In 1931, the grass roots of what would become Penticton Regional Airport was a flat meadow south of Queen’s Park which was eventually abandoned for “safety reasons.”
At the time Penticton’s “very” progressive community leaders were already thinking about the value of an airport and felt the best way to deliver the message was an airshow.
So the Penticton Air Pageant was arranged for July 7 of that year during which time seven aircraft “dropped in.”
They included three fleet planes flown by Aero Club of B.C. members, a Gypsy Moth, a Fairchild piloted by Jack Wright, Imperial Oil’s Puss Moth flown by Pat Reid and the Shell Oil Company’s Ryan, a sister aircraft to the one flown across the Atlantic Ocean by Charles Lindberg.
With the meadow landing strip out of commission the city sought federal aid in 1936 and two years later work began at the present site.
Penticton Regional Airport was unofficially opened on July 1, 1941, an event billed as “The biggest day Penticton ever had.”
However, because it was war time, officials in Ottawa decided a major celebration would not be appropriate.
However this Sunday there will be a celebration, Airport Day, organized by the Penticton Flying Club (PFC) recognizes the 76th consecutive year YYF has served the region’s aviation needs.
“As one of the guys in the club likes to say: ‘You build a mile of highway and you can drive one mile; you build a mile of runway and you can go anywhere in the world,'” said PFC president Ron Johnson. “We just wanted to help the community become aware of the airport and the good things that it does.”
Those good things include the air tanker wildfire fighting base whose work is contracted out to Abbotsford-based Conair Group by the B.C. Wildfire Service in summer.
B.C. Wildfire Service also has a ground crew camp on the airport property.
“They (air tankers) would have a terrible time trying to work out of Kelowna (International Airport) because Kelowna is practically maxed out,” said Johnson. “Also CSAR (442 RCAF Transport and Rescue Squadron Comox) comes in and does some of their exercises and we have schools that bring in people from all over the world for helicopter training and hopefully WestJet and Air Canada will expand their services so it will make it easier to get to where you’re going.”
Related: Federal minister on board with Penticton airport renos
Improvement work is ongoing at the airport, including a $6 million project now underway at the terminal itself.
Activities Sunday kick off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. ($10 for adults and $5 for kids under 15) followed by self-guided tours of “open door” hangers and guided tours of the control tower and terminal.
Aircraft displays tentatively include helicopters, a military search and rescue Buffalo, home built and regular planes and an RCMP Kodiak.
At noon there will be a formal ceremony including the presentation of a plaque to the airport by Mayor Andrew Jakubeit.
“Penticton Airport connects Penticton with the world, provides employment for over 200 people and forecasts are that (it) will service 210,000 passengers annually before 2021 and that’s something to celebrate,” said Johnson.
— With files from Karl Crosby Canadian journalist and freelance writer now residing in Penticton.
