-W. Roy Maxwell-
The oldest, continuously-flying, non-scheduled government air service in the world will be celebrated this summer in
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario!
The Ontario Provincial Air Service was launched on March 1, 1924. It and its successor, the Aviation, Forest Fires and Emergency Services in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, have provided a century of flying operations in support of resource management, emergency response, and consequently, advances in bushplane development.
To honour this significant milestone, the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (CBHC)
will be hosting a series of events and exhibits.
A Grand Celebration and Reunion with special guests, informative sessions and themed events.
Join us for the grand finale celebration of the OPAS centennial with an exciting Bushplane Days festival!
“It’s the bush flying pioneers, and the thousands of pilots, air engineers and support staff who have contributed to 100 years of resource management, emergency response, and technical innovation who we are honouring this summer.” – J. Hilsinger
Registration and pick up your welcome package. Enjoy a relaxed gathering to connect with old friends. There will be a light selection of refreshments and a cash bar.
Dive into a day of engaging programming and insightful tours that will create lasting memories and help you reconnect. Light refreshments throughout the day.
A day filled with interactive programming and tours, perfect for remembering and reconnecting.
Light refreshments throughout the day. Pizza and salad lunch served at noon.
Wally Warner
Wally is an accomplished pilot with a distinguished career flying for Lands and Forests, Sun Oil Company, and other prominent organizations. As an engineer test pilot for Bombardier Flight Test Center, he has played a crucial role in aviation advancements. Wally holds several certifications, reflecting his expertise and dedication to the field.
Jamie Sargent
Jamie Sargent was the Assistant Director/General Manager of the OPAS from 1988 to 1999. Jamie led several significant Air Service modernization initiatives including organizational restructuring, airport-based hangar development, the Twin Otter and Turbo Beaver amphibian programs, and acquisition of the CL-415 water bomber fleet. He left the Air Service in 1999 to pursue a career as an aviation business development consultant and commercial pilot specializing in single engine turboprop utility and amphibious fire-fighting aircraft. He retired in 2021.
George Willoughby
Over my 35-year tenure with the MNR Air Service, I’ve experienced significant changes and assumed various roles. I began as an apprentice engineer, advancing through ranks and gaining expertise in airframe and engine overhaul, as well as operational experience with various aircraft. As a Senior Air Engineer, I led the conversion and operations of the “Tracker” fleet and, later as Maintenance Manager, played a key role in introducing CL-215s and helicopters to the forest fire program.
Mary Ellen Pauli
Mary Ellen is a former commercial helicopter pilot since attaining her license in 1979 from Fredericton Helicopters Ltd. She was employed by Trans-Quebec Helicopters Ltd. for 7 years to work on the James Bay Hydro Electric Project. In 1986 she joined the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in their newly acquired helicopter fleet. After 31 years with the OMNRF she retired in 2017.
Pauli’s many achievements include the 1988 Outstanding Service Award for her part in the great Canadian Ice Storm; the OMNRF’s P.R.I.D.E. award in 2004 for work on Far North projects; the Governor General’s Award in 2008 for bravery in rescuing a stranded family in the Far North; being inducted in 2011 into the Bushplane Heritage Museum in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; in 2012 being the recipient of the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award; and featured in a number of publishings on Women in Aviation.
Step back into the 1920s for an evening of immersive fun! Dress in your best vintage attire and explore the fascinating life of OPAS’s original director, Roy Maxwell, through theatre, displays, and a live presentation by historian Dr. Robert Galway and presented by Tim Murphy.
Savour a delicious buffet meal and dance to live music by the Hustle Brothers.
Dr. Galway
Dr. Robert Galway is a retired Orthopedic Surgeon based in Toronto who has been fascinated by aviation since his childhood in Red Lake, Ontario. This fascination led to his becoming a licensed pilot, aircraft owner, and an aviation historian.
Dr. Galway has presented to the Canadian Aviation Historical Society and the Canadian Aerophilatelic Society, among others, and has written more than ten publications, including: William Roy Maxwell “A Photographic Essay”; “The Trethewey’s and de Lesseps Airfield”; and “Early Days in the Bush with the RCAF”.
Timothy Murphy
Timothy Murphy is an internationally acclaimed entertainer with a 42-year career spanning five countries. Beginning as a young musical theatre performer and ventriloquist in Sault Ste. Marie, Tim went on to study theatre at York University and musical theatre at the Banff School of Fine Arts, where he received a full scholarship. He has performed across Canada, including at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg, and Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre. As a stage director, Tim has directed over two dozen productions in various genres. He starred as Joan Rivers in the Las Vegas-style revue An Evening at La Cage in Toronto, Cancun, Miami Beach, and St. Maarten, and headlined at the Sands Hotel in Puerto Rico. Tim also co-hosted Mornings with Lou Anne and Tim, a live-streamed talk show with former CTV news anchor Lou Anne Young. He is a CBC talent competition award winner and received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his cultural contributions to Sault Ste. Marie.
Join us for a fun-filled excursion as we depart from the Bushplane Museum to the Sault Ste. Marie Airport.
Morning and afternoon bus trips are available.
Enjoy a tour of the MNR hangar, savor a delicious lunch, and meet the Snowbirds!
The Curtiss HS-2L Flying Boat was the first aircraft utilized by the OPAS and a new 1/4 scale replica will be added to the Collection in June. The exhibit will be unveiled at an event on June 13, 2024. Long time volunteer and historian, Pierre Verhelst will deliver a short talk about the significance of the aircraft.
This innovative, self-directed exploration of the historic OPAS building, now home to CBHC, illuminates the achievements and individuals associated with OPAS, underscoring their enduring influence on the community. Presently accessible via smartphone app in English, the tour will expand to encompass five additional languages (French, Anishnaabemowin, Spanish, German, and Hindi) by July 1, 2024.
<< Click the image to download the app or scan the QR codes below
Apple
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50 Pim Street Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada P6A 3G4
