There may not be an Airport Appreciation Day event in Qualicum Beach this year but that doesn’t mean there’s no action on the runway.
Qualicum Aeroclub spokesperson Fred Evoy said the semi-annual celebration of flight at the airport was supposed to take place this year, but an unfortunate mixup with the club’s Nanaimo counterpart meant it didn’t go ahead as planned.
“We held one two years ago, but the Nanaimo Flying Club also had one about a month apart, so we agreed we would alternate with them for manpower and financing and everything else,” Evoy said. “As a result, they were going to do it this year, but then we were talking to them in January and they said no, we’re not going to have one.”
At that point however, Evoy said it was too late to begin planning for an event in Qualicum Beach.
“Unfortunately, we just didn’t think we could pull it off,” he said.
Despite having no Airport Appreciation Day, Evoy said there will be no shortage of events at the airport, including a big fly-in on July 13.
“We will bring pilots from Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Washington State and maybe some from the Interior,” he said. “There will be a pancake breakfast and a dinner and dance in the evening, featuring Big Twang Theory.”
