PORTER SUPPORTERS OVER THE MOON

Photos by Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — A long shadow that has cast doubts on the Muskoka Airport’s future received a ray of sunshine Thursday, as Porter Airlines chair Robert Deluce landed his company in Muskoka for what he hopes will be more than just a one-year pilot.

A small pilot himself, he brought along 80 of his new closest friends for the day.

With a water cannon fanfare from both the Gravenhurst and Bracebridge fire departments (showing Transport Canada that help is 10 minutes away north and south) the first flight of the season arrived this afternoon – albeit 30 minutes late.

Deluce said the half-hour departure delay in Toronto was due to some photo-ops in Toronto.

Then the 20-minute flight began, soaring over another busy day on Hwy. 400 for commuters who have come to endure the long haul up and down from Toronto to Muskoka and back.

After a quick lap around Bracebridge, the prop-engine plane came in low from the north and landed down the runway before taxing to the terminal and a crowd of a couple hundred eager for the airport journey to begin a new life, beyond its cross-Canada emergency landing history and a chapter involving training the Norwegian air force to fight during the Second World War.

Less than two hours later it was back in the air after speeches and photo-ops all around.

And the first official passenger onboard was Peter Athanasopoulos, of Toronto. He was in a wheelchair due to a spinal injury and flew up with a friend to go fishing. He got a two-for-one deal for his fishing friend that cost $220 total for both.

Flight prices have reportedly been going for as low as $44 flying to Toronto and up to $100 northbound.

Here’s a look it looked like on sizzling tarmac.