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.
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
- Willy Laserich
- Gordon Macleod
- Cedric Mah
- Bobbie Markle
- W.R. (Wop) 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 information@ykcf.ca
The Yellowknife Community Foundation was established in 1993 to give individuals and organizations a way to support community projects with lasting impact. We manage endowment funds, meaning that we invest donations and generally grant out the annual investment income as student awards or community grants. The Foundation is built on a simple yet powerful idea – that by working together, we can create meaningful change in our community.
