During
Canada's Centennial Year, the role played by certain aviators in the
advancement of Canadian aviation was brought sharply into focus.
A careful assessment of honours available to these airmen revealed
that, excluding the McKee Trophy, no other superior recognition existed.
To fill this void, and to honour those persons still living whose
airborne skills had resulted in outstanding benefits to manned flight,
the Order of Icarus was founded. In determining the requirements for
admission, the founding fathers ruled themselves from membership.
They delved into Greek mythology to name the Order and selected
Icarus, son of Daedalus, builder of the Labyrinth for King Minos of
Crete. Legend recounts how Daedalus, to escape from a sentence of death,
fashioned wings of feathers glued with wax for himself and his son. With
these, they flew to freedom. Icarus, so exhilarated by flight and
captivated by the spirit of adventure, flew too close to the sun, which
melted the wax and collapsed his wings, plunging him to his death in
what is now called the Icarian Sea. He thus became literature's first
airman casualty.
The sole rank within the Order was designed as Companion, excluding
those persons governing the conduct of the Order. The Senior Companions
were selected by the founding group for their unique contributions to
Canadian aviation and the time span and areas in which they were
involved.
The decoration consists of a gilt sunburst, also representing the
cardinal points of the compass, surrounding a white enameled figure of
Icarus, his folded mismatched wings reminding Companions of airborne
imperfections. The figure is encircled by a knight's belt, binding
Companions to a common cause and on which, lettered in gold, is the
Order's motto, "Despite Adversity". The insignia is suspended
by means of a golden lop ornamented with a maple leaf to denote the
Order's Canadian origin.
The broad white center stripe of the ribbon defines the purity of
flight across the golden sun, split by two fine blue lines signifying
the companionship of airmen in adversity. The broad blue band describes
the depth of yet unconquered space and the outer bars of black remind
Companions of their mortality and of those who have passed before.
