Trevor Jones beside his Mooney Ovation, Goldfinger

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

A May long weekend air show is ready to take off in Kelowna, thanks to efforts from one local pilot.

The organizer, Trevor Jones, is a car salesman by day, but he loves to fly in his spare time. He and a community of local flyers are taking to the skies from the Kelowna airport at noon, May 23.

"I like getting people excited, it's not for me," Jones said. "I like organizing things like this and the anticipation leading up to it."

Because the COVID-19 pandemic has continued for over a year, Jones says his goal is to cheer people up who have been fatigued by the pandemic. For him, this is a way to get people outside for an event in a safe, socially distanced way.

The total number of aircraft participating in the flyover has not yet been confirmed, but he says there will be nearly twenty private aircraft and participation from two local flight schools: Aurora Aviation and Air Hart Aviation.

In four groups, they will depart Kelowna Airport, likely headed southbound depending on wind conditions. From there, all aircraft will fly in a figure-eight pattern towards downtown Kelowna, along the waterfront towards Mission-area, before turning north above West Kelowna.

From there, they will turn back towards the airport.

For hopeful viewers, the best places to watch will be at the airport, along the waterfront from Knox Mountain to Lower Mission, or along the waterfront in West Kelowna. 

The four groups are separated by speed with the fastest taking off first, and the fourth cluster will include float planes that will land in Okanagan Lake.

Jones said they will all fly at an altitude of 2,400', which is legally as low as possible and minimizes risk in the case of an accident.

The grassroots event is put on by a collection of Kelowna's local fliers, which Jones says is a tight-knit group.

"It's a big comradery, like a family. Everyone that flies, we're all close. It's a very unique hobby that we're privileged to be able to," Jones said.

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