The Hawaii Mars waterbomber is back to flying status. And its time in the Alberni Valley is winding down. The aerial firefighting tanker, owned by Coulson Aviation, took its first flight in eight years on Thursday, Aug. 1, surprising dozens of photographers, boaters and onlookers when a high-speed taxi turned into a takeoff. …Richard Mosdell, who runs Save the Mars program for the B.C. Aviation Museum, was in Port Alberni over the long weekend and said taxiing in the Mars “was just thrilling.” Fifty or 60 boats followed behind or alongside the waterbomber on Saturday, Aug. 3, he said. The waterbomber flew briefly on Sunday, Aug. 4, the same day Coulson hosted an event at the bomber base for more than 400 employees and family members. Coulson Aviation confirmed the Hawaii Mars will fly out of Sproat Lake on its final mission next Sunday, Aug. 11. both time and flight path are still to be determined.