BAZflyer: Kelowna

A place named “Prince George” airport seemed appropriately titled for the Bazflyer’s first Canadian touch down. A telephone call to Canadian Boarder Services completed entry formalities after which the Bazflyer’s could officially claim to have entered Canada…15 flights and 67 flight hours after leaving their home base of Taupo, New Zealand.

Apparently, the reason for this settlement being given such a royal name back in the early nineteen hundred’s was quite rational. However, whatever that rationality was it no longer resonates with some local inhabitants who prefer to believe their town is named after young Prince George of Cambridge, son of royal heir Prince William and Kate Middleton…!

Following a night in the town with a royal name the Bazfyers were once again airborne this time heading in a southerly direction and a landing at Kelowna. Not only is this place another picture book locality in British Colombia, it is home to some very friendly aviators. However, something unknown to any of these aviators was that their corner of the world had an incidental connection to a small piece of New Zealand’s aviation history.

Round the World 2019 is in part following the tiny wing vortices of fellow New Zealander, Cliff Tait’s epic flight round the world in 1969. A flight he made in his little 115 horsepower airplane. Following refusal for the necessary landing in Russia, Tait shipped his airplane from Japan across the Pacific Ocean to Vancouver, Canada, where it was reassembled for the continuation of his journey.

In his book ‘Flight of the Kiwi’ Tait describes leaving Vancouver; “…the flight was difficult, with bad weather and a low ceiling, making the crossing of the Canadian Rockies another adventure….had to land at Armstrong and Cranbrook before reaching the Canadian Plains”.

There was never an airfield specifically at Armstrong which is where Tait stayed. The place of landing was Vernon Airport that coincidently happened to be just a few kilometres away from where the Bazflyers were graciously hosted and shown around by fellow International Comanche Society members, Ken and Ena Mori.

Perhaps there is something about the local Kelowna brew that is a positive influence on aviators. Not only were the Bazflyers cordially greeted on landing by a contingent of folk from the Kelowna Flying Club, but like the head on an expertly pulled handle of brew, the club’s president Dave McElroy flew a Comanche 180 round the world during 2014. A feat that the Bazflyers followed at the time and that no doubt helped fuel the passion for their own RTW flight.

Then there was the pleasure of spending some rewarding sociable time with former Royal Canadian Air Force ‘Top-Gun’ and CF-104 pilot, Larry Crabb. A gentleman, former fighter pilot and flying instructor. Larry served in Europe with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), commanded two tactical fighter squadrons in West German and ran the United Nations' (U.N.) air force in the Middle East.

The time to move on further eastwards beckons. Tomorrow the Bazflyers leave Kelowna, fly over the remaining part of the ‘Rockies’ past Cranbrook and out onto the flat Prairie Lands. Destination….Brandon.

Kelowna Airport (CYLW) is out there straight ahead.