John Bogie, COPA Co-Founder, Dies
John Bogie, co-founder of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) and its first president and chairman, has died. COPA says Bogie has been an unswerving supporter of COPA, seeing it grow from modest beginnings to some 16,000 members. John served in most of COPAs executive capacities and continued as an honorary director and life member. The organization said he attended as many COPA events as he could, even into his 90s. The group listed his COPA accomplishments as simplified medicals for pilots and aviation liability group insurance now used by commercial carriers.

John Bogie, co-founder of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) and its first president and chairman, has died. COPA says Bogie "has been an unswerving supporter of COPA, seeing it grow from modest beginnings to some 16,000 members. John served in most of COPA's executive capacities and continued as an honorary director and life member." The organization said he attended as many COPA events as he could, even into his 90s. The group listed his COPA accomplishments as simplified medicals for pilots, and aviation liability group insurance now used by commercial carriers.
Bogie helped to create the Experimental Aircraft Association Canada organization, as well as a civilian pilot group for Search and Rescue as an adjunct to the military. Another entity he helped bring into being was the Canadian Business Aircraft Association (CBAA), first as an arm of COPA and then as a distinct entity.
Born into an aviation family in the United States, Bogie made his home in Canada since the early 1950s, following service in the United States Navy. Later Bogie worked as an airport operator and charter pilot. In Canada, he made a name for his charter and resource exploration work for Laurentian Air Services (ultimately becoming president) and Spartan Air Services.
"John passed away on April 6, 2018, we and the aviation community of Canada will dearly miss him," said Bernard Gervais, COPA president and CEO. The funeralisApril 21stin Ottawa.
