Governor General Cup air rally coming to Fort St. John

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Fort St. John will be visited by the Governor General's Cup Cross Canada Centennial Flight this Friday.

More than 54 pilots from various countries will be participating in the air rally, including pilots and passengers from places like Australia, France and Chile.

Managing Director for the North Peace Airport Services, Todd Tripp says it's a great tourism opportunity for the region.

On Friday afternoon, the group will be taken by bus for a guided tour of the Peace Region. They will make their way to the WAC Bennett Dam, along with other sites of interest. Upon their return and a quick stop at their hotel, the group will be taken by bus to the Peace Island Park for a BBQ supper and evening of events, music and stories about the Peace Region.

While the Governor General won't be in attendance, the pilot's are competing for the prestigious Governor General's Cup. Basically, the pilots go from city to city to promote aviation. Tripp says during this journey, pilot's gain points through flying or on-ground competitions.

The cup is awarded to the pilot with the most points at the end of the air rally.

He says the Peace region has a couple of competitions organized at the Peace Island Park in Taylor, and everyone is invited to come out and cheer the pilot's on.

The flight is dedicated to celebrate 100 years of flight in Canada.