The father of a young woman in a small-plane crash in the Okanagan says the launch last week of an aviation-safety campaign inspired by the circumstances of the tragedy is 害羞草研究所渁 good start害羞草研究所� promising.害羞草研究所�

After advocating for regulatory changes for years 害羞草研究所� and even though this announcement hasn害羞草研究所檛 quelled that drive 害羞草研究所� Greg Sewell said he is hopeful the education effort will save lives.

害羞草研究所淚t wasn害羞草研究所檛 what I was pushing for,害羞草研究所� the South Surrey resident said Monday. 害羞草研究所淭hen I realized, education is the way to go害羞草研究所� as opposed to legislation at this time, to have a better impact on safety reform.

害羞草研究所淚f you regulate, a lot of (private pilots) aren害羞草研究所檛 listening anyway.害羞草研究所�

The three-year campaign was announced in Kelowna on June 24, at the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association害羞草研究所檚 2017 Convention and Trade Show.

According to information on COPA害羞草研究所檚 website, it is 害羞草研究所渁imed at educating pilots, passengers and the general public on key areas related to safety in general aviation.害羞草研究所�

Sewell said he was advised of the campaign in February, during a meeting in Vancouver with Transport Canada officials, and was invited at that time to be part of a task force to track its progress.

Exactly how it will work has not been finalized, but its intent is to set a baseline 害羞草研究所渟o we can see, are they getting it?害羞草研究所� Sewell said. 害羞草研究所淚f they are, maybe there害羞草研究所檚 no need to regulate.害羞草研究所�

Sewell and his wife Fran have been pushing for changes since their daughter Lauren died after the private Piper Twin Comanche she was travelling in with her boyfriend crashed at the Brenda Mines site near Kelowna on Aug. 13, 2012.

Smith 害羞草研究所� who was also raised on the Semiahmoo Peninsula 害羞草研究所� died on impact; Lauren, 24, suffered an unsurvivable head injury and died the next day.

The coroner told the Sewells that Lauren would have likely survived had she been wearing a shoulder harness; in a report issued in 2014, it was recommended such planes be retrofitted.

The following August, Sewell launched a website () calling on Transport Canada to act on repeated recommendations from the Transportation Safety Board and the Coroners Service, and mandate that such crafts manufactured prior to July 1978 be retrofitted.

That same month, Transport Canada officials said the change was 害羞草研究所渘ot practical害羞草研究所� and would endanger passengers.

害羞草研究所淢ost of these aircraft structures are not robust enough to support shoulder restraints in the event of a crash,害羞草研究所� a senior communications advisor told Peace Arch News by email at the time.

The harnesses are mandated only in small aircraft (with nine passenger seats or less) manufactured after Dec. 12, 1986., but have been recommended for older aircraft repeatedly over the past two decades in both TSB and coroners害羞草研究所� reports

Sewell said he believes a strongly worded email that he sent to Minister of Transport Marc Garneau in May 2016 害羞草研究所� criticizing the ministry害羞草研究所檚 inaction 害羞草研究所� was key in driving the latest announcement.

害羞草研究所淚 just ripped him a new one, because he was totally dismissive害羞草研究所� of an earlier email regarding proposed changes around shoulder harnesses, Sewell said.

Of seven suggested reforms, six 害羞草研究所渃ould害羞草研究所檝e saved (Lauren害羞草研究所檚) life, had action been taken.害羞草研究所�

In presenting his case to Transport Canada officials in February, Sewell said he set side-by-side photos of his father and Lauren 害羞草研究所� both at the same age 害羞草研究所� to drive home his point.

害羞草研究所淗e came back safe,害羞草研究所� Sewell said of his father, who flew multiple bombing missions during the Second World War.

害羞草研究所淢y daughter goes up for the first time in her life, in a small private plane, and never makes it back. Him giving his life to the service and her counting on government to have the proper safeguards in place.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e going to fly by the seat of your pants, then don害羞草研究所檛 be taking innocent passengers. That害羞草研究所檚 what happened to my daughter.害羞草研究所�

Sewell was in Kelowna for the June 24 announcement, and told PAN he could sense his daughter害羞草研究所檚 approval.

害羞草研究所淚 find it ironic that this national campaign would be launched so close to where the accident occurred, and felt her spiritual presence during the announcement telling me, 害羞草研究所榞ood work, Dad. You never quit害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� he said.

Monday, Sewell noted that COPA president Bernard Gervais privately acknowledged the potential impact of the campaign 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渁t the end of this campaign, her memory will have saved countless lives.害羞草研究所�