Barry Lapointe
O.B.C., Hon. DTech
Founder & Chairman, KF Aerospace
President & Director, KF Centre for Excellence
Barry loves aviation! He started flying at the age of 16 and has since logged over 18,000 flying hours (fixed and rotary wing). He is an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer by trade, and the Founder & CEO of a leading Canadian aerospace company. Barry Lapointe’s passion for flight has resulted in a lifetime of dedication to the aerospace industry in Canada.
After starting a small aircraft repair business servicing the BC Interior from a panel van, Barry has spent the last five decades building up
KF Aerospace (founded as Kelowna Flightcraft) into a leading air cargo operator; an engineering (DAO), maintenance and modification provider; a pilot training organization for the Royal Canadian Air Force; and an aircraft leasing company.
Over those 50 years, he’s led and shaped this truly Canadian success story. KF is a multifaceted and highly integrated aviation company – and Canada’s largest commercial Aircraft Maintenance Organization. Employing nearly 1,100 dedicated staff across the country, Barry delivers exceptional quality, reliability and on-time delivery. KF is respected by airline brands and cargo operators worldwide, competing with industry giants while maintaining its Canadian roots.
Barry has served on dozens of public and private boards over the years, including Purolator Courier of which he is minority owner. His passion for aviation continues unabated, and is embodied in the creation of the Centre for Excellence to be built in Kelowna as a legacy to the importance of aerospace in Canada.
Lapointe is an honorary lifetime member of ATAC and the AME associations, and has been recognized by AIAC, AIABC, BCIT, Rotary, and many other organizations for his contributions and accomplishments in aerospace and local communities. He has supported AME Community Colleges across Canada including Okanagan College and Mohawk College, and supported the University of British Columbia – Okanagan. Through the KF Charitable Foundation, he actively supports causes across Canada including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Kids’ Cancer Care Foundation at KGH, and Girls Fly Too.
Barry was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 2015 and inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019.