Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada

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The Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada is a federally chartered and non-profit organization based in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, that is dedicated to preserving and promoting the achievements of the Canadian aerospace industry.

Etobicoke Place in Ontario, Canada

Etobicoke is an administrative district and former city that makes up the western part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s; the municipality grew into city status in the 20th century. Several independent villages and towns developed within the area of Etobicoke, only to be absorbed later into Etobicoke during the era of Metro Toronto. Etobicoke was dissolved in 1998, when it was amalgamated with other Metro Toronto municipalities into the City of Toronto. Etobicoke is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River, on the west by Etobicoke Creek, the city of Mississauga, and Toronto Pearson International Airport, and on the north by Steeles Avenue West.

Toronto Provincial capital city in Ontario, Canada

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the most populous city in Canada, with a population of 2,731,571 in 2016. Current to 2016, the Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA), of which the majority is within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), held a population of 5,928,040, making it Canada's most populous CMA. Toronto is the anchor of an urban agglomeration, known as the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario, located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A global city, Toronto is a centre of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Ontario Province of Canada

Ontario is one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada and is located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province accounting for 38.3 percent of the country's population, and is the second-largest province in total area. Ontario is fourth-largest in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included. It is home to the nation's capital city, Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city, Toronto, which is also Ontario's provincial capital.

Contents

The logo of the organization. Logo in White.JPG
The logo of the organization.

History

In March 1988 a group of ex-Avro Canada employees and other aviation enthusiasts held a 30th Anniversary Dinner and Reunion to celebrate the First Flight of the Avro Arrow. The then Science Specialist with Citytv Toronto David C. Onley, the current Honourable Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, proposed that a full-scale replica model of the Avro Arrow be constructed. This would provide Canadians with a physical legacy for future generations to see and appreciate and to understand the technological base that became Canada's Aerospace Industry today.

Avro Canada company

Avro Canada was a Canadian aircraft manufacturing company. It started in 1945 as an aircraft plant and within thirteen years became the third-largest company in Canada, one of the largest 100 companies in the world, and directly employing over 50,000. Avro Canada was best known for the highly advanced CF-105 Arrow, but through growth and acquisition, it rapidly became a major, integrated company that had diverse holdings.

As a result of this suggestion a committee was formed with Mr. David Onley as President along with James C. Floyd, former Vice President Engineering Avro Canada, Mario Pesando, Syd Britton, Nicholas Doran, Jim Mitchell, Eddy Metz, Bill Turner and Ray Gibson. Their discussions led to the formation in the summer of 1988 of the Canadian Aerospace Heritage Foundation.

James C. Floyd Canadian aerospace engineer

James Charles Floyd is a Canadian aerospace engineer, born in Manchester, England. Floyd was the Avro Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) chief design engineer. His ensuing involvement, ultimately as vice-president (engineering), in the design and development of the Avro Jetliner, CF-100 and CF-105 Arrow aircraft designs, over a period which is viewed by many as the "Golden Age" of the Canadian aviation industry.

In the spring of 1989 the name was changed to the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada and the first Annual Report was presented in December 1989.[ citation needed ]

Administration

The A.H.F.C. is made up of a Board of Directors (consisting of a President and various Directors), General Membership, and various other volunteers. The Board of Directors meets approximately 9 times per year along with an Annual General Membership Meeting.

The A.H.F.C. also has had various Patrons over the years. In March 1990, James (Jim) C. Floyd was named Patron of the A.H.F.C. He resigned at the end of May 1997 and was succeeded by Colonel (hon) William (Bill) Coyle, O StJ, O.Ont. Bill Coyle was employed by Avro Aircraft Ltd. Malton Ontario in the Experimental Flight Test Engineering Group and is Honorary Colonel Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering.

The Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE) is a Canadian Forces training establishment for Aerospace Engineering Officers, Aircraft Technicians and Image Technicians who serve with units of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Social contributions

A major focus of the A.H.F.C over the years has been the organizing of Dinners and Reunions to commemorate Avro and Orenda's achievements including such things as the founding of Orenda, the first flight of the Avro Jetliner, Avro CF-100 and the Avro Arrow.

Orenda Engines Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer and parts supplier

Orenda Engines was a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer and parts supplier. As part of the earlier Avro Canada conglomerate, which became Hawker Siddeley Canada, they produced a number of military jet engines from the 1950s through the 1970s, and were Canada's primary engine supplier and repair company.

Another area of contributions has been in awards and bursaries. March 1990 saw the establishment of the "James C. Floyd Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Aerospace" with Test Pilot Janusz Zurakowski as the first recipient. The issuing of the award was passed on to the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada in 2010 with it being awarded for the first time through them in October 2010.

The A.H.F.C. supports the 845 Avro Arrow Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets by sponsoring two annual awards, "The James C. Floyd Trophy" for Outstanding Engineering Excellence and the "Janusz Zurakowski Trophy" for Gliding Excellence. A bursary is also presented to the recipients for each of these awards .

The A.H.F.C. also conducts various educational efforts including displays at various venues and lectures to interested groups. They loan out selected artifacts from their collection to museums. Some of these items can be seen at places like the Ontario Science Centre and the Canadian Air and Space Museum.

Projects

In 1995 for the 50th Anniversary of the Avro Canada CF100 the A.H.F.C. raised monies for the refurbishment of a CF100 mounted on a pedestal at Derry Road next to the Orenda Plant in Malton Ontario.

CF-100 Prototype 18102 CF-100 Prototype 18102.jpg
CF-100 Prototype 18102

Over the years since its formation the A.H.F.C. has also conducted an underwater search in Lake Ontario in an attempt to recover one or more of the Avro Arrow Aerodynamic Test Models fired aboard a Nike (rocket) over the lake. Much interest in this project has been expressed with programs such as the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and the National Geographic Channel. The Sea Hunters have also produced a program on the A.H.F.C. involvement in the ongoing search for the models. In 2004 the Canadian Navy along with A.H.F.C. members, using two Navy vessels as a training exercise, conducted searches of areas previously identified in 2003. Search efforts have continued in a limited capacity in the years since through other organizations.

A memorial is currently in progress in tribute of the memory of Flight-Lieutenant Bruce Warren of Toronto and Avro Engineer Bob Ostrander of Brampton both of whom died in the crash of the second prototype Avro CF-100 #18102. It crashed on Thursday April 5, 1951, at 10:50am near Komoka Ontario.

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