This book is a rich portrayal of a 100-year history (1926-2026) of Canadian aviation as experienced in and around the Edmonton region. The real story, is about the early history of aviation and developments within Canadian aviation and the broader global world that sprung out of the Edmonton region. It’s about the early pioneers in aviation innovation, both in the air and on the ground as airports developed and communities embraced them. It’s about the bush pilots and mavericks who played a key role in aviation and opening up Canada’s North. The stories will be illustrated through both photographs and a rich narrative that take place in western Canada, largely the Edmonton region and its airports—owing the moniker ‘Canada’s Gateway to the North’.

I share stories of development, growth and struggles of those early years, and how aviation came to change and thrive over the last century. This historical narrative will portray the risk takers and pioneers who flew out of this region and how the pilots were the real drivers behind an industry that initially had few believers. Although there are several older community airports across Canada in existence, none are as old as Cooking Lake Airport or have continually operated as did Cooking Lake. It managed to survive through change, challenges, and sometimes chaos over the last hundred years, and its survival has largely been driven by a few committed and passionate pilots do what it takes to make a difference in a community–from the likes of Wop May and Vic Horner, Max Ward, to present day champions of aviation.