Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 12/02) - An antique airplane that started carrying mining prospectors to and from the North about almost 75 years ago will fly over Yellowknife July 27.

The Vintage 1929 Fokker Super Universal Airplane will be featured at the Yellowknife International Air show.

The Fokker, registered as CF-AAM, was originally acquired by Consolidated Mining and Smelting 73 years ago.

For five years it was used to transport freight, prospectors, sled dogs, mining equipment and assay samples back and forth from mine sites in the NWT and communities such as Rae-Edzo. It later began carrying passengers and mail.

In 1937 the CF-AAM crashed while attempting to take flight near Dawson City and the plane was abandoned there. The plane was retrieved and restored in 1998 and is now owned by the Canadian Aviation Museum of Winnipeg.

Getting into the act

The Snowbirds aerobatic team from Moosejaw, Sask., and the Skyhawks parachuting team from Trenton, Ont., will also be putting on a great act once again this year. Both acts are known as two of the crowd favourites each year.

Major Juan Gallego of the Canadian Forces Northern Area 440 Squadron says Yellowknifers can expect to see a number of civilian and military acts on July 27. The public can also view army and civilian aircraft on the ground. The air show is scheduled to begin at about 1 p.m.

"We do have a good number of acts that we expect to see," he said, noting not all acts have been confirmed as of yet. "We hope to have several Canadian Forces helicopters, Hercules, Aurora airplane, from various parts of the country," said Gallego.

Something different to look forward to this year is a comedy routine put on by an international cadet airplane.

"That fellow does an aerobatic/comedy routine with his airplane. Basically he has parts fall off his airplane as he's flying around. He does a good show," said Gallego.

So remember to keep your eyes peeled on the sky and watch out for falling objects. But above all, enjoy the show.