SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - This year's Midnight Sun Float Plane Fly In will be on a smaller scale, possibly because the global economic downturn has made it less affordable for pilots to travel to Yellowknife, according to an event organizer.

Warren Bean parked his Beaver at a house boat during 2007's Midnight Sun Float Plane Fly In because of a lack of parking. No such problems are predicted for this year as significantly fewer planes are expected to participate. - NNSL photo file photo

"It will be a little smaller than usual, but that allows the public to participate more than usual," said event co-ordinator Yvonne Quick.

The fly in usually attracts more than 30 planes, but this year's attendance is down about one third, with 22 planes expected to show up. The fly in will also be taking place a week later than usual, in order to avoid having to compete with Folk on the Rocks.

"It's not so much a competition for people, but for the facilities," said Quick.

The event is set to run from the evening of Friday, July 24 through Sunday, and will see the float planes descend on Yellowknife from all over Canada and the U.S.

Quick said none of the attending planes – which come from as far afield as Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta – will be headline acts, but the event gives the pilots a chance to meet and network among themselves.

There will be plenty of offerings for the planes, pilots. And the public including music, boating, fishing, barbecues, a pancake breakfast and a memorial flyover to honour past pilots and engineers.