‘Great feeling of satisfaction’: Cross-Canada flight to N.B. wraps up long aviation career

At 87 years young, lifelong pilot George Miller wrapped up his last flight where it all started: New Brunswick.

Miller and his co-pilot, Lew Kennedy, were part of the Golden Hawks — Canada’s first Air Force aerobatic team — based in Chatham, N.B., until 1962.

During the early ’70s, Miller was also a team leader for the famed Snowbirds.

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On Tuesday, the duo arrived back in Chatham, after a memorable cross-country flight that started in Langley, B.C.

“I came here in 1955. I joined as soon as I hit my 18th birthday. I joined the Air Force and within a very short time … got through pilot training. And so when I arrived at Chatham, I was the youngest pilot that had come through here,” he said.

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Miller now lives in Langley, B.C., where he founded the Fraser Blues Precision Flying Team. But he’s retiring now, and has decided to donate the vintage Navion plane he and Kennedy flew in to the New Brunswick Aviation Museum.

“For us to actually have something like that to represent that, it’s incredible,” said Kevin Anderson, the museum’s director.

“With George’s ties to Miramichi (and the Chatham area) and to to the Golden Hawks, it’s just basically a full-circle event.”

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Also along for the ride was aircraft mechanic Freya Inkster, who signed up for the flight to just enjoy the experience.

She had the chance to work on the vintage plane when they ran into some engine trouble in Kenora, Ont.

She credits watching the Fraser Blues for fostering her own love of aviation.

“(Miller) was quite a big inspiration for me to learn to fly,” she said.

“So knowing that the Fraser Blues is kind of done, it’s kind of heartbreaking for me. It’s been nice to be a part of that journey.”

For Miller, it was an emotional journey.

It was also an important one, that wrapped up a historic military and civilian flying career.

“There’s not going to be any more Fraser Blues, which we did hundreds of shows in Western Canada and the northwest United States. That’s over,” he said.

“But, you know, it’s a great feeling of satisfaction.”