I stumbled onto this site while searching for some rare info on the BCATP, but as soon as I realized several people I know were already here, I decided to look closer - and one of the first posts I saw was about VULCAN. WOW! I first discovered Vulcan while flying our old Thruxton Jackaroo (4-seat Tiger Moth) across North America in “The 1927 Trans-Continental Air Dash (of 1972).” We (me, my partner, Michelle Goodeve and her kid brother, Dan) were low on gas, struggling against MASSIVE headwinds, and HAD to land at Vulcan (the CIVVY airport) if we wanted to reach our day’s destination at Airdrie AB. But the only way we could get down was to land ACROSS the runway, then repeat the exercise - TAKING OFF across the runway (at GROSS) - and we just BARELY made it. But once we FINALLY got out of ground-effect and started climbing away towards Calgary, we suddenly saw this “ghostly apparition” appear up ahead - the other Vulcan: an abandoned WW2 training field just NW of the town - with one runway pointing RIGHT into the wind. If we had known it was there, that old field would (obviously) have been our first choice, but as we didnt - we came VERY close to losing the Jackaroo (and US). That “apparition” stuck in my mind, so several years later - when I became a Screenwriter - I decided to write a new TV series about the BCATP and locate it in VULCAN. It took 3 years to create and sell the project, and to my delight, my Actress/Partner Michelle was chosen to co-star in the series. (The fact that she really IS an antique airplane pilot - with a 1929-style Pietenpol Aircamper of her own - certainly didn’t hurt her chances.) However - TV being TV - the Producers wanted an Ontario location, so I was pressured into changing Vulcan AB into Vulcan ON (sheesh!). But, a pilot episode was shot & aired on Global TV back in 1987. Shooting Vulcan was a blast as we got to convert Grand Bend Ontario back into its former glory as a WW2 BCATP base. With the help of friends like Guelph’s “Tiger Boys,” and the late, great Watt Martin, we managed to assemble 5 flying Tiger Moths (& a U.S. Stearman we needed for the story-line). After the show aired, Global wanted to green-light the series, BUT we had to have a U.S. Co-Producer (for the production $$$) and the Americans wouldn’t go for a Canadian location. “Set it in Texas and we’re in,” said the Yanks. “But it happened in CANADA,” we protested vehemently. However the Americans wouldn’t budge, so our choice was to change locations (again) or pass on the series. Michelle and I AGONIZED over the decision ... but the BCATP was CANADA’S story so ... we passed. Sigh. SO close. However - I have a copy of the pilot for “Vulcan” on YouTube (with an UNLISTED url) and if ANYONE is going to “get it,” I imagine it’s THIS group. So here it is: youtu.be/y0Qn-5M2r7g And - YES - we know there were no women Instructors IN the BCATP, but there was a whole other story as to why “Doris” was there (with HER Stearman) in the very earliest days of The Program - but that tale never made it to air. Hope you enjoy the show anyway. Look forward to reading more on the BCATP in the future. All the best & cheers, GN PS: Please note: We are selling NOTHING. We just want to share the show with some like-minded souls whom we think might enjoy it (warts and all).
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 22:00:24 +0000
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