Flying is a family affair for father and son

(NC)-For Major Louis Allard and Captain Sébastien Allard, the saying 'like father, like son,' rings true.

"I grew up in Greenwood, N.S. and when I was young, every time I saw a plane over our house I thought it was my dad flying it," says Capt. Allard, whose father, Maj. Allard, is a CP-140 Aurora pilot in the Canadian Forces (CF). "I knew early on that's what I wanted to do as well."

Following in his father's flying footsteps, Capt. Allard got his private pilot's license as an Air Cadet when he was 17. It was soon after that Capt. Allard ventured down the same path as his father and became a Canadian Air Force fighter pilot at Cold Lake, Alta. He got his wings a year ago.

This year, the Allards saw an opportunity to fly together on patrols between Iqaluit and the northern tip of Ellesmere Island in the Canadian high Arctic. The flight would be the first time the father-son duo would fly together since Capt. Allard got his wings.

"I was assigned to a ground job on the operation but when I found out that I had an opportunity to fly with my father I asked my boss for a day off and volunteered my services in the air," says Capt. Allard.

While Capt. Allard is following his dream of being a pilot, it does differ a bit from his dad's. "Initially I was planning on flying Auroras but I've decided to fly fighters instead," said Capt. Allard, wary of his father's response.

But Maj. Allard is prouder than his son knows.

"I've always been proud of him, he's a good pilot and he'll do well with the CF-18s," says Maj. Allard.

Allard started flying with the Air Force in 1973, and will be retiring from the CF next summer. But he has one more dream regarding flying with his son again.

"I would like to see my son fly in a CF-18 on the wing of an Aurora I'm piloting," he says.

There is more information about Air Force operations at www.airforce.forces.gc.ca . Just click on "Newsroom".