Airstrip Today: Claude Stevenson & COPA Flight 97

Without records or fanfare, local aviator Claude Stevenson has likely done the most to preserve and promote Harbour Grace’s aviation legacy.

Like many young Newfoundlanders of his time, Claude also left his hometown of Harbour Grace for Ontario. On weekends, he secretly travelled to Nova Scotia, where he purchased and learned to fly a second-hand plane.

He returned to Harbour Grace in the same plane two years later, surprising his shocked family as he proudly landed at the airstrip.

Claude Stevenson sitting in his Aircoupe aircraft, 2000.

 
A humble and quiet man, Claude spent years spreading crushed stone, trimming brush, and mowing the airstrip for the benefit of the community.

He also constructed a wooden plane hangar which still stands at the airstrip today. It has sheltered numerous planes throughout Claude’s lifetime. He passed away in 2013, at the age of 87 years. In 2014, he was awarded the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) ‘President’s Award’ for his dedication to this airstrip.

Enjoy this video of a landing at the Harbour Grace airstrip (with transcript).

Today, COPA Flight 97 continues Claude’s legacy of airstrip maintenance. Volunteers work hard to ensure the airstrip is usable and safe for small engine aircrafts. In addition, each summer the group hosts an aviation showcase, with opportunities for the public to see aircrafts in action, up close and personal.

But this airstrip is more than just a place for airplanes. In recent years, countless groups and individuals have recognized and celebrated the airstrip as a unique, outdoor public amenity.

2023 marked the third anniversary of the airstrip’s annual Kite Festival. Locals and tourists of all ages attend to ‘fly a kite’ and picnic while enjoying some musical entertainment on these historic grounds.

A groomed trail also leads visitors to the top of Crow Hill, a famous landmark for aviators, where a beautiful view of the harbour awaits those who make the climb.

Enjoy this interview with Bryan Hood about Claude Stevenson (with transcript).