCMP etc just like our club membership. civilians unless employed by DND cannot use the beach. The beach is only open for the moral of the military family and not civilians.
I wish I could get a response from PSP but until Matt returns from Vacation that is not going to happen. the flying season is 2/3 complete and even if we were to open this season there is a week worth of work to get the field back to a reasonable condition. I'm hoping that all the sheds are holding up to a year's worth of weather since I was last able to check on the field.
Once I have any update it will be posted here.
the 'other' Kevin
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Post by scooterboy on Aug 16, 2021 15:49:31 GMT -4
Thanks Kevin. I just hate to see the club slowly disintegrate, that's all. Thanks for all your hard work and staying on top of things. Regards The other Kevin
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Aug 24, 2021 9:13:02 GMT -4
Here is the latest....Still no word from PSP as Matt remains on vacation. Effective Thursday Halifax and Shearwater will assume condition yellow again. (Currently in green). Yellow means,
Standard procedures plus:
"NMMs to be worn while transiting between locations indoors - MARL L3s/Lodger Unit COs are required to: - review all approved engagements and visits with the intent of cancelling if the event is not directly linked to a unit’s operations - review unit cleaning standards with particular attention to common areas - ensure full adherence to probable case reporting and management procedures"
So not looking to good for the future.
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Sept 10, 2021 9:55:25 GMT -4
We may now have a ray of sunshine. I have received an email update from the Shearwater Museum, where I have volunteered, possibly opening again shortly and in that email The Curator of the museum let me know that there is going to be a new process to gain access to the Base/Wing coming once they return to level Green posture (currently in Yellow). Below is a small quote from the email I received.
"CFB Halifax has its own risk posture, which is separate from what the Province is doing, and more stringent, which is why we remain closed, despite civilian museums and libraries being able to reopen since June. The stumbling block has been the directive that civilians are not allowed on base or in base facilities while in these measured Covid-19 Risk Response phases (from yellow-protect to black-closed). A new procedure for requesting permission from the military to reopen has been created, and that request will be submitted to CFB Halifax when the base goes to green risk posture - we’re currently in a Yellow (protect) posture. "
This means I may have to re-submit paperwork in some new format to get the club open. I have reached out to my PSP contact Matt, to see if he has any more info on what may be required of all clubs in order to re-open. It may take a few days to hear back from Matt but I'm hopeful I may have good news to pass along. It may be too long a process to get the club flying in 2021 but we should be in a good position to start flying in the spring.
More to follow as the story unfolds....
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Post by Red John on Sept 13, 2021 7:54:26 GMT -4
Thanks Kevin.
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Post by scooterboy on Sept 13, 2021 9:33:54 GMT -4
Thanks Kevin for your efforts. Regards The other Kevin
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glen
Instructor
Posts: 647
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Post by glen on Sept 18, 2021 20:42:06 GMT -4
Excellent
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Sept 28, 2021 17:05:44 GMT -4
Well this is not what I wanted to report but effective 4 Oct the Military (Halifax/Shearwater) are going to level orange for covid response so we won't be opening the club anytime soon. We have to be in level green to have any hope of re-opening.
Will update as more info is available.
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Post by Red John on Sept 28, 2021 20:15:20 GMT -4
Thanks for the update Kevin. It is what it is.
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Sept 29, 2021 15:51:13 GMT -4
Well PSP hasn't given up on us. I've been working with them over the last couple days and we have produced this poster for 2021.
Have a look.
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Post by johnf on Sept 30, 2021 6:12:09 GMT -4
Great looking poster! Well done. Thanks for all your effort on trying to get the field open for all of us.
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PHANTOM
Gold Member
FLYING IS ONE THING, LANDING?
Posts: 130
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Post by PHANTOM on Sept 30, 2021 8:48:36 GMT -4
Nice job!!!!
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Post by coyote on Sept 30, 2021 8:59:26 GMT -4
Really like it. 5 out of 5
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Oct 22, 2021 15:16:09 GMT -4
WELL IT'S OFFICIAL...We are go to re-open. BUT!
Bcomd signed off on all clubs to re-open. see attached memo. There are restrictions ie: social distancing, Only Military members and family and proof of vaccine are required. I've emailed PSP for clarification on the restrictions.
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Nov 2, 2021 14:19:00 GMT -4
I just got off the phone with Matt from PSP, clarification on who can be a member is coming via email but in the interim Matt has stated. retired military, Canadian and foreign plus DND employees current and retired and RCMP are all eligible to become members as per the constitution. As far as civilians go they can not be members and currently are not allowed in DND buildings or on the base, out at the field would be the same problem. Things are slowly changing back to what we knew as normal but we won't be fully there until next year. As for the moment only fully vaccinated military and retired military would be able to draw the key to open the field. Of course everyone will have to be fully vaccinated and the Club will have to verify all member's status prior to club re-opening.
I'm going to begin to create a new key access list but will not be submitting it until I have a hard copy of the statement above.
This is all verbal confirmation and I will need hard copies for it to become official but things are looking up for the coming year.
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Nov 4, 2021 19:53:18 GMT -4
I received a txt from Matt (PSP Staff) and he has confirmed at the moment Civilians cannot be part of any of the clubs ( a problem for more than just us). No civilians are allowed in the gym or on military property. He is working to get civilians back but it looks like spring of next year at the soonest if at that time.
So regular and ordinary members (Military/Retired&foreign military/RCMP/DND employees etc) are free to continue their memberships and will be able to draw the key for the field (if all restrictions are followed). So this means if you want to be a member I must see proof of 'full' vaccination for all members. Over the next few days I will be compiling a key access list based on 2019/2020 paid memberships, if you no longer plan on being a member of the club send me a PM here on the forum and I will update the key access list.
Once we re-open I can already see a possible issue for some trying to get on base to draw the key as commissioners don't know who is a civilian and who is a retired military now civilian and may turn you away. We will have to see how things go and if you are turned away please show respect, follow their direction and try and contact others heading to the field on that day.
We will not be opening the field for flying this year (2021). flying will resume in the spring of 2022.
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Nov 20, 2021 17:11:17 GMT -4
I submitted a temporary new Key access list this week and Vic and I ventured out to the field this afternoon. Upon arrival we found the field and building exactly like we left them in the fall of 2019. Only the flag rope had broken from the wooden shed and the field contained 3' of grass. The grass will be too high and thick next spring to mow with a standard ride-on mower but Vic has a bush hog and will help us out. The metal shed is in need of a good scrapping and a paint job. But that is all we need for maintenance out there.
I was worried there would be problems getting on base and drawing the key, but it couldn't have gone any smoother. You would have never known Covid was a concern. I'll post a couple pics once I download them from my phone.
Kevin
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Post by krmckay "Bombs away" on Nov 20, 2021 17:20:23 GMT -4
Also Runways were great, hardly any grass growing up thru the cracks.
Here are some photos:
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Post by coyote on Nov 20, 2021 18:42:14 GMT -4
Great news. Let's see if we can get approval to fly when next season starts next spring
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