The Pioneer Days of Canadian Aviation:

The first flight in Canada and how flying machines impacted our country.
1907 - 1913

On the crisp autumn day of October 1, 1907, five sky-gazing inventors and engineers put
their minds together and formed the Aerial Experiment Association - a company that would
allow them to soar to new heights and pursue their passion for human flight. The quintet
consisted of Americans Alexander Graham Bell, T.E. Selfridge and G.H. Curtis and Canadians
J.A.D McCurdy and F.W. Casey Baldwin. Both Canadian men were graduate engineers from
the University of Toronto and worked mainly with Alexander Bell.

They started out with experimenting with complex kites (a practiced hobby of Bells) but
soon moved onto larger projects once they got the jist of aerodynamics.

1
The A.E.A built and flew a series of biplanes that can include

...the June Bug

...the Red Wing

2
 ...and the White Wing.

Although most of their planes won the organization many awards in America (ex. The
Scientific American Trophy), one of them made its way into Canadas aeronautical history.

On February 23, 1909, the Aerial Experiment Association wheeled a plane onto the
frozen Bras dOr Lake of Baddeck, Nova Scotia.

3
 Canadian aviation pioneer John Alexander Douglas McCurdy took a seat just in front of
the silver cloth-covered biplanes horizontally opposed engine and prepared for take-off. Within
moments, skaters chased him in hot pursuit as he slid across the ice with ease. The nose began
to lift and before he knew it, the Silver Dart was airborne.

The Silver Dart made the first controlled and sustained flight of a powered plane in
Canada. It flew at 65 km/h only 9 meters above the ground for a kilometer and a half before
making its descent back to Earth. This day was the catalyst of powered human flight in Canada.

4
 Canadian aviation really took off after that. Even though the A.E.A dissolved only a few
months after the Silver Darts flight in the March of 1909, McCurdy and Baldwin continued the
legacy of Canadas place in flying machine history by establishing Canadas first aircraft
production company. The Canadian Aerodrome Company was based in the two engineers
hometown of Baddeck and made many successful planes.

Planes quickly arrived in BC and other western provinces. In Minoru Park, March 25,
1910, a man named Mr Charles K. Hamilton took off in front of 3500 Vancouverites. Airplanes
had officially become a source of entertainment not only for the people building them.

5
 On June 25, 1910, spectators and aviators alike flocked to Montreal for Canadas first
and largest aviation meet. Although it was not financially profitable, it caught the interest of the
public. Everyone was amazed by this new technology.

Aviation meets became popular social events. People dressed up and everyone was
welcome to attend. The meet in Montreal had been such a success that not even a week later,
another one was scheduled in Toronto.

6
 Excited fans filled the stands and every available space at the Toronto air show. Necks
were craned in hopes they would catch a glimpse of the birdmen as they raced or
demonstrated the abilities of their flying machines across the city and field.

All the [streetcars] stopped, and motormen and conductors and passengers ran out into the
streets to see the birdman, reported the Star. One old man, who had nearly fallen in his hurry
to see the aeroplane, exclaimed: Little did I think that before I died I would see a man fly over
the city. I remember the time when I laughed at the idea that a carriage could go without
horses.'

Eager pilots and plane builders unloaded their planes with pride and showed off their
designs to other aviators and officials. They had come from all over the world to show off their
masterpieces and piloting abilities to the public, other engineers and possible investors.

7
 At the Toronto meet, representatives of the Royal Canadian Engineers became
interested is the the potential use of aeroplanes for wartime situations. The aviators were more
than happy to put together elaborate military demonstrations. These included mock battles and
bombing demonstrations where they would drop oranges and ginger ale bottles on targets.

Other than pleasing the officials and buyers, the aviators at the meet gave the spectators
awe-inspiring shows of a lifetime. With friendly rivalries between pilots over who could do the
best tricks and one man demonstrations of fancy maneuvers, it was hard not to be amazed.

8
 By 1913, people began to experiment with using flight for other purposes. As a publicity
stunt to increase the circulation of the Montreal Daily Mail, newspapers were carried from
Montreal to Ottawa. Commercial cargo flights in Canada had begun.
In 1909, the Silver Dart did make a passenger flight, but passenger transportation by
planes didnt gain popularity until after World War I in 1919 when the Canadian Pacific Railway
requested parliamentary approval to amend its charter to include air transportation of cargo and
people.
At the turn of the 19th century, Canada had just begun to tinker with the prospects of
flight. The pioneer stages of plane construction and testing were essential to the development of
the modern planes that we use now.

9
Summary: Impacts (advantages/disadvantages) of early planes on Canada

The introduction of planes during the early 20th century impacted the lives of Canadians.
Listed underneath are the ways Canadians benefitted from the pioneer days of aviation.

Positives Negatives

Aviation meets and shows entertained Planes attracted the attention of the
the public. military. This is both beneficial and
Inspired young men and women to negative. As we know, they would be
literally reach for the sky. It showed made into war machines for World
them that anything was possible with War I.
the advancing technologies. Early experimentation resulted in the
ex. At the Toronto Aviation deaths of many engineers. Most
Meet, a 17 year old was proclaimed planes at the time were very hard to
the boy aviator and had been control and often had no brakes.
designing and flying his own airplanes Flying was risky business.
since he was 13.
Airplane construction was a profitable
business if you could make them good
enough. Militaries and private
collectors also purchased the planes
from their makers. Profit could also be
gained from meets, awards (ex.
Scientific American Trophy) or as
recognition of achievement from
governments and companies.
Brought the transportation revolution
of the Laurier Era to a whole new
level. After the introduction of cars,
planes introduced another perspective
of transportation to the world.
Enabled other ways to transport basic
cargo and people (at the time, often
just one person - the one flying the
machine). Trains and by foot were
now not the only options.

10
Bibliography for Pictures

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/AEA_Silver_Dart.jpg
http://casmuseum.techno-science.ca/img/artifacts/casm/AEASilverDart.png
http://casmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/collection-research/artifact-aea-silver-dart.php
http://casmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/collection-research/artifact-aea-silver-dart.php
https://richmondarchives.ca/2015/12/17/whats-in-a-name-minoru-park/
http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft28361.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEA_Red_Wing
http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/History_of_the_Airplane/Decade_After/Wake_Up_
Call/Wake_Up_Call_3.htm
http://casmuseum.techno-science.ca/microsites/en/timeline/index.php?Lang=e&file=timeline_co
ntent_2
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aerial-Experiment-Association
http://torontoist.com/2016/10/historicist-skys-limit/
http://socks-studio.com/2014/02/04/structures-to-let-man-fly-bells-tetrahedral-kites/

11