Bloodlines

Nestled on the shores of Georgian Bay's southern point, is the town of Collingwood.  It was founded in 1858 - well before the birth of this nation - and named for Admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood, the naval commander who took charge of the British fleet at Trafalgar after Lord Nelson fell.  Built on the shores of the Great Lakes system and linked to Canada's commercial centres by railroad, it rapidly became an important port and shipbuilding town.  From Collingwood, commerce could reach other southern ports like Port Arthur-Fort William (Thunder Bay) and Chicago.  In 1901, Huronic, Canada's first steel-hulled vessel, was launched at Collingwood - heralding an industry that would endure for more than eight decades.  In the years that followed, Collingwood Shipyards churned out Lakers and Corvettes for service in the Second World War with the Royal Canadian Navy.

In the fall of 1975, my father made the drive north from Toronto, pulled into the parking lot at Collingwood Airport and walked into the offices of Collingwood Aviation Academy.

In the mid-70s, "Collingwood Air" was a thriving flight school that went out of its way to provide a home for hobby pilots and fledgling professional aviators alike.  The school ran a varied fleet of nearly brand new Piper Cherokees for basic to advanced training, a Cessna 150 Aerobat and Bellanca Decathlon for aerobatic and upset training and also had access to a variety of aircraft for specialised work.  The airport was isolated enough to provide ample airspace for training with very little transit time...yet close enough to the busiest airspace in Canada. There were trailers available for rent if a student wished to stay the night and the main building was equipped with a shower and small kitchen.  My dad quickly set himself up and began his commercial pilot training under Chief Flight Instructor Ken Richardson and a group of dedicated instructors.



PA-28-140 C-FUYL now based in Indian River, On and owned by Charles Brown.  This was one of the first Canadian registered aircraft my dad flew at Collingwood.  In this aircraft, he and Ken Richardson made a cross country flight from Collingwood to Goderich to Waterloo and back on October 16th, 1975. (Photo Courtesy: International Cherokee Pilots Directory)

PA-28-140 C-GNEG - the aircraft my dad flew when he passed his license conversion flight test on October 27th, 1975.  J. Worts was the pilot-in-command. (Photo Courtesy: Apex Used Aircraft Sales)

My dad's view that day. (Photo Courtesy: Apex Used Aircraft Sales)

Since he was so familiar with the Cherokee, his license conversion and training went well and it wasn't long before he was looking for some specialised experience.  The RF-5 had shown him that flying was not limited to straight and level, point "A" to point "B" fixed altitude plodding.  Beagle Pups and Chipmunks hammered the point home. Flying could be as pure and passionate as a Shakespearean sonnet or as graceful, light and melodic as a skilled pianist tickling the ivory keys.  And so, inevitably, in the spring of '76, he found Bellanca Decathlon CF-ZUR and convinced Ken Richardson to go for a spin - quite literally. They likely added a few hammerheads, some Cuban 8 work and an avalanche or two for good measure.

Bellanca Decathlon N329J (formerly CF-ZUR) pictured for sale at Lakeland-Linder Regional in Florida on April 18th, 2010 - 34 years and 2 days after the Richardson-Rotondo dual flight out of Collingwood. (Photo Courtesy: Ray Barber)

About 3 weeks later, my dad somehow charmed his way into the pilot's seat of Chipmunk CF-CYM at the now defunct King City Airport in Vaughn.  He no doubt told the owner - likely a Mr. Edmund Baklarz of Brampton - that he had flown "Chippies" in Africa under the tutelage of a former RAF instructor and aerobatic guru.  He very likely launched into how it spun so sweetly in one direction...while bucking and snapping so violently in the other.  At any rate, he took her up solo for nearly 2 hours...and no doubt had his way with Mr. Baklarz's toy.

Chipmunk N280RD (formerly CF-CYM) captured at Tulsa, OK in November 2006.  (Photo Courtesy: Danny Fitsche)

At 6:30 on August 24th, 1976, dad took off from Maple Airport in Piper Cherokee C-GPBW with Department of Transport Examiner D. Delap in the right seat.  When they landed two hours later, Tony Rotondo was issued license number YZC-164741 and became Canada's newest commercial pilot.

Commercial Pilot License YZC-164741. (Photo Courtesy: Family Collection)

A bill for the rental of PBW for August 1976 showing 2 hours dual and .8 ground briefing.  It cost a grand total of $47.20.  I believe this is the bill for his commercial flight test. It was found crammed into the sleeve of his logbook. Saving all manner of receipts was an unfortunate habit we shared. (Family Collection)

Piper Cherokee C-GPBW, built in 1974 and my dad's commercial flight test mount, pictured here at the St-Lazare Fly-in in 2007.  It is based at Lachute and still registered.

30 years later, almost to the day, his son would follow in Grob G115C C-FYMP.




Pre-flighting Grob G115C C-FYMP at Ottawa soon after completing my commercial pilot training. (Photo Courtesy: Megan Harrison)

Royal Canadian Air Cadet Flight Sergeant Michael Rotondo with Piper Tomahawk C-GTZY at Windsor. (Photo courtesy: Michael Rotondo)



36 years after that August evening, once again, almost to the day, his youngest nephew would win his wings in Piper Tomahawk C-GTZY.