By Ben Forrest | August 11, 2023 Estimated reading time 8 minutes, 38 seconds.
Some who have landed on the long, wide runway at Casey Base Camp will tell you its approximate location is, “the middle of nowhere.” The 5,411-foot (1,649-meter) concrete and asphalt strip is entirely off-grid, carved into a remote patch of evergreen hinterland in southern Quebec.
And yet, for several days in late summer it is one of the most popular general aviation (GA) venues in Canada. This upcoming Labour Day Weekend, about 300 aircraft and roughly 4,000 people are expected to gather there for the AeroVenture Casey 2023 fly-in, Canada’s backcountry answer to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — minus the airshows.
“It would be extremely complicated, and the logistics would almost be impossible, to have an airshow at the same time,” said Naor Cohen, a Cessna 172 pilot and owner of Casey Aerodrome.
“[But] the purpose of the event is to promote general aviation and celebrate our freedom to fly. We talk a lot about freedom to fly in general aviation, but when we fly up here, we really take that notion to another level — we’re flying in bush country.”
AeroVenture Casey launched as a formally-organized fly-in three years ago, after Cohen acquired a lease on the land to reactivate the aerodrome with Transport Canada. The fly-in operated informally for several years before that, but Cohen wanted to grow it into a larger event.
Last year was a big step forward. A total of 241 aircraft (including at least 19 helicopters) and 2,400 people took part, with most camping on the grounds of the aerodrome, Cohen said. Another 240 land vehicles also made the trek, many of them carrying non-pilot aviation enthusiasts, anglers and hunters who see aviation as part of their outdoor routines.
“No pun intended, but in the neck of the woods where we are, aviation is a lifestyle,” said Cohen. “Whether it’s airplanes or helicopters, it’s really a mode of transportation between villages, between communities, going from work to the cottage or going from one workplace to another.”
This year, organizers are stepping up their efforts. hoping for record attendance numbers and working toward the goal of future sell-outs.
“Our maximum [capacity] is 550 aircraft,” said Cohen. “We’re not at that yet, so people could come and go. But in the near future, we’re going to have reached that that max capacity.”
In addition to under-the-wing camping and static aircraft displays, visitors can participate in more than 30 workshops, including presentations on ADS-B requirements in Canada, aircraft insurance 101, women in aviation, electric aircraft, and how to become a pilot in Canada.
Existing pilots can also take part in recurrent training sessions on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Additional workshops are aimed at outdoor survival in Canada, and there will also be live music in the evenings until 11 p.m., said Cohen.
Then, on Sunday morning, visitors can join the Casey Challenge fun-run, consisting of three short- and middle-distance races: 1 kilometer, 5 kilometers, and 10 kilometers.
“We’re making it completely free for kids under 12,” said Cohen. “And everybody’s getting a participation t-shirt, a bib number, a finishing medal at the end of the race, and they all get served snacks and breakfast at the end.”
Three on-site restaurants will serve meals throughout the weekend, incorporating fresh produce grown in a mini-farm at the Casey Aerodrome. But there is no obligation to buy anything; visitors are encouraged to bring their own food, if they wish.
“People literally camp parallel to the runway,” said Cohen. “So all weekend long, they see the planes landing and taking off, and they see the planes on the tarmac . . . they [can] talk to the pilots.
“We want people to enjoy what aviation has to offer,” he added. “We want people to enjoy what nature has to offer, and basically AeroVenture encompasses both at the same time. So if you’re a nature and aviation enthusiast, it’s the place to be.”
As for the aerodrome’s remote location, getting there is an adventure in itself — and part of AeroVenture’s uniquely Canadian charm. According to its current owner, the airstrip was built as a landing spot for B-52 bombers from the United States Air Force, but was never put into service.
The strip is bordered by thickets of trees, known to be occasionally impacted by wildlife incursions. Landing at night is strictly forbidden — there are no lights to guide pilots down safely — and it’s a use-at-your-own-risk facility. But that’s not uncommon for bush pilots in Canada.
“The flight or the drive there is really part of the journey,” said Cohen “Anybody who flies up there understands it by seeing the vastness of the forest, the trees and everything, before you even get there . . . we’re pretty exclusive in the world.”
Visitors can arrive up to four days before Labour Day Weekend, and stay four days after. More details and a full schedule are available at the AeroVenture website.
