More than 100 general aviation planes are set to land at Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport on Saturday, August 8, during the annual fly-in event.
Sarnia Ontario Aviation Rally (SOAR) Fly-In Spokesperson Bruce Bond mentioned that most of the aircraft will come from southwestern Ontario, with some even arriving from Michigan.
The festivities will kick off at 8:30 a. m. and last until 3 p. m.
Spokesperson Mark Seibutis shared that the Sarnia Legion Pipe Band will march onto the field just before 10 a. m. After the ceremony wraps up, attendees can explore the area freely.
“There’ll be bouncy castles for kids,” Seibutis said. “There are food vendors, and various local businesses will showcase their products.”
Retired astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield is scheduled to appear for a meet and greet along with a book signing session.
The event is free to attend, but donations will be collected for Pathways Health Centre for Children. Over time, approximately $40,000 has been raised for this organization in total.
Seibutis noted that this year’s event will pay tribute to Roger and Eleanor Hadfield, who significantly contributed to Sarnia’s early aviation history.
He added that it also provides a great opportunity for people to get an up-close look at various types of aircraft.
Rare planes like the P-51 Mustang and Spitfire MKXVII will be showcased. The Canadian Aviation Museum will also display Harvard, Stearman, and Chipmunk aircraft.
“It’s also a chance to spark the younger people and get them interested in aviation and flying,” said Bond. “There’s a shortage of pilots in North America, likely around the world too, and we want to inspire younger kids towards that kind of career.”
The hope is that this event highlights how vital it is to maintain Sarnia’s airport. Seibutis encouraged visitors to check out the ad boards set up during the occasion.
“It might be good for city councillors to see this; it could give them some confidence when making decisions knowing these businesses support an event like this,” Seibutis said.
The city council voted in April to form a Municipal Services Corporation (MSC), which would help create plans for Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport’s future. MSC board members were approved during the July 20 council meeting.
The airport is also part of a one-year pilot project involving Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, Landline Company, and Air Canada aimed at providing motorcoach service to Toronto Pearson Airport.
Source link
Source link
