Place a bid, win honorary ownership of a Bushplane Museum plane

Aviation enthusiasts who wish to treat themselves or their dad to a prestigious Father’s Day gift are invited to place a bid in the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre’s Earn Your Wings Auction.

Winning bidders get:

• Honorary ownership of one of the centre’s planes or other vehicles for one year - July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023
• A one year individual Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre membership
• A certificate of honorary ownership
• Recognition of honorary ownership on display with the aircraft or truck in the museum for the duration of the year
• An opportunity to have your photo taken with or in (where possible) your plane or truck
• Having your name added to the donor board in the centre’s lobby if your winning bid is over $1,000

The third annual auction is a fundraiser for the Bushplane Museum, all proceeds going to the centre’s operations and programming.

“The Beaver and the Otter have gone for over a thousand dollars each year,” said Edie Suriano, Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre marketing and events manager.

“Right now there’s a bid for $750 on the Beaver, a $500 bid on the Otter, so they’ll most likely go up to the $1,000 mark. The Norseman probably will.”

Every single plane and vehicle the centre has in its hangar is up for auction.

“That includes our truck and our helicopter. People can bid on every one of them,” Suriano said.

The highest bid in past auctions was $2,500 for the Beaver.

“It’s a nice Father’s Day gift,” Suriano said.

Auction winners haven’t all been Sault and area plane lovers.

“I would say they’ve been from all over, not necessarily people from the Sault. Auction winners for the Beaver and the Otter in the past have been two gentlemen from outside Sudbury. They know of the Bushplane Museum, they like the planes and they both fly Beavers so there’s that little connection there. This year we’re really pushing the Beaver a bit because this August marks its 75th anniversary,” Suriano said.

All businesses and museums have taken a hit due to COVID, so money raised for the CBHC through this year's auction will be appreciated, Suriano said.

“With COVID semi-over, some people are still not comfortable travelling and coming into the Museum, but we’ve still seen some people coming in. People are ready to get out. People are ready and things are better,” Suriano said, adding that some cruise ship passengers like to visit the museum during their stop in the Sault.

It is hoped that events such as Rotaryfest, back to its normal full scale format this year after a COVID hiatus, will lead visitors to the museum, Suriano said.

“There’s lots happening in Sault Ste. Marie this summer so hopefully that will spur people to come to our attraction. It is a very fun place. We’re not a typical museum where you can’t touch items on display. We encourage you to touch the planes and climb in the planes and not stand behind a rope. Our movie theatre is great, the flight simulator is great and we have Entomica here now.”

The online Earn Your Wings Auction began at 12 p.m. Saturday, June 11 and ends at 12 p.m. Friday, June 17. 

Participants can place their bids on a special auction website.

Those taking part can watch the auction as it proceeds and place higher bids as necessary.

Winning bidders will be contacted by the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre with instructions regarding how to claim winnings and perks.