President's Message:
Hello everyone,
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, winter has officially settled over the skies we love. This is the season that tests our resilience and reminds us why we fly.
While the fair-weather pilots hangar their wings, we know winter flying is some of the most rewarding of the year with crystal-clear visibility and stable cold air. Additionally, cold starts, ice, snow, and slush are now part of every flight.
Here are few reminders as we embrace the season:
- Give yourself extra time for thorough pre-heats and pre-flights—your engine (and your fingers) will thank you.
- Brush up on cold-weather procedures, pitot heat discipline, and those sometimes-forgotten carb ice recognition skills.
- Cabin heat is nice but without CO, so please check your detectors.
- And of course, keep an extra thermos of something warm in the flight bag—because nothing beats landing after a winter sortie and wrapping cold hands around a hot cup.
For those wishing to enjoy a nice winter gathering spot, the clubhouse is a great location with a nice cozy fire burning in the wood stove. Feel free to call a meet-up when you get the urge to talk shop.
Let’s make this another safe and satisfying period. Blue skies (or star-filled winter nights) to you all.
See you at the field!
Best regards,
Nick Papadopoli, President
EAA Chapter 245 Ottawa
Farwell Irving, we will all miss you.
It is with much regret that I announce the passing of Irvin Slone, one of our oldest members. Our condolences to all of his family members.
- Born March 29, 1927 98 years young and Passed away December 3, 2025.
- Resided in Ottawa Ontario, his whole life. Irving was the child of Nathan and Bessie Slone from Lithuania and Ukraine respectively.
- Irving’s daughter Anne Smith predeceased him by five years.
- Irving leaves wife Harriet, son Eric and Laurel, granddaughter Isabel, Grandson Jason Smith and great granddaughter, Emma.
- Irving was a valued member of regional Realty Limited of Ottawa.
- He spent most of his working career selling real estate and property management as well.
- Original, innovative, resourceful, logical, and always acutely aware of the most efficient way to achieve something of quality.
- He attended Ottawa technical high school. He was a pilot. He was a craftsman. He was a husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He will be missed deeply by all that knew him.
- Irving was also a valued member of EAA245 where he built a Pietenpol Air Camper. Work commenced in 1972, on Pietenpol C-GFCU, with 29 EAA Chapter 245 members at Carp every Monday night.
- Irving Slone was a Life Member of Chapter 245.
Tail Winds and Blue Skies Irving
 17th January 2026 general meeting.
The meeting will be held on 17th January 2026 at 10:00AM the EAA clubhouse. Our own Mark Briggs will be giving a presentation on inspecting your aircraft.
There will be Coffee and Donuts for all attendees.
Canadian Newsletter "Bits and Pieces"
If you would like to receive the fantastic Canadian newsletter called "Bits and Pieces" then please subscribe using the following link. https://pages.eaa.org/unsubscribepage.html. Following that you need to scroll down to the section where it says EAA Newsletters and check the box where it says “Bits and Pieces Newsletter (For builders and fliers in Canada)”. Now you are good to go. If you have done this in the past but have stopped receiving the newsletter then I suggest you re-initialize your request by applying as a new request.
You can also get there using the QR code below.
On a second note, if you would like to contribute an article to Bits and Pieces, then please send the article to Ian Brown.
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