Johnny May Sr., 76, from Kuujjuaq in Nunavik, has no intention of stopping there.
Keep flying as long as possible because I love it.
Mr. May has flown for 59 years and is known as the first Inuk pilot in eastern Canada. He recently posted his aerial achievement on Facebook and received many congratulatory messages in return.
In 1982 he obtained a pilot’s license, after which he acquired with his own company, Johnny May Air CharterIt has transferred countless clients.
Lately, he’s been taking antler hunters on board. I carried many of them, and then traveled to the exploration camps. So it’s kind of a mixed business, with different clients every day.
Over the years, he has conducted medical evacuations of residents of several Inuit villages to hospitals in the south, as well as search and rescue missions. During these missions, he would have saved many lives.
You have found many missing people and when you find them you feel good. It is to great satisfaction.
He claims to have found a helicopter in 1972, it is believed, which was lost for a month and a half.
The pilot was still alive so I brought him back to Kuujjuaq. Such occasions made me very happy
. He specifies that he also has many sad stories on his account.
Heroes of a documentary, book and cartoon
In 2013, the National Film Council of Canada co-produced the documentary johnny may suitesAbout the life of the pilot.
Johnny May and Santa Claus moments before the start of what was an annual Christmas candy drop in Kuujjuaq village, Nunavík.
Photo: Isabelle Dubois
Mr. May, who is the brother of the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, is also known in his community for dropping the annual Christmas candy.
Every year during this period, between 1965 and 2019, he would fly over Kuujjuaq, releasing candy, toys and clothes to children and other residents.
A children’s book about the event was published in 2015. Two years later, CBC produced the animation The Great Northern Candy Drop, based on the book.
It is my pleasure to see my young children watching this cartoon.
With information from Cindy Alroot
Ryan MacDonald is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, accurate reporting and delivering useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and community developments. Ryan is committed to presenting stories in a balanced and accessible way, highlighting issues, trends, and updates that matter most to readers in Vaughan and across Canada.