Interprovincial Air Tour to Take Off from Cornwall
May 14, 2019Cornwall Ontario – Cornwall is once again the launching point for the Interprovincial Air Tour.
60 aircraft are expected to touch down at the Cornwall Regional Airport on Thursday June 6 for the start of journey what will see trips to as many as 4 airports in 4 different provinces.
In Cornwall, the pilots and their passengers will be staying at the NAV CENTRE overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Approximately 120 people are expected to attend as most planes will have 2 people.
After staying the night, the pilots will take off the next morning for Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec with optional side-flights to Miramichi New Brunswick and Summerside PEI.
“The trip should be fun, and we look forward to visiting Cornwall,” say organizers Lee Arsenault and Marilyn Staig. “It’s a ton of work organizing an air tour, but it is always fun getting together with fellow aviators!”
This is the 12th year that the Interprovincial Air Tour has been held. After encouraging fellow pilots to attend the Michigan Air Tour, a group from North Bay envisioned a similar effort in Ontario. The goal was to encourage pilots to expand their horizons by flying to different airports, to develop camaraderie between pilots in Ontario and Quebec, and to emphasize the benefits of the airport to the communities visited.
The very first Interprovincial Air Tour (IPAT) travelled from North Bay to Timmins to Amos and Val d’Or Quebec. Since then the IPAT has followed a consistent format, spanning a Thursday to Sunday in June. In 2011, the tour visited Cornwall for the first time.
“Over the years, the IPAT has included some enjoyable flying, as well as some very interesting activities and great food,” added Mr. Arsenault and Ms. Staig. “It continues to be a great success.”
In Cornwall this year, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy dinner at the Stone House, tour the NAV CENTRE’s air traffic simulator and attend a presentation by Bob Pearson, the renowned pilot of the Gimli Glider.
About the Interprovincial Air Tour
The Interprovincial Air Tour celebrates the beginning of the summer flying season by gathering a passionate group of flyers, flying to various parts of Ontario and Quebec, taking them to new airports and towns, and making many new friends. As well as enjoying their favourite pastime (flying), the pilots take the opportunity to present a plaque to the City mayor emphasizing the value of the airport to the community. Organized by Lee Arsenault and Marilyn Staig, the IPAT has been running since 2007.
About the Cornwall Regional Airport
Cornwall Regional Airport is located 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) northeast of Cornwall. The airport has a single 3,510 ft × 100 ft paved runway oriented east-west. The facilities include an airport commission hangar, general aviation lots and parking sites.
The airport is open year round and is designated as an Airport of Entry for customs services for up to 15-seat passenger aircrafts. The airport is operated by the Cornwall Regional Airport Commission, which is jointly funded by the City of Cornwall and Township of South Glengarry.