The Westlock Flying Club’s 43rd annual fly-in breakfast was cancelled for this year due to rain, smoke and fog.
The club called the gathering off after examining likely weather patterns and taking into account the smoky conditions that have become the norm in recent weeks.
“We’ve been watching the weather forecasts for the last couple days and it was looking questionable to marginal and with the combination of smoke and likely fog tomorrow, we weren’t going to get many pilots in and with the cooler and rainier temperatures we weren’t expecting many people to be driving out either,” said flying club president Robert Lawrence Saturday, the day before the event was scheduled to take place.
The breakfast, held at the Westlock Municipal Airport since 1976, sees pilots around the province fly into the airport for pancakes before once again taking to the skies.
The event was originally scheduled for Aug. 12, but was postponed once again because of rain and smoke.
The flying club usually welcomes hundreds of hungry pilots and regular, driving spectators to the airport for the event, which often includes a number of vintage planes touching down for breakfast.
“We didn’t want to re-postpone it into the fall because of farming and school and with this smoke, it still makes it very difficult to fly,” said Lawrence.
The club had considered holding the fly-in breakfast on Aug. 19, but didn’t want to interfere with fair events in Westlock and the Edmonton Air Show, which were held the same weekend, he said.
“It was a tough call, but everybody was of the same mindset that there was lots going on so we didn’t want to, dare I say, waste the time and money to go ahead with it for a minimal turnout when there’s a lot going on,” said Lawrence.
“Sure, if it was looking like a good weekend, everyone would be all gung-ho for it, but for those reasons, that’s why we did it.”
