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1 Volume 41 Number 4 November Canadian Aviation Historical Society Toronto Chapter Meeting December 16, 2006 Meeting starts at 1 PM -Under the Glider- Toronto Aerospace Museum, 65 Carl Hall Road, Toronto This meeting is jointly sponsored by CAHS Toronto Chapter and the Toronto Aerospace Museum- All CAHS / TAM members, guests and the public (museum admission payable) are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served ALanding Fee@ of $2.00 will be charged to cover meeting expenses Next Meeting January 13, 2006 Last Month s Meeting Chapter News Loss of Aviation Pioneer. 8 Sick Bay Front Page Challenge Powerpoint Anyone? Arrow Replica Christmas Gift Exchange. 9 This month s meeting: The annual Christmas Gift Exchange with a Special Guest Speaker 1 Flypast V. 41 No. 4

2 Last Month s Meeting The Toronto City Centre (Island) Airport Speaker: Gord Donald Reporter: Gord McNulty CAHS Toronto Chapter President Howard Malone introduced Gord Donald, Business Support Manager for Toronto City Centre Airport, the colourful former Toronto Island Airport now managed by the Toronto Port Authority. Gord started his aviation career in 1977 when he was accepted into the Aviation Flight Management program at Confederation College in Thunder Bay. In 1981 he bought a Lazair ultralight in kit form, and built it with the assistance of his roommate in 273 man-hours. Gord flew it from a small 2,300-foot grass strip at Kakabeka Falls, just west of Thunder Bay, for five years. He sold it in 1988 when he moved back to Toronto, but he s planning to purchase another ultralight soon. In 1985 Gord returned to Confederation College for a new program, Air Carrier/Airport Management. After graduating in 1987, he worked for Thunder Bay Airport for nine months before he became an Airport Duty Manager at Toronto Island Airport in March When the airport downsized in May 2002, he became the Business Support Manager, taking over the responsibilities of two people laid off (Security and Pass Control). He has been involved with tours of the airport for students. In 1999, Bill Turner, a dedicated member of the Toronto Chapter of the CAHS for many years, asked Gord to do a history presentation of the airport for the Fairfield Seniors Centre lecture program in Etobicoke. Since then he s spent hours researching the history of the airport in the Port Authority archives. Gord calls his research Aa work in progress@ and any input is welcome. He can be reached at x 15. Gord showed more than 100 slides, including archival photographs, during his PowerPoint presentation. Relying on various sources including numerous articles in the CAHS Journal, he began by tracing the origin of the Toronto harbour islands. They were created by the silt flowing from the natural erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs and the Don River, together with land reclamation efforts by the Toronto Harbour Commission, predecessor of the port authority. The first survey of the property was done in The island that eventually became the home of the airport didn t become an island until 1852, when a storm blew out of a section of property. In 1858, another storm blew out a navigable channel and authorities decided to leave a channel in place. In 1911, the Harbour Commission was created. An early photograph from that era showed the old baseball diamond, Maple Leaf Stadium, where legendary Babe Ruth hit his first home run. The area was called Hanlan s Point, after Ted Hanlan, who was a world champion rower and practised on the lagoon in the area. His father had a hotel on the island. In , Glenn Curtiss operated a military flying school on the island. He also had a flying school at Long Branch. It was the first certified flight school in Canada. During the First World War, the pilots would pay for their training, and then be reimbursed by the government, which took over the training through the Royal Flying Corps, Canada, in The pilots would train first on Curtiss flying boats, exemplified by the Model F, named the Maple Leaf, then train on Flypast V. 41 No. 4 2

3 the JN-4 Jenny. After the war, two famous strategically located harbour as a good base wartime aces --- Billy Bishop and Billy from which to fly businessmen from downtown Barker --- started a commercial airline. They Toronto to northern mining operations. CFoperated two Curtiss HS-2L flying boats as the AVL was also among the first aircraft to be Bishop-Barker Company, starting in used as a medevac from the harbour, which However, the open cockpit HS-2L could hold was a busy operation until the Island Airport only five people at most. They flew from the was built. In 1935, the authorities started to harbour to northern Ontario resorts exemplified build a tunnel to accelerate the proposed by the Muskokas. One of the aircraft had an airport, as an unemployment relief program, accident when it alighted in trees near Brooklin, but politics intervened. R.B.Bennett s but no one was badly hurt. The company went Conservatives lost to Mackenzie King s out of business after a couple of years. Liberals in the October 1935 federal election During the 1920s, however, aviation began to and the Liberals cancelled the project only flourish as a widely accepted mode of weeks after it started. Ironically, the idea of a transportation. Toronto had been awakened to fixed link between the mainland and the island the potential of commercial aviation by the airport has been around since 1913, but nothing arrival of large, graceful flying boats and the has come of it. accompanying attention by the press. The arrival Gord noted the decision to build an Island of the impressive Santa Maria at Toronto Airport originated in It was a time when Harbour for a brief stopover, en route to Detroit, airport construction was being promoted across on May 14, 1921 captured the public Canada under the federal Trans-Canada Airway imagination. The pilot, from Toronto, was test Development Program. In October 1928, the flying a route from Detroit to Cleveland. During city asked the harbour commission to evaluate the 1920s, the harbour commission was actively the possibility of building a seaplane and reclaiming much of the land for the waterfront. amphibious aircraft base on the Western In 1925, the baseball diamond was moved from Sandbar in the harbour. Planners originally Hanlon s Point to the mainland. In 1919, the began with 15 potential airport sites for commission built an air harbour at the foot of Toronto, then narrowed it down to eight. The Scott Street, just east of Yonge St. The photos sites included: 1. Leslie Street; 2. the Eastern shown by Gord included a 10-passenger Gap; 3. the Western Sandbar; 4. the Sikorsky S-38 of Canadian Colonial Airways, Mulholland property north of McDougall Ave. which started a flight service between and east of Dufferin St.; 5 and 6 Toronto downtown Toronto and downtown Buffalo in Flying Club properties bounded by Dufferin June, The service was popular during that St., Bathurst St., Wilson Ave. and Sheppard year s CNE but business dropped off when Ave.; 7. Malton. 8. a site east of Dawes Rd., summer ended and it was never resumed. north of St. Clair and east of Eglinton. After Gord noted that the only customs operation on reducing the list to three potential sites, the Canadian side of Lake Ontario was planners finally chose the Western Sandbar, established in Toronto, so anyone travelling by with an emergency airport site at Malton. water-borne aircraft had to clear customs at the Construction began in 1937 and Malton was air harbour. Austin Airways Waco cabin actually the first airport to be finished. The first biplane, CF-AVL, was delivered at the air aircraft landed at Malton on November 6, 1937 harbour in April, Austin saw the and the first aircraft landed at the Island 3 Flypast V. 41 No. 4

4 Airport on Feb. 4, A lot of dredging was Norwegians left, the RCAF used the facilities required to build the island airport, clear the as a lakeside camp. brush and fill in the lagoon area. It was a costly The Island Airport became a very popular job. Houses and cottages had to be moved from civilian airport after the war ended. The Wong the airport site. Some were stored before they brothers, who started Central Airways, were were relocated to Algonquin Island. The well-known flying instructors. Although the terminal building was started in 1938 and airport was very busy, it lost money. The finished in It s now a historic site, with a control tower was officially opened in plaque stating that it is one of the few surviving December Among the officials attending air terminal buildings dating from the formative the ceremony were Mayor Allan Lamport and years of scheduled air passenger travel. The Margaret Dunseith, who was the first female Harbour Commission had planned to name the controller in Canada. She worked until the midairport the Port George VI Airport in honour of 1970s. Southern Provincial Airlines, starting the visit of King George VI in May 1939, but no in 1956, became the first commercial air carrier one ever used that name and the airport was to operate from the Island. They flew the known simply as Toronto Island Airport. The Lockheed Lodestar on routes to St. Catharines, airport was touted as being geared to efficiency, Welland and Brantford. In February 1957, the with centralized passenger baggage and air government agreed to take over Malton Airport traffic control services in a building that was and in exchange would carry out improvements placed close to, and in full view of, the runway. to the Island Airport for the city. The main Its horizontal structure and central projecting runway and taxiways were constructed, hangars control tower, within an attractively landscaped 3 and 4 were built, and lighting was installed setting, were typical of air terminal buildings on the runways. before the advent of jet aircraft. Additional land had to be reclaimed on the When the Second World War erupted in western side. On July 1, 1962, the Harbour September 1939, the Island Airport was Commission took over sole responsibility for supposed to be the main airport. However, the airport. On Dec. 31, 1963, the cable ferry Malton Airport quickly grew in importance as went out of service and was replaced all of the war-related industries were built temporarily by a tug. It had been hoped to build around Malton, where there was more space. a bridge or tunnel to the mainland, but that After the Nazis invaded Norway in April 1940, didn t materialize. In 1965, the ferry Maple the Island Airport was offered to the Norwegian City was introduced. Access to the mainland Air Force. The Norwegians moved to Muskoka has always been a weakness for the Island in 1943 after outgrowing the Island facilities. Airport, and one of the main reasons that it has Gord showed photos of notable aircraft at the problems making money. Island during those years, including a Northrop In the early 1970s, the Island was proposed as D1 and a Curtiss Hawk 75A. The park at the a base for a government STOL service operated foot of Bathurst St. was called Little Norway in by Air Transat Canada, a newly formed honour of the barracks, which were built around subsidiary of Air Canada. Instead, the service They housed about 500 officers and men, was launched between Ottawa and Montreal, in seventeen buildings including a hospital, using Twin Otters, and the Island plan didn t headquarters, school, recreational hall, depot, materialize. However, in 1981 Otonabee guardhouse, barracks and messes. When the Airways --- based in Peterborough --- began Flypast V. 41 No. 4 4

5 service from the Island flying Saunders ST-27s. four-engined at that, could be in an urban A tripartite agreement was signed among the environment. In April of that year, Air Ontario city, the Harbour Commission and the federal started operations from the Island. In February government in 1983 to manage commercial 1991, City Express went out of business. Air services, but it had noise regulations and Ontario, at that point, wanted to pull out of the restricted the use of jet aircraft for other than Island to concentrate operations at Pearson. But medevac emergencies. The runways would not it was now in a profit position and some highbe extended, and commercial movements would profile passengers opposed the idea. So Air be restricted. All three parties had to agree to Ontario s parent, Air Canada, decided to keep any changes in the agreement. In 1984, City Air Ontario at the Island. However, in a Express --- successor to Otonabee Airways --- compromise, it discontinued service to began service with the Dash 7. Noise abatement Newark, a route that severely eroded traffic at regulations were modified in 1985 to allow City Pearson. In 1992, the Ontario Ministry of Express to fly the Dash 8 from the Island. In the Health moved the Bandage I helicopter to busiest year at the Island, 400,000 passengers Island from Buttonville. In October 2001, the were processed through the terminal building. operation was expanded to two helicopters. Service was provided to Montreal, Ottawa, and In 1994, the name of the airport was changed to Newark, NJ. Later, a company named Toronto City Centre Airport. Air Ontario had Skywalker flew two Twin Otters on a route to requested the change to assist in marketing the Buffalo but it went bankrupt in April airport, underlining that the airport was closely situated to downtown Toronto. In October 1995, an agreement permitted construction of a long-awaited fixed link to the mainland, and introduction of Stage 3 turboprops using Convairs. Stopways were built on the end of the runways to provide a safety margin for the Convairs in the winter. US Air Express introduced service with Beech 99s in December, 1998, to become the first American carrier to fly from the Island. The MLS was In the late 1980s, the government improved the decommissioned in May 1998 because of its Island Airport to the tune of $21 million. The high cost, and only one carrier --- Air Ontario work included a new control tower, an MLS --- had been using it. An ILS operation was landing system, expanded apron, a temporary installed in its place. It was a complex job terminal, new hangars (4A, 5 and 6), and a because of the large expanses of water and the combined services building for the fire hall and prominence of large buildings on the mainland, maintenance. The tower began operations in which had the effect of causing radio frequency 1988 and it was dedicated to Margaret Dunseith signals to bounce off the waves and the in The Island has also been a popular downtown towers. The US Air Express service venue for aircraft participating in the CNE air was discontinued in August show over the years. In 1990, a BAe-146 landed during the air show in 1990 to show the media, officials and local residents how quiet a jet, 5 Flypast V. 41 No. 4

6 of the residents who opposed the bridge and the airport had moved into the area fully aware that they were living next to an airport! Nonetheless, the Liberal government of the time cancelled the bridge at Miller s request and brought in legislation to prevent the TPA from building it. To get out of the agreement, however, the government had to pay $35 million to the TPA, to the bridge contractor, and to Porter Airlines, started by Robert Deluce, who was in the process of establishing a new commuter service to Ottawa using the very quiet 70-seat Bombardier Q400. In In 1999, the Toronto Harbour Commission February 2006, Air Ontario ceased operations became the Toronto Port Authority. Gord noted at the airport. They were evicted because Porter it was unfortunate that airport authorities used Airlines had control of the buildings they were the BAe-146 on their promotional material, as it using and Deluce wanted to start renovating. stirred up anti-airport activists who decried the Gord noted that Air Ontario may still come idea of jets at the airport. The logo has since back, likely as Air Georgian, but they probably been changed to the Dash 8. The bridge that the wouldn t use Dash 8s --- perhaps Beech 1900s TPA had hoped to build ran into problems with instead. the election of David Miller as Toronto mayor Porter Airlines started flights to Ottawa in Miller opposed the bridge, even though on Oct. 23, 2006, on a schedule of 10 times a the agreement was in place. Opponents included day. Gord noted that many passengers are a community group who maintained that the pleased with Porter s comfortable Q400s. They airport was preventing the type of waterfront find the aircraft exceptionally quiet, even when development they would prefer. They suggested sitting beside the engine. To support the new it would increase noise and pollution because of service, the TPA built new passenger transfer more vehicle and air traffic, and cause increased facilities and a new ferry that can hold 50 air safety risks. They had support from boaters, vehicles and 100 passengers. Porter offers a who were concerned that the bridge would result bus service from downtown Toronto to the in the Western Channel being narrowed between ferry. The airline has made runway the pylons from 400 feet to 164 feet. improvements by installing ILS and visual As Gord noted, there was intense debate about guidance upgrades. Porter hopes to start the validity of the objections --- especially the Montreal flights on Dec. 11, and is anticipating noise and pollution concerns. As for noise, service to Newark soon. It is putting a lot of state-of-the-art turboprops like the Bombardier emphasis on offering more convenience than Q400 are quieter than many piston and flights out of Pearson. turboprop aircraft flying today. On the pollution issue, Gord said there is more pollution created by jetliners sitting in lineups at Pearson --- a problem that would be alleviated if Toronto City Centre had more air traffic. He noted that many Flypast V. 41 No. 4 6

7 Porter Air Dash8 on take-off Gord expressed optimism about the future of City Centre Airport despite all of the political controversy. The terminal building that Porter is using now involved about $1 million in renovations, but it s a temporary facility. The TPA hopes to build a permanent terminal building, on the site of the old building, in about two years. Plans are to move the old terminal to Hanlon s Point, and possibly make it a museum or restaurant. Gord said that a city the size of Toronto needs the airport, especially as an alternative to Pearson, and for corporate aviation. Pickering, he noted, won t be on line until 2012 and when it is operational, Buttonville will be closed. City Centre tenants include Cameron Air, a float-based charter company that flies two Cessna Caravans and two 206s, two flying schools --- Island Air and Canadian Flyers --- and more. Howard Malone thanked our speaker for a timely, wellresearched overview of this valuable airport on Toronto s doorstep and presented him with a gift in appreciation on behalf of the Toronto Chapter. Gord Donald presenting history of the City Centre Airport 7 Flypast V. 41 No. 4

8 Chapter News Loss of Aviation Pioneer On November 21st. the Canadian aviation vice-president. (see photo)this new air charter company was soon flying people, racehorses and auto parts throughout North and South industry and CAHS lost Carl Millard (#2792) in America including the Caribbean and his 92nd year. Carl was a long time Toronto Bermuda. Over the years the fleet grew to 21 Chapter member and a prominent air charter aircraft including many Beech 18s, DC-3s and operator who was recognized by his peers as a several war surplus C-54s (DC-4s).Millard true Canadian aviation pioneer. engineers under Carls direction developed Carl was also a founding member and long many technical improvements for Piper serving director of the Canadian Owners and twin-engined aircraft and also redesigned and Pilots Association (COPA). Carls life began on modified the heating system for DC-3 aircraft the family farm near Ingersoll, Ontario. His life under Supplementary Type Certificates (STCs) would be changed forever when the ASir John that Carl sold to other operators. Carling@ a Stinson Detroiter thundered over the Carls most incredible experience was the farm on its London, Ontario to London, England stormy December 1972 night that he became record flight attempt. Unfortunately the aircraft the first person to deadstick a transport was lost over the North Atlantic and never seen category jet to a successful emergency landing. again. Carl was bitten by the Aflying bug@ and Carl was piloting his German built MBB Hansa started his own business to cover the horrendous twin-engined executive jet from St. Johns to cost of flying lessons in the depression. Toronto with the Premier of Newfoundland and Legendary WWI fighter pilot Captain Tom his party on board. Passing over Moncton at Williams was his instructor. Carls piloting 35,000 feet, Carl noticed the right fuel light skills steadily improved under the watchful eye flickering, then the engine flamed out. He was of Tom. Experience and a Commercial License unable to restart the engine and requested a were gained through Abarnstorming@ activities at clearance to land at Moncton and was given the county fairs and aerobatic displays using a Reid weather as A200 and a half, blowing snow@. As Rambler open cockpit biplane that Carl had he turned toward Moncton the left fuel light rebuilt. flickered and the left engine also flamed out. In 1940 Carl joined Trans-Canada Air Lines Now, Carl put the jet into a spiral descent at (TCA) as a pilot. Carl was the 46th pilot hired 2000 feet a minute and he entered cloud at by TCA and he had a 15 year career with the 30,000 feet and would not see the ground until airline, with 14 of the years as captain. breaking out at minimums (200feet!). Carl only Carl started on Lockheed 14s, progressed to had a few battery operated instruments and Lodestars, DC-3s and finally the North Star. Aneedle, ball and airspeed Abasic flight When Carl left TCA in 1954 he held Seniority instruments and a single raw data ILS with no #2 and had accumulated approximately 15,000 useable glide path. Amazingly, he broke out of hours. In 1946 Carl and his wife Della formed cloud at 200 feet with the runway dead ahead. Millard Auto Aero Marine Ltd. They were The passengers were not aware of their Canadian distributors for Steelcraft Boats, possible demise until a tractor arrived to tow Beech Aircraft, Fleet Aircraft and Bellanca them to a hangar. It was later determined that Aircraft. Later in 1956 Millard Air was formed the fuel truck that fueled the aircraft had water with Carl as president, wife Della as contaminated fuel that caused the engines to secretary-treasurer and son Wayne as quit. Carl thereafter kept a jar containing the Flypast V. 41 No. 4 8

9 contaminated fuel on his office desk for all who has expertise in preparing a Powerpoint visitors to see! Carl made his last flight at age presentation we would like to hear from you. 85, which was an instrument check ride that he Please contact Bob Winson at or easily passed. He lived to see his grandson solo rwinson@sympatico.ca both a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft on the same day on his 14th birthday, a world first! Carl, we will miss you! Arrow Replica Whatever your personal views on the Avro (compiled from files of Wings Magazine, the Arrow are (and there are many!) the roll-out of Globe and Mail and personal knowledge) the Arrow Replica at TAM in early October has certainly triggered enormous local and national Sick Bay As reported last month, former Chapter interest in Canadian aviation history. The museum enjoyed record attendance over the Secretary-Treasurer, Martin Keenan is currently three day Thanksgiving weekend. The Toronto recovering from a broken leg. We were all Chapter salutes the museum volunteers delighted to see Martin out at the November who laboured over an 8 year period to produce meeting. this marvelous full scale replica. Front Page Challenge Flypast is being re-formatted and one of the changes is to the front page. The next meeting date and other information about the program will now be on the front page. The names of the Chapter Directors and other membership information will also be updated in the rear pages. Powerpoint Anyone? If anyone in the chapter (or knows of someone) Christmas Gift Exchange For those who have not experienced the Toronto Chapter s traditional gift exchange, it works as follows. Each member wishing to participate brings a small, wrapped, unlabelled aviation related gift. The gift is placed on a table, and you get a ticket. At the end of the meeting your number is called and you can select on of the other small, wrapped, gifts from the table. 9 Flypast V. 41 No. 4

10 By Taxi: Take the TTC Subway to the Downsview Station and take a taxi from there. It will cost around $8 one way, but it is by far the most convenient option for tourists, because the cab will take you right to our front door, whereas the TTC - unfortunately - doesn't! By Car: From the 401 East or West, exit at Keele Street North. Turn right on Sheppard Ave, and follow Sheppard the entrance to Downsview Park. Turn right into the park (onto John Drury Road) until you reach Carl Hall Road. Turn left at Carl Hall and continue east over the railway tracks to the Museum, which is on your right hand side. By TTC: From the Downsview TTC station take the 108 Downsview, the 86 Sheppard West, Westbound or the 84 Sheppard West, Westbound bus and ask the driver to let you off at the Downsview Park entrance (it is well past the DRDC and Idomo buildings). Walk into the park entrance and follow John Drury Road until you reach Carl Hall Road. Turn left at Carl Hall Road and continue east over the railway tracks to the Museum, which is on your right hand side. Approximate walking distance is 0.7 km. CAHS National Website : Meetings and news from all the chapters, journal back issues, and more! Toronto Chapter Meetings - 2nd Saturday of the month 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Toronto Aerospace Museum, 65 Carl Hall Road TAM is in the former dehaviland building in Downsview Park Near Downsview TTC Station All Welcome Flypast V. 41 No. 4 10