Belt Of Orion Recipient Also To Be Recognized
Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame (CAHF) will induct four
Canadians, and recognize a Belt of Orion recipient, at its 2011
annual gala dinner and ceremony at the Canadian Warplane Heritage
Museum, Hamilton, in May.
The Hall's 2011 inductees are: John W. Crichton, the current
president and CEO of NAV Canada, and previous president of the Air
Transport Association of Canada, and First Air; Donald T. Hamilton,
a bush pilot in northern Alberta who went on to purchase Air Spray
Ltd., a company that fights fires in western and northern Canada;
Richard W. (Dick) Ryan, a First World War pilot and vice-president
of Canadian Pacific Airlines; and William J. (Bill) Wheeler, a
founding member of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS)
and editor of its Journal magazine. Québec's Hollinger
Ungava Transport Ltd. will receive the Belt of Orion
award.
This year's inductees' achievements span the spectrum of
Canada's rich aviation history. They are recognized for
playing integral roles in the development of their respective
aviation fields, and contributing to Canada's development through
these roles. The Hall was established in 1973, and these four
honorees will bring the total number of inductees to 204.
John Crichton
John W. Crichton (1946 - ) has served as president and CEO of
NAV CANADA since 1997. Previously he was president of the Air
Transport Association of Canada and executive vice-president of
First Air. Crichton was a major force in shaping Canada's northern
air transportation industry to improve airfreight and passenger
services to northern communities. His leadership led to the
modernization of Canada's civil air navigation system with the
establishment of NAV CANADA in 1996, the world's first privatized
air navigation system. NAV CANADA is the country's civil air
navigation services provider, supplying air traffic control, flight
information, weather briefings, aeronautical information services,
airport advisory services and electronic aids to navigation. John
Crichton has been honored many times for his work in Canada's
aviation industry.
Don Hamilton
Donald T. Hamilton (1924 - ) earned his pilot's license in 1946
and bought his first airplane one year later. He began crop
spraying and cloud seeding in the Moose Jaw area, before he moved
on to bush flying in northern Alberta. He then worked in
aerial surveying and northern flying for the Distant Early Warning
Line. In 1957, he established Hamilton Aviation Ltd.,
performing aircraft maintenance and flying cargo in northern
Alberta. Hamilton now owns Air Spray Ltd., whose aircraft are used
to fight fires in western and northern Canada.
Dick Ryan
Richard W. (Dick) Ryan (1896-1992) flew as a pilot with the
Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force in the First World
War. In 1928, Ryan helped establish the Moose Jaw Flying Club
and served as the chief flying instructor, before going on to
establish Prairie Airways Ltd. in 1934, which was later purchased
by Canadian Pacific Airlines; Ryan would go on to serve as a
vice-president of the airline. During the Second World War,
he trained navigators for the British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan (BCATP) at the No. 3 Air Observer School in Regina.
Bill Wheeler
William J. (Bill) Wheeler (1931 - ) is a founding member of the
Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) and served as editor of
its quarterly Journal magazine for 45 years. Under Wheeler's
editorship the Journal became a foremost magazine of Canadian
aviation history. A graduate of the University of Toronto and the
Ontario College of Art, and a former art teacher, Bill encouraged
Canadian artists by displaying their work on the cover of Journal.
In producing the magazine he shared thousands of photographs and
hundreds of previously unpublished stories with his readership.
Bill Wheeler's enthusiasm and support of the CAHS was instrumental
in building the Society to 12 chapters across Canada, and in 2001,
the CAHS received the Belt of Orion award from the CAHF.
Hollinger DC-3
The 2011 Belt of Orion recipient, Hollinger Ungava Transport
Ltd. (HUT), was established in 1948 as a private airline to supply
air transport services to the Iron Ore Company of Canada during
construction of the 573-kilometer Québec North Shore and
Labrador railway from the port of Sept-Îsles, Québec
to Schefferville, Québec. HUT operated in support of
exploration for iron ore by hauling fuel, and all food, supplies
and equipment to the 7,000 workers building the railroad. HUT made
its mark as a unique aviation operation in serving this purpose.
Using a fleet of 10 workhorse Douglas DC-3 aircraft and employing
80 pilots and over 100 mechanics, radio operators, technicians and
support staff, Hollinger Ungava Transport flew up to 70 flights a
day at its peak.