BCAM timeline with the Hawaii Mars
January 2022
Coulson Aviation announced intention to sell overseas.
Richard Mosdell contacts CA about donating to BCAM.
BCAM volunteers Bob Saunders & Mac Duffield go with Richard to meet Wayne Coulson, and agree to begin the donation discussion.
Richard presents to the BCAM board and becomes the Save the Mars Project Lead.
April 2022
Richard joins the BCAM board.
Bob and Richard are the core Save the Mars Team, contacting all the stakeholders required.
One key initiative the Mars Team requests to the BCAM board is hiring a full-time executive director.
November 2022
Steve Nichol and John McManus join the Save the Mars Team.
Letter of intent to rescue both the Hawaii and Philippine Mars is signed with CA, with the idea of the Hawaii coming to BCAM and the Philippine staying with an organization in Port Alberni.
December 2022
LOI signed with CA.
March 2023
Conal Oldfield joins BCAM as the full time Operations Manager, and also a Mars Team Member.
April 2023
Steve Nichol becomes the BCAM president.
The Save the Mars Team is now complete; Richard Mosdell (project lead), Steve Nichol (president), Bob Saunders (finance) John McManus (operations) & Conal Oldfield (soon after ED).
September 2023
Revised LOI signed with CA removing the Philippine, as it is destined for another museum.
October 2023
Local MLA Adam Olsen approaches BCAM on how to assist with the rescue, and he makes an introduction to Lana Popham, the BC Minister of Tourism, Sport, Art and Culture.
December 2023
The Save the Mars Team makes a presentation to Minister Popham about the rescue project.
March 28, 2024
At the CA Sproat Lake bomber base, there is a press conference where Minister Popham announces the BC government’s grant of $250,000 towards the Hawaii Mars rescue to BCAM. BCAM president Steve Nichol, local MLA Jodie Osborne and BCAM Mars project lead make speeches.
March 29, 2024
The Mars Team presents the origin rescue short film in the Henderson hangar to invited VIPs and BCAM members, with Minister Popham in attendance.
April 2024
CA announces donation to BCAM.
August 2024
Sunday Aug 11 pilots Peter Killin and Rick Mathews fly the Hawaii Mars on its Forever Home Flight across communities on Vancouver Island and the mainland (Powell River) before the Canadian Forces Snowbirds form up at Crofton. The formation flies over Mill Bay, Pat Bay, Victoria Airport, south along the coast to the breakwater, then the Snowbirds do an aerial show over Victoria while the Mars flies back to the airport and lands in Pat Bay, with the Snowbirds Maple Flag fly past with smoke.
The Mars flight route was to commemorate the forest industry for originally creating the program in the early 1960s.
The Snowbirds participation was to celebrate and recognize the importance of this final flight and the Mars contribution to aviation firefighting in Canada.
De-watering onto the Coast Guard base – August 14
The Move to BCAM – one full night sometime between August 19 to 23
Closed Display – visitors can walk around outside until Sept 27
Grand Opening – Sat Sep 28 with the ribbon cutting for visitors to go inside.