03/24/2025
The Midnight Sun Fly In Association is proud to establish the Midnight Sun Aviation Fund to carry on its legacy of supporting general aviation in the north.
The Yellowknife Community Foundation is proud to announce the establishment of the Midnight Sun Aviation Fund.
The student award fund supports residents of the Northwest Territories pursuing education in an aviation-related field (e.g. pilot license, ratings and endorsements, avionics, air traffic services, etc.). It will disburse $5,000 each year to one or more recipients.
The fund pays tribute to the Midnight Sun Fly In, a biennial celebration that brought pilots and aviation enthusiasts from around the world to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Nestled on the shores of Great Slave Lake, the event honoured the region’s rich aviation heritage while providing a unique opportunity for camaraderie, adventure, and exploration under the summer’s endless daylight.
The event was the brainchild of Yvonne Quick, who founded the Midnight Sun Fly In Association in 1994 alongside Roger Zarudski, Mike Stevens, Mike Piro, and Jeff Rocher. Their vision transformed Yellowknife into a hub for aviation festivities, attracting visitors eager to share in the spirit of flight and celebrate the community’s deep connection to the skies.
Over the years, the Fly In became renowned for its vibrant program of activities, which included rig exhibitions, fly-out picnics, scavenger hunts, presentations, hangar tours, and lively feasts with entertainment. These events fostered a sense of community among attendees while showcasing the unique character of northern aviation.
The Midnight Sun Fly In hosted its fifteenth and final gathering from July 6–9, 2023, capping off three decades of friendships forged in the thrill of aviation. Though the event has come to an end, its legacy lives on as a cherished chapter in the story of northern aviation and the community that grew around it.
Donations can be made to the fund here: https://yellowknifecf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1495
The Midnight Sun Aviation Fund wishes to honour the following pioneers of aviation in the North:
Jim Adams
Neil J. Armstrong
Peter Austin
Frank Avery
Ray Baert
Clem Bekar
John Bidwell
Ernie Boffa
Kenn Borek
Eustace Bowhay
W. Leigh Britnell
Matthew Aaron Bromley
Daryle Ray Brown
Norman Charles Muffitt (Bush)
Norman Byrne
Merlyn Carter
Carl Clouter
J.C. Armstrong (Corky)
Bruce Edward Cornock
Andrew Cruickshank
Wayne Deakon
Mike Demelt
C.H. (Punch) Dickins
Tom Downes
Joyce Dunphy
Steve England
Bob (Robert Parsons) Engle
Jim Esbick
George Harold “Mike” Finland
Dave Floyd
Barry Frain
Elmer Fullerton
Huby Gauque
Capt. Stan Gitzel
George Gorman
Bill Granley
Duncan Grant
Paul Hagadorn
Don Hamilton
David Henry Hare
Marten Hartwell
Cliff Healey
Bob (Robert Murray) Heath
Bill Hettrick
Henry Hicks
Bob Jensen
Trevor Jonasson
Walter (D.W.) Kelly
Hank Koenan
Mike Krutko
Cam Lancaster
Don Landells
Paul William Laserich
W***y Laserich
Gordon Macleod
Cedric Mah
Bobbie Markle
W.R. (W*p) May
Chuck McAvoy
James McAvoy
Chuck McLaren
Stanley Ransom McMillan
Archibald Major McMullen
Ron Moe
Rick Muyres (Derick David)
Bob O’Conner
Frank O’Connor
Ted Oliver
Myron Dale Alfred Olson
Danny Pagotto
Rocky Parsons
Mike Piro
Warren Plummer
Mark Ranger
Lorne Rankin
Len Robinson
Chuck Ross
Paul Rosset
Blair Rutherford
Bob Ryan
Arnie (Arnold Roderick) Schreder
Manley Allen Showalter
Jim Smith
Bruce Sprung
Nicole Francis Stacey
Mike Stevens
Ken Stockall
Keith Sylvester
Dale Tingley
Jim Townsend
John Tumchewics
Kevin Wang
Max Ward
Glenn Boyd Warner
Jason Watt
Tony Wattier
Dana Wentzel
Jake Woolgar
If there is a pilot you believe should be added to this list, please reach out to [email protected]
For more information: https://www.ykcf.ca/student-awards-scholarships/midnight-sun-aviation-fund/
