Lovers of airplanes in Airdrie will be buzzing and yes, the pun is completely intended. 

The final leg of the 2021 Alberta Air Tour will stop at the Airdrie Air Park on Saturday, Aug. 7.

Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt is one of the driving forces for the tour, which began last year in central Alberta before being expanded to include legs in northern and southern Alberta this year.

Pitt said the tour was founded by three pilots with a passion for aviation and a love of small-town Alberta airports.  One of those pilots is a colleague of Pitt's, Shane Getson, the MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland.  The three wanted to bring the excitement back to the industry, and to Albertans following a difficult 16 months.  

The Alberta Air Tour is meant to encourage new people to learn how to fly, celebrate the aviation industry and recognize how robust the industry is in the province.  Pitt is also hoping the tour will give Airdrie the chance to show off, just a little, to all of the pilots.

"The goal was to show off all these small airports and then the communities around them so private pilots when they're flying around, know where to land and know where to stay-and-play."  

Pitt believes the aviation industry is key to supporting tourism, business, travel, hotel, and restaurant sectors.  That's why she's hoping for a great turnout from Airdrie residents to the event, which is free of charge.  

Ryan Gassner is the President of the Airdrie Flying Club and said the Airdrie Air Park has been in existence since 1940, first developed as a fighter training airport in the Second World War. 

The park is found about 5 km east of Airdrie on Yankee Valley Boulevard.  The Airdrie Flying Club has around 55 members.

The southern Alberta tour will also be making stops in Red Deer, Sundre, Olds, Didsbury, Three Hills, Drumheller and Beiseker.  Gassner said all of the planes coming in for a landing in the city will be a spectacle you won't want to miss.  

"We'll be having more than 40 aircraft coming in all at the same time so it should be quite amazing to watch, bringing them in and landing them all in succession."

Once the planes are parked, people attending the tour have a chance to see the airplanes close up and meet and talk with the pilots.  Gassner said there could even be a DC-3 from the Second World War showing up on Saturday along with the possibility of a STARS helicopter.  The HAWCS helicopter from Calgary has also been invited. 

Local food trucks will also be on hand for the day which will run from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.   

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