Ottawa biplane flights give you a whole new perspective

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Words by Katharine Fletcher, photographs and video by Eric Fletcher

“Don’t stick your cell phone out of the open cockpit,” cautioned Ottawa Aviation Adventures’ pilot, Greg Reynolds, as we prepared for our recent Ottawa biplane flight. “You’ll lose it for sure in the wind.”

Good point. Tick off another reason not to bring a giant lens aloft. Manipulating it in the compact cockpit of our 1939 Waco UPF-7 biplane would have been nigh impossible. Our Google Pixel cell phones were extremely well employed, however, taking videos and stills, and recording our flight path.

Beginning our Ottawa biplane adventure

You can bet that my husband Eric and I were totally pumped when we set off on this Ottawa sightseeing trip. A biplane! In the late 1940s, my parents took a biplane ride over the English seaside holiday town of Blackpool, where Mum thrilled to the pilot completing a 360-degree loop-de-loop manoeuvre.

No such acrobatics with pilot Reynolds: We completed an exhilarating circuit where we flew north, across the Ottawa River and up the Gatineau River, viewed the 1927 Farmer’s Rapids Generating Station, then swooped back and buzzed Kettle Island.

That island surprised me. From our vantage point, we could see some of its several lakes—I had forgotten about their existence.

To me, that’s why this biplane flight was so fascinating: the surprise revelations concerning our built and natural landscapes.

Ottawa from the air

Video by Eric Fletcher.

Many of us have lived in the National Capital Region for years, so we feel we know the topography of home. Well, surprise, surprise: Flying so low over our home territory permitted us to re-examine our twin cities of Ottawa-Gatineau. We could immediately see how parking lots, housing developments, hospitals, churches and businesses chew up so much natural space.

Sure, all of that’s true. But our spectacular nature also revealed itself. There was the brilliant blue of the rivers, the frothy white of the tumbling rapids…and then of course, in fall, the stunningly colourful palette of our deciduous forests.

October is the best time to view the glories of our mixed Eastern Woodlands. Scarlet and gold leaves were dramatically offset by the deep greens of white and red pine.

While excitedly peering about, recognizing familiar landmarks from unfamiliar altitudes, I realized with disappointment that pilot Reynolds was approaching the runway.

Oh no!

Back to the Rockcliffe Airport

Suddenly, we felt the gentle bounce of a well-executed landing. We came to a stop right where we left off, at Ottawa Aviation Adventures’ small welcome centre.

Getting out of the cockpit was just as peculiarly awkward as clambering in, but hey—what’s not to like about that wee bit of dexterity and flexibility required to get into and out of a biplane?

I watched Eric fold and unfold his angular six-foot frame into a pretzel as he extricated himself. I followed suit, placing my feet carefully on the protected part of the wing and then accepting pilot Reynolds’ offer of a shoulder to help me with my final jump onto terra firma.

I now wish to return to buzz Gatineau Park. Our first 20-minute Ottawa biplane flight simply whetted our appetites for more lofty adventures.

If you go: What to expect on your aerial sightseeing tour

First off, the Ottawa biplane tours leave from Rockcliffe Airport. The airport can be a wee bit tricky to find if you rely solely on Google Maps, so leave yourself plenty of time to get there for your flight. The trick is to remain on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway until you turn north onto C.H. Airport-Marina Road.

Second, the cockpit is not merely “open to the air.” It is a cramped space that you can only get into by stepping onto a part of the biplane’s wing that is specifically protected with non-slip material. It’s a big step up and—word to the wise—do remember to duck, unless you enjoy getting your head smacked on the upper wing. It is a biplane—meaning, two wings. Sigh.

After getting onto the wing, you’ll swing your right leg into the cockpit and haul yourself over the fuselage to get into the seat. I did not perform this manoeuvre with any degree of elegance.

Third: Obey Greg. Keep your arms inside the plane at all times.

Final note: There is a toilet at the airport. Just in case you were wondering.

For more information, see the Ottawa Aviation Adventures website and the Canada Aviation Museum’s Ottawa biplane rides page.

Eric Fletcher is a photographer. Katharine Fletcher is a freelance writer, author, columnist and visual artist. You’re invited to like her Facebook page and to email her.

Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and beyond? Subscribe to the Ottawa Road Trips newsletter or pick up a copy of Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

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