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Airshow grounded in Yellowknife

There will be no airshow in Yellowknife this year, according to the Government of the Northwest Territories' Department of Infrastructure 

The Royal Canadian Air Force unveiled the new colours of its CF-18 at last year's Canada 150 air show. This year there will be no airshow in Yellowknife. NNSL file photo

In an e-mail statement, Department of Infrastructure spokesperson Kelley Ryder cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for the decision to not host the show in 2018.

“Yellowknife Airport is the host airport for the bi-annual air show presented by the Yellowknife International Airshow Society. Due to scheduling challenges, there will not be an event this year,” stated Ryder.
Gordon Van Tighem, chairperson of the Yellowknife Airshow Society, said those scheduling conflicts were related to being unable to bring two of the most popular acts up north this summer.

The snowbirds weren't available and that's the main act,” said Van Tighem. “Then the CF-18 Hornet was scheduled into Europe so there's the secondary feature act.”
Van Tighem said the society is now in talks with the organizers of the Old Town Float Plane Fly-in to try to work together to host an air show next year. Generally the fly-in happens in the alternating years opposite the air show.

Since the Canada 150 act worked well [in 2017] with the float plane fly in group we approached the fly-in group to see if they would be willing to do something similar next year," said Van Tighem. "If there's no conflict we would look to do the show next year."

Van Tighem also noted that the society will look to host an air show in 2020 in order to get back on schedule.