Manitoba has a rich aviation heritage! From the first flight in Manitoba on July 15, 1910 (it was by an American, Eugene Ely) to the present day where aviation and aerospace are a $1.6 Billion industry, aviation has figured prominently in the development of the province. Whether providing the only means of transportation in remote and northern communities or allowing us to escape winter for a week or two to a warm destination, flight plays an important role in the lives of many, in fact, most Manitobans. To honour Manitoba's aviation heritage the Manitoba Homecoming 2010 Aviation Tour was born!
Announced on October 4, 2009 at the annual Shoal Lake Flying Club Fall FlyIn, the Manitoba Aviation Tour is a project of the 5 Manitoba COPA Flights - 138 in Russell, 162 in Shoal Lake, 145 in Morden, 35 in Winnipeg/Lyncrest, and 103 in Lac du Bonnet with assistance from Jerry Roehr, Manitoba/Nunavut COPA Director. COPA National and Manitoba Homecoming 2010, including the Homecoming Committee in Neepawa, are partners. We are actively inviting sponsors to participate in the Tour - see how to become a Sponsor and who our Sponsors are.
The Manitoba Aviation Tour has four goals:
1. to encourage people to see Manitoba from the air whether as pilots or as passengers,
2. to highlight the importance of aviation and airports in Manitoba,
3. to promote tourism in Manitoba and in our communities during Homecoming 2010, and
4. to require minimal organization while providing maximum flexibility for Tour participants.
This site is constantly being updated, please visit again soon!
