Sarnia airport fly-in returning to August

Hopes are an annual fly-in at Sarnia’s airport continues to grow, an organizer says.

“We’re hoping to have in excess of 2,000 people this year and we have airplanes flying in from all over Ontario,” said Bruce Bond with Canadian Owners’ and Pilots’ Association (COPA) Flight 7.

The group’s third annual fly-in is happening Aug. 12 at the airport as part of a larger Sarnia Ontario Aviation Rally (SOAR), previously the Save Our Airport Rally.

More than 100 planes are expected to fly in starting at 4 pm Aug. 11, with some camping under the wing at the airport’s general aviation ramp, Bond said.

The actual fly-in happens 9 am to 2 pm on the Saturday with free admission, various food vendors and kids’ activities, a Second World War P51 Mustang expected out of Chatham-Kent, and airport namesake Chris Hadfield and his family, Bond said .

The retired astronaut and his family have been there the past two years and are “one of our biggest attractions,” Bond said, noting Hadfield also will be signing books.

The fly-in started in 2021 as a show of support to keep the city’s airport open, amid talk of it possibly being sold after losing Air Canada service in 2020 and becoming a drain on city coffers.

City council agreed last year to subsidize operations for three years as efforts continue to attract a new airline.

“There’s also a lot of general aviation and business aircraft that come into this area,” said Bond, noting the airport is needed for Ornge air ambulance use in inclement weather, various corporate and business aircraft, and other purposes.

“An airport is still required,” he said.

About 1,500 people attended last year’s fly-inhe said, noting $5,000 was raised from donations for Pathways Health Center for Children.

Donations will be accepted again this year at the fly-in, he said.

“Several people in our group have had people involved in (Pathways), so it was a good choice for us,” he said about supporting the community agency.

People also again will be able to pay for rides in Canadian Aviation Museum historic RCAF trainers, he said, noting rides sold out in 2022.

“They’re hoping to have at least two airplanes doing rides this year,” Bond said.

There also will be shuttle service between the event space and parking at the main terminal, and SOAR wraps up Aug. 13 with a 9 am to noon “cruise-in” with Sarnia Street Machines, he said.

Sarnia pilot and COPA Flight 7 member John Shelley, who died in a plane crash last yearis also being remembered at the event, Bond said.

“He was a friend of all of ours.”

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