The organising committee for the 50th Anniversary of Aviation has announced a series of events being planned to mark the occasion.

"The plans for the celebration will include 'something for everyone' and we hope that the entire community will be involved," explained Director Civil Aviation Richard Smith, who heads up the organising committee for the event.

The first series of events will begin in the islands schools. The recently announced competition for all students aged 5 to 18 begins in October and aviation talks are taking place in the schools during this month also. The talks will feature local pilots and other aviators within the community.

Also during the month of October a commemorative booklet detailing the history of Cayman's aviation will be released. The booklet will feature many historical photos and a chronology of aviation for the past 50 years. "Currently we have nothing like this that provides all the details of Cayman's aviation for the past 50 years. We are very excited about the booklet and are certain that the public will appreciate its value for future generations," Mr. Smith related.

Government Information Services Graphic Artist, Charles Gilman, is currently designing the booklet. "Charles is a very talented young man and we are very fortunate to have him as part of our organising committee for this event," Smith recounted. Charles is also the creator of the logo that marks the event and is designing all of the promotional materials.

In early November the Post Office is launching a commemorative stamp issue to mark the occasion. "The Post Office is extremely pleased to be involved with an event as important as this is in our islands' history," stated Mrs. Mona Banks-Jackson of the Cayman Islands Post Office. "We plan to have a ceremony to official release the stamp issue and are certain that the public will all want to have these stamps as a keepsake," she concluded.

During the week of the actual anniversary, which is Thursday, November 28th, the committee has a lot planned. On the anniversary there will be a supplement in the Caymanian Compass newspaper highlighting aviation history and featuring many of the aviation stories of days gone by and current aviation happenings. There will also be events during the week that will honour long serving pioneers of aviation in all three islands.

On Saturday, November 30th the celebration culminates with events for the whole family. "We are planning to have a Young Eagles programme at the airport in the early part of the day where young people truly interested in flying can learn more about what it has to offer. We will have the Young Eagles spokesperson from the U.S. with us for this event and we are certain that young people here will really enjoy getting a chance to meet this fascinating young man," explained Mr. Smith.

Later on the same day there will be a fun day at 7-mile Public Beach that will feature parachuters, kids activities, food and snacks courtesy of sponsor Fosters Food Fair and great prizes and give aways focused around an aviation theme.

Our 'First Class' sponsors for these events are long time partners of aviation in the Cayman Islands and include our National Airline Cayman Airways, Flowers Air Dispatch Services (F.A.D.S.), Texaco Caribbean and Aviation Communication. Business Class sponsors for the events are Fosters Food Fair, Tortuga Rum Company and Cable & Wireless. Other supporters of the celebration include Island Air, British Airways, Walt Disney World and Fantasy of Flight.

"We are thrilled to have so many companies supporting these events. Without them this occasion would pass without the ceremony and celebration it deserves and we sincerely thank all the sponsors for their support," concluded Mr. Smith.