Only in Canada: P.E.I. helicopter pilot caught making a Timmies run

Jun 29 2017, 5:04 am

It seems that there is nothing that can stop Canadians from visiting their local Tim Hortons.

A Canadian Coast Guard pilot landed a helicopter in a field across from the popular restaurant chain in O’Leary, P.E.I. so that the helicopter crew could purchase food and beverages, and has since been given instruction on future use of the aircraft.

The situation occurred on March 26, with residents of the town taking photos as the machine landed on an empty field.

The commissioner of the Coast Guard has since launched an internal investigation into “if any unusual circumstances required the aircraft to land at this location.”

Craving a hot cup of Joe from Tim Hortons evidently did not count as “unusual.”

Fisheries Spokeswoman Sarah Gilbert sent Daily Hive a statement by email explaining the situation.

“The fact-finding exercise determined that the aircraft did not have to land in this location for operational reasons,” she said.

“Canadian Coast Guard helicopters are flown by Transport Canada pilots who adhere to Government of Canada protocols that stipulate that government aircrafts be used safely, efficiently, and with the utmost respect for taxpayer dollars.”

Douglas Robertson, a pilot in Calgary, noticed the situation on Twitter and questioned why the pilot was at any fault.

“We ask the Coast Guard to risk their lives for us and if the pilot landed in some field while on an already scheduled flight, I don’t see the issue,” he told Daily Hive via email.

“As a [fixed wing] pilot, I see an open field that looked to have nothing dangerous in the immediate vicinity, nor do I see any situation where a hazard was created to persons or property.”

“If that had been me flying, I’d have offered up tours of the helicopter while I was at it.”

Coast Guard Helicopter crews have since been instructed against making similar landings in the future, no matter how low they are running on caffeine.

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