08/11/2024
What a beauty!
The Hawaii Mars Forever Home Arrival Flight to the BC Aviation Museum is Sunday, August 11th, 2024, with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds!
AUGUST 6, 2024, VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: The BC Aviation Museum is thrilled to finally announce the Hawaii Martin Mars water bomber’s final flight to its forever home is Sunday, August 11, 2024. The aircraft is to become the crown jewel in the museum’s growing BC Wildfire Aviation exhibit.
The public is invited to witness this once in a lifetime event, like seeing the space shuttle launch, as this is not only the last flight of this Mighty Martin Mars, but it will also arrive in formation with all nine planes of the amazing Canadian Forces Snowbirds demonstration team.
The museum warmly thanks everyone at Coulson Aviation for their incredible hard work in preparing and delivering the aircraft for donation.
The Mars Saved BC, Now BC Saves The Mars!
PAT BAY ARRIVAL TIME ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2024:
Approximately between 6pm to 6:30pm, weather dependant.
FLIGHT ROUTE:
Along the east coast of Vancouver Island.
TRACK THE FLIGHT LIVE:
Flightradar24 is a global flight tracking service on which the public can follow the Hawaii Mars using its aircraft registration code CFLYL.
The museum’s Facebook/Instagram accounts will also provide live flight details prior to arrival.
BEST PLACES TO VIEW THE LANDING AT PAT BAY:
Please refer to bcam.net in the next 24-48hrs for updated land and water viewing maps, plus to be aware of areas closed to the public.
THE FLIGHT ROUTE SIGNIFICANCE:
The Hawaii Mars final flight might pass over several BC west coast forest communities to
commemorate the forest industry's original establishment of the unique Martin Mars water bomber program in the early 1960s
COULSON AVIATION STATEMENT:
We are proud to see the Hawaii Mars make its final journey to the British
Columbia Aviation Museum. Our dedicated team has been working tirelessly to
prepare the aircraft for this significant moment. The enthusiastic response from
both the local and aviation communities has been incredible. For the safety of our
crew, the aircraft, and the Sproat Lake boating community, we won't be sharing
specific flight details, but we look forward to welcoming this historic plane to its
new home at the museum.
— Coulson Aviation
SNOWBIRDS STATEMENT:
"The Canadian Forces Snowbirds are proud to be able to fly alongside this icon of Canadian aerial
forest fighting as it takes its final journey to Victoria and its new home at the British Columbia Aviation
Museum. The Snowbirds salute the brave firefighters, in the air and on the ground, that work to
protect our country from wildfires and we are excited to see this piece of aviation history be preserved
and on display to honour and inspire aviators past, present and future."
- Major Brent Handy, Snowbird 1, Team Lead
ICONIC:
For over 5 decades the Mars program had an incredibly positive impact in Canadian aviation forest
firefighting, and the aircraft is beloved by many especially since the Hawaii Mars is one of only two
remaining. As the largest water bomber in the world with a 200-foot wingspan, the aircraft will become
one of the biggest attractions in Victoria and on Vancouver Island. In its firefighting days it could drop
more than 25,000 litres of water on each run!
GLOBAL FANS:
International interest in the final flight and the Hawaii Mars has made it the number one international
vintage aviation story. For example, there are already over 5 million hits on the museum’s social
media.
SUPPORT THE RESCUE!
Please donate to the official GoFundMe campaign: www.bcam.net
📷: Heath Moffatt Photography
