Cooking Lake Airport
Bob Sheppard recently sent me an email to advise me that our friend, (and NetLetter subscriber) retired Licensed Aircraft Technician Rob Hemmett, had posted some info on Facebook about Canada's oldest operating public airport, Cooking Lake Airport, located just over 40 kilometres northeast of Edmonton International.
I'm embarrassed to say that I was not aware of this remarkable piece of Canadian history, but I want to thank my buddies for telling me about it.
I checked out the links (see below) and soon lost myself in the timeline and list of aviation pioneers associated with the beginnings of this airport. There is far too much to its story to tell here so I urge you to check out the videos and other links and enjoy the pictures and story.
To summarize the video narration, Cooking Lake Airport had its beginnings in 1926 when a Vickers Viking seaplane returning from an unsuccessful search for a lost gold mine landed on the shore of the lake for fuel and supplies. Among the well known bush pilots who flew from Cooking Lake including Punch Dickens, Leigh Brintnell, Wop May, Will Rogers, Roy Brown, and Max Ward.
It continues to function today as a search and rescue base as well as flight training. It is the fifth busiest airport in Alberta and is completely funded and operated by volunteers.
Additional info:
Official site for Cooking Lake Airport
History from Wikipedia
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