Planes soar into Digby

Published on August 21st, 2009

Published on January 31st, 2010

Cross-Canada flight marks 100 years of aviation

The clouds cleared by afternoon as 15 small planes made their approach to the Digby Municipal Airport on Aug. 12 to land in front of judges before being greeted with scallops from the Municipality of Digby.

Pilots and team members were competing in the Governor-General’s Cup in which they are rated on landings, navigation and by questionnaires they fill out along the way, explained Gordon Wilson, the municipality’s deputy chief administrative officer.

Aviation Connection, a non-profit organization, is the trustee of the Governor-General’s Cup, and this International air rally has representation from seven countries. To mark 100 years of Canadian aviation, the rally was making the first flight ever to all provinces and territories across the country.

The first flight in Canada was from the frozen waters of the Bras d’ Or Lakes at Baddeck on Feb. 23, 1909. The pilot was J.A.D. McCurdy who later became lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia

The same organization stages an international air rally two years ago that stopped at the Digby airport, and Wilson says the stop Digby produced about $135,000 in direct marketing spinoff.

A business plan done a few years ago for the airport highlighted the importance of raising awareness of the facility in the community and abroad, said Wilson. “We’ve a hidden jewel here and a lot of times people don’t know about the airport.”

Pilot Donald Berliner from New Jersey joined the air rally this year for the first time and enjoyed his stop in Digby.

He was flying a Moonie red and white single engine plane, which he said was the fastest single engine plane in the group. “I’ve been to Digby twice before and I find it a really beautiful little town,” he said.

About 50 pilots and passengers were taking part in the rally and were bused to the Digby Pines Resort for supper and overnight accommodations.

The rally began July 30 in Winnipeg with a leg that took participants through the North West Territories and western provinces.

The second leg of the trip took them through the Maritimes and wrapped up Aug. 15 in Montreal. ldelong@digbycourier.ca