APBQ is supported by its affiliated local associations in Sherbrooke (CAES), Quebec City (Ailes Québécoises), Mont-Laurier (APPA) and Val d’Or, and COPA is supported by Flights 59 in Cornwall, and Flight 94 in Kirkland Lake.
The participants fly in small private airplanes for this four day weekend adventure! The tour encompasses six different communities and covers 600 nautical miles of Quebec and Ontario cities and towns, countryside and wilderness.
In addition to exploring some unique areas of the two provinces while enjoying their favourite pastime, the participants present a commemorative plaque to each community visited. The presentation highlights the value of the Airports to their communities and showcases the value of General Aviation to the Canadian economy.
More than 60 airplanes will be flying the tour, carrying a total of more than 120 people. One hundred of the participants are pilots, including at least 14 female pilots. Only 6% of pilots worldwide are female, so at 14%, the female contingent for this tour is more than double the worldwide average!
Approximately half of the registered airplanes are Cessnas, and the other half is made up a variety of airplanes, including Bonanzas, Mooneys, Pipers, float planes and homebuilts.
On Thursday May 26th, the participants will depart from more than 30 airports all over Ontario and Quebec, as well as from Michigan, and at mid-day will converge on Cornwall, ON. Cornwall is home to Nav Can, the premiere training facility in Canada for air traffic controllers and flight service specialists. The participants will tour the facility and also have a bus tour of the City of Cornwall, including a stop at the Ontario Power Generation Visitor Centre. The welcome dinner will be held at the Nav Can facility, where the participants will stay overnight.
On Friday morning, the 60 plus airplanes will fly east to Sherbrooke, PQ, where they will have lunch and then fly to the City of Quebec. The participants will have the evening to explore the old city and then will stay overnight at the Chateau Frontenac.
On Saturday morning, the group will have a scenic bus tour of the City of Québec before departing north-west to Mont Laurier, PQ, where they will have lunch before flying to Val d’Or, PQ. Tours have been arranged at Val d’Or, to take place before the banquet at La Forestel Hotel.
On Sunday morning, the group will depart westbound for Kirkland Lake, ON, for lunch and a tour of Hockey Heritage North and an optional tour of the Sir Harry Oakes Museum. Then they will fly back to their home airports knowing that they were able to enjoy a weekend adventure of sightseeing and exploring our great country – best experienced from the air in a small airplane!
Plaque presentation locations, dates and times (subject to change):
| Cornwall Airport | 9:00 a.m., Fri. May 27 |
| Sherbrooke Airport | 12:15 p.m., Fri. May 27 |
| Quebec City Airport | 3:30 p.m., Fri. May 27 |
| Mont Laurier Airport | 12:30 p.m., Sat. May 28 |
| Forestel Hotel | 8:30 p.m., Sat. May 28 |
| Kirkland Lake Airport | 10:30 a.m., Sun. May 29 |
The tour route and timing of the stops are subject to change or delay in case of adverse weather.
