When Pilgrims reach Makkah (Mecca), spot where Prophet Abraham (OWBP) first built a house to worship Allah, they are naturally elated and atmosphere is one of joy. There is a myriad of colors of Africans, many from Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Bosnians, Arabs, and others from some 70 nationalities.

It is an amazing factor that despite jostling in streets, there is no confrontation. Every Pilgrim takes pride and rushes to help each other in a spirit of brotherhood and love, transcending all barriers of color. That they go by air, sea, road and camel caravan, makes no difference. It is only by undergoing rigors of Hajj that one can truly appreciate importance and significance of this annual event which brings together believers of all color, class and creed, all praying for forgiveness and reciting on an almost 24 hour basis, words... 'Labbayk, Allahuma Labbayk' (Here I come, Oh Lord, Here I come.), 'Labbayk la sharika Laka Labbayk' (Nothing is equal to you. Here I come, Oh Lord.), 'Innal Hamda Wanni'mat Laka Wal Mulk' (All Praise is Yours, all wealth is yours, all domain is yours), 'La Shaika Lak', (Nothing is equal to YOU.).

The rites of Hajj begin on eighth day of Zulhijjah, last month of Islamic Calendar, which coincides this year with February 21st or 22nd.

Before arriving in Makkah, men must put on their Ehram - two pieces of unstitched clothing, a prerequisite for Hajj. The two pieces of unstitched clothing worn by men serves to underscore fact that all Pilgrims were equal before their creator, irrespective of their mundane position of being a King, a President, leader of a country, professional, laborer, etc. Once they arrive in Makkah, their primary goal is to go to Haram ash-Sharif, surrounding Ka'ba. They seize opportunity of performing Umrah....the circumambulation of Holy Kaaba seven times and performance of Sai...walking briskly between Safa and Marwa, in recognition of plight of Hazrat Ebrahim's (Abraham) wife, Haga, when she rushed between two mountains in search of water for her baby. It was on this occasion when Haga was told to strike rock from which fresh water emerged. That water still flows today from well called ZamZam.

After this ritual, men have to trim their hai

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By Edwin Ali - Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent - at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

The old bush base was formed into a nonprofit corporation and plane ollection continues to grow with each new donation. The museum takes in no government funds to renovate these historic and often antique planes. Most of funding comes from ticket and gift store sales and memberships of those interested in bush planes. You can even join in fun and get Centre's newsletter.

The Silver Dart is first plane to greet me gliding over museum's lobby near gift shop. The replica is of first aircraft to make powered flight in Canada.

The Noordayn Norseman was designed in 1935, and is one of first planes built for Canadian bush flying. The Centre’s example, serial #17, was built in late 1938 and is now oldest operational Norseman in world.

The deHavilland DHC-3 Otter was introduced in 1953, and it carried on with tradition of Beaver; Centre’s version was damaged in a forced landing north of Moosonee in 1986.

The Centre’s version of Fairchild Husky is one of rarest examples of this plane, and it is nearing completion of a total overhaul . The Husky was designed in 1946, an early competitor of Beaver, but even with advantage of superior cargo handling, Husky was underpowered and only 12 were ever built.

Canadair CL215 was designed in 1978, and was first purpose-built water bomber. It is capable of picking up over 5,000 liters of water at a time for fire drops.

The Centre’s Great Lakes Trainer was once a privately owned plane from 1930s, built from scratch by long time pilot and air engineer, Guy Laroque.

The Centre even has a few helicopters on display; most notable is Bell 470, restored to original configuration and owned by Ontario Lands and Forest, dating from 1953. The helicopter is first to be owned by a government agency in Canada.

The Grumman Tracker is an ex-U.S. Navy carrier based anti-submarine aircraft that was declared surplus by military and later converted to a chemical fire bomber. The plane is painted in colors of its donors, Conair of Abbostford, British Columbia.

The Republic Seabee is a postwar amphibious aircraft designed for commercial use but is more popular as a recreational plane.

The above mentioned bush planes are but a small highlight of what awaits you at msueum. The Centre also houses a Flight Cent re with exhibits, flight simulating computers, a Beech 18 cockpit, simulated flights in a Beaver, a Link Trainer, and a pilot aptitude test. The flight adventure simulator takes me on a flight over Sault Ste. Marie and local landmarks, following ACR Tour train and I experience thrill of fighting a forest fire. Many of first and more modern bush pilots mug shots are forever placarded in black and white drawings.

You don’t have to use one of vintage radios to get in contact with Bushplane Heritage Centre.

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre 50 Pim Street (just off Bay St .) Sault Ste. Marie , ON P6A 3G4 Canada 705/945-6242 fax: 702/942-8947 www.bushplane.com

I happen to stumble into wrong theater to hear a fire fighting lecture before getting ousted to proper theater. The lightning locator is a real time computer based system that records all lightning strikes in Eastern North America and it is a vital component of sophisticated fire prediction system based in Sault Ste. Marie.

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By Kriss Hammond - Jetsetters Magazine Editor - at www.jetsettersmagazine.com