Yellowknife (July 11/03) - The possibility of an annual float plane fly-in is more than an editor's flight of fancy.

This newspaper enjoyed the recent (June 28-29) fly-in so much, an editorial encouraged its organizers to make it an every-year event from its current biennial schedule.

Something must have been in the air, because that's exactly what might happen to celebrate the fly-in's 10th anniversary in 2005.

"This idea has been talked about," says Kirby Marshall, chairperson of the float plane fly-in board.

This year's fly-in attracted 1,500 people to the Old Town waterfront of Back Bay to view 25 winged visitors. "We had the best showing since the first fly-in 18 years ago," Marshall says.

"In the past we have focused on the historical aspect of float planes and the North, but over the past year a number of the older pilots have died (taking away some of that immediate touch with history,)" Marshall says.

He's already seeing the event take a more tourist-oriented flight path that can be exploited for the 10th anniversary.

"This time we saw a lot of renewed interest in the fly-in that next time we could have it at a larger venue with more activities," Marshall says.

One problem with holding an annual event: the float plane pilots.

"I don't think we'd get the response we need from the number of aviators we get with holding the event every two years," Marshall says.

"It takes a year to plan these trips.

"They don't just come to Yellowknife, but fly thousands of miles to other places, too," Marshall explains.

In any case, ideas are flying to widen the next fly-in's plans for the aviators to drop in to Inuvik and Norman Wells.

"When they come all the way to Yellowknife (from points across North America) they want to see as much of the North as they can," Marshall says.