Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame
Profile of Members
William John Sanderson
Birthdate: November 24, 1898
Birth Place: Lakewood, Ohio, USA
Year Inducted: 1983
Death Date: January 22, 1984
"As a pre-eminent aerobatics and test pilot and as a pioneer and leader in the Canadian light aircraft industry, he contributed substantially to the advancement of Canadian aviation."
William Sanderson joined the 9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops at the onset of WWI. He was sent overseas in 1915 and transferred to the RFC in 1917. As a pilot he flew de Havilland DH-9As and participated in high altitude bombing raids against the German Army. On his return to Canada in 1919, he joined the newly formed London Flying Club, in Ontario as an instructor and was later employed by Fleet Aircraft of Canada Limited. During the 1930's he helped make it one of Canada's most successful aviation companies. He was a tremendous aerobatic pilot and his demonstrations of Fleet aircraft led to some very impressive sales. During the late 1930's, under his direction, Fleet built more aircraft than any other Canadian firm, with a large part of this production for export.
Birthdate: February 6, 1893
Birth Place: Victoria, British Columbia
Year Inducted: 1997
Death Date: July 1, 1974
Awards: DSC, AFC"His early presence in Canadian aviation and his ability to adapt the airplane to commercial tasks in the north set the scene for the years of bush flying that followed. In his later years, as the government's regulations administrator he rounded out 42 years of extraordinary service to Canada."
Kenneth Saunders began his flying in 1915 at the Wright Company of Dayton, Ohio in preparation for entry into the RNAS and RAF during WW I. He became the Chief Pilot of the newly formed Fairchild Aerial Surveys (of Canada) Ltd. at Grand'Mere, Quebec in 1923, specializing in aerial photography. This led to early bush flying along the St. Lawrence north shore for Canadian (Quebec) Airways until 1936. He then joined the Department of Transport, first in Vancouver, British Columbia and later in Edmonton, Alberta where he became Regional Superintendent - Air Regulations, covering Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. He was known as a strict disciplinarian with a fair mixture of fatherly advice and humour.
Birthdate: December 17, 1922
Birth Place: Bashaw, Alberta
Year Inducted: 1997
Awards: DFC, OMM, CD**"Over many years in cooperation with the military and civilian agencies associated with aviation his vision, dedication and pursuit of excellence resulted in significant advancement in air operations generally and flight safety accident prevention programs in particular."
Rayne Schultz served in the RCAF and CF for more than 36 years, the last ten of that were as the Director of Flight Safety. In this later capacity he was involved in the development of several accident prevention programs that brought credit to Canada, including work on the Flight Data Recorder Crash Position Indicators and reduction of bird hazards to aircraft. He was named to the USAF Flight Safety Hall of Fame in 1977. In 1978, he was awarded the Trans Canada McKee Trophy for managing one of the most successful and highly regarded flight safety programs in the western world.
Eugene Howard Schweitzer
Birthdate: June 20, 1915
Birth Place: Kincardine, Ontario
Year Inducted: 1996
Death Date: February 25, 2007
"Through the transition from piston to turbine power and from bush flying to airlines, business and commuter aviation, he applied his knowledge of aircraft engines, corporate management and public relations to the benefit of air transportation across Canada and around the world."
Eugene Schweitzer has contributed over forty years of dedication to the development, advancement and support of Aircraft power plants to customers around the world. At Pratt & Whitney Canada, he pioneered customer support to aircraft manufacturers and operators, both commercial and military, as equipment and uses developed. Through the transition from piston to turbine power and from bush flying to airlines, business and commuter aviation, he applied his knowledge of aircraft engines, corporate management and public relations at Pratt & Whitney Canada to the benefit of air transportation across Canada. He retired as Vice President in 1982.
Herbert Walter Seagrim
Nickname: "Herb" Seagrim
Birthdate: August 25, 1912
Birth Place: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: November 13, 1998
Awards: CM
"It was his application of aviation expertise, despite adversity, that was in great measure responsible for making Air Canada's safety record the envy of world airlines."
Herbert Seagrim learned to fly at Winnipeg Flying Club in 1931 and was employed as a part time mechanic. In 1933, he hired on as a pilot with Wings Limited at their Manitoba air base and until 1937 flew bush aircraft throughout northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. He joined Trans-Canada Air Lines with L. Rood in 1937 and, while operating regularly scheduled flights with TCA, became test pilot with Boeing Commercial Airplane Company at Vancouver in 1942. Seagrim is responsible for writing many basic flight and instructional procedures, many of which have remained in the manuals. He is also credited with pioneering the Rocky Mountain route used by commercial airlines.
Murton Adams Seymour
Birthdate: July 6, 1892
Birth Place: St. Catharines, Ontario
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: December 27, 1976
Awards: OBE
"His efforts in having the nation's private flying clubs designated as military pilot training schools during World War Two has been of substantial benefit to Canadian aviation."
Murton Seymour was a law student before learning to fly at a Vancouver race track in 1916. The Royal Flying Corps later commissioned him in the Special Reserve to attend the School of Aeronautics at Oxford University, England where he graduated as a pilot. During WWI Seymour flew RE-8 fighter aircraft from an advanced base in Belgium and was later placed in charge of designing two important pilot training facilities. The first was Camp Borden in Ontario, and the second was located in Fort Worth, Texas. Before he left the service, Seymour served as a lawyer for the RCAF but his legacy to aviation is his dedication to flying clubs. In 1928, he incorporated the St. Catharines Flying Club and later he became a founding member and director of the Canadian Flying Clubs Association.
John Gavin Showler
Nickname: "Jack" Showler
Birthdate: June 15, 1912
Birth Place: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: August 28, 1989
Awards: AFC, CD
"His role in aerially mapping this nation's Arctic frontier has been of outstanding benefit to Canadian aviation."
John Showler commenced flying instruction in 1936 in Saskatchewan, with the Regina Flying Club and enlisted in the RCAF in 1940. He instructed others at Summerside, PEI until 1942 when he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and was posted to No. 164 Heavy Transport Squadron. In 1945, he was named commander of the air element of Operation Muskox in the Canadian Arctic, and served as commanding officer of the RCAF station at Fort St. John, B.C. In 1952, he planned and completed the first accurate mapping of the Canadian Arctic. The SHORAN program used in this mission allowed all equipment to be pre-positioned by sea or aircraft. More than 100,000 pounds of technical gear were flown in to Thule, Greenland and Resolute Bay.
Thomas William Siers
Nickname: "Tommy" Siers
Birthdate: May 13, 1896
Birth Place: Yorkshire, England
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: May 20, 1979
"His consummate skills with aircraft, painstakingly developed during almost four decades in the cruellest of geographic arenas and applied with invention and determination, have been of outstanding benefit to Canadian aviation."
Thomas Siers made tremendous contributions to the aviation field while working for Western Canada Airways, most notably with the MacAlpine Expedition where he salvaged the plane that had broken through the ice and had it flying within ten days. While with WCA, he designed or improved upon existing skis, ski-pedestals, carburetor hot spots and cabin heaters. His most valuable contribution was perfecting the Worth Oil Dilution System for aircraft engines because it allowed the pilot to thin the aircraft's engine oil supply with gasoline, to ease cold weather starting.
Arthur George Sims
Nickname: "Tim" Sims
Birthdate: January 22, 1907
Birth Place: London, England
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: January 26, 1982
"The application of his exceptional skills as an aero-engine expert and his laudatory service as a war time Ferry Command pilot, despite adversity, have been of outstanding benefit to Canadian aviation."
Arthur Sims came to Canada in 1927 and spent the next four years in the employment of Canadian Wright Ltd. and British Aeroplane Engines Ltd. at Montreal. He assembled, overhauled and tested engines and later became a technical representative. His extensive knowledge of low temperature engine operations placed him as a mechanic, along with W.R. May, on the 1600 inaugural airmail flight from Fort McMurray, AB, to Aklavik on the Arctic Ocean in 1929. During WWII, he flew military aircraft across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In addition, he also flew a 40,000 mile demonstration flight throughout North and South America as captain of a Bristol Freighter aircraft. After the war he was employed as a sales representative for Canadair Ltd. where he test flew the North Star, Sabre and T-33 aircraft. He became director of world-wide military aircraft sales until his retirement from the company in 1964 when he devoted himself full-time to his historical aviation library and aviation writings.
John Charles Sloan
Nickname: "Jaycee" Sloan
Birthdate: April 11, 1924
Birth Place: Rockburn, Quebec
Year Inducted: 1974
Death Date: December 26, 1983
Awards: CD
"His record can be matched only by those airman of high endeavour and professional calling, who have devoted their lives and skills to the benefit of the free world, despite adversity, and whose contributions have substantially benefited Canadian aviation."
John Sloan was part of Canada's first naval fighter squadron during WWII. In 1951, the United States Navy requested his services as a test pilot and liaison officer. For three years he experimented with the most sophisticated and fastest jet fighters known. In his career he completed more than 300 carrier deck landings, 80 of which occurred at night. He was later posted in command of the VX-10 Squadron until 1959 when he went to sea as executive officer of a frigate in North Atlantic waters. In 1964, he was appointed Special Weapons Co-ordinator at National Defense Headquarters, Ottawa due to his initiative in tackling the formulation of the new defense weapons and their deployment.
Elvie Lawrence Smith
Birthdate: January 8, 1926
Birth Place: Eatonia, Saskatchewan
Year Inducted: 1993
Death Date: August 4, 1999
Awards: CM
"His vision, dedication and leadership in the design, development, and manufacture of gas turbine engines, from both the technical and managerial aspects, has been of lasting benefit to Canadian aviation."
After graduating from Purdue University, Elvie Smith joined the National Research Council as Research Engineer in its Engine Laboratory. In this position he focused on anti-icing for gas turbine engines and then on experiments related to the thrust boosting of gas turbine engines by afterburning. He was the principle engineer in the development of a unique system where after burner fuel was sprayed directly into the turbine blades and engine, giving the aircraft an extra boost of power. Elvie joined Pratt & Whitney in 1957 as an Analytical Engineer where he developed an engine for the light CL-41 Jet Trainer and researched, developed, designed and post certified all engineering activities.
Birthdate: April 22, 1913
Birth Place: Calgary, Alberta
Year Inducted: 1998
Death Date: March 26, 1996
Awards: DFC, AFC"His pioneering efforts with IFR flying with the RCAF, his service to Air Canada and to the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association combined with his abilities to preserve aviation history in written form have all been of outstanding benefit to Canadian aviation."
Franklin Smith was an early pioneer and instructor of IFR with the RCAF and served domestically with No. 165 Squadron and in Burma with No. 436 Squadron. He later joined Trans Canada Airlines/Air Canada and remained there until retirement. He played an active and important role in the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association as an officer and as editor of their monthly magazine. His book, "The First Thirty Years – A History of the CALPA", was published in 1970.
Ernest Walter Stedman
Birthdate: July 23, 1888
Birth Place: Malling, Kent, England
Year Inducted: 1982
Death Date: March 27, 1957
Awards: CB, OBE
"His work as a pioneer in the fields of aeronautical engineering and research contributed significantly to the laying of a sound foundation for Canadian aviation and has been of outstanding benefit to the Nation."
Ernest Stedman was an excellent engineer and during WWI he received a number of appointments. They included: Resident Inspector of Contractor Works in 1914; from 1915 to 1916 he designed aircraft at the Admiralty and Technical observer; and in late 1916 he became Squadron Technical Officer. In 1922 he established the Aircraft Inspection Department at Camp Borden, Ontario, which saw to the airworthiness of all aircraft in Canada. In 1939, the British Commonwealth Conference used his estimate as to how much it would cost to build and maintain a system of training bases. As Director of Technical Services of the RCAF, Stedman was at the centre of every major technical development which the RCAF established, including the development of Canada's first jet-engine.
Alexander MacKay Sutherland
Nickname: "Mickey" Sutherland
Birthdate: December 30, 1910
Birth Place: Edmonton, Alberta
Death Date: February 28, 1993
Year Inducted: 1991
"His adventurous spirit, innovative mind and ability to function under the most severe conditions while opening the Canadian north were of benefit to Canadian aviation."
Alexander Sutherland joined the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Aero Club and after receiving flying instruction, he obtained his private pilot's license in 1929 and his Air Engineer License in 1931. Employed by Spence McDonough Air Transport in 1931, he operated from the base at Fort McMurray, Alberta into the Northwest Territories, Northern Manitoba and Ontario and participated in flights as far north as Coppermine on the Arctic Coast. In 1934 he joined Canadian Airways Ltd. at Winnipeg, Manitoba where he acted as mechanic for pilot Lewis Leigh. They operated in the northern bush and freighted numerous loads and prospectors into the Barren Lands. In 1937 Sutherland joined Trans-Canada Air Lines where he set up maintenance and shop stations for aircraft spares and equipment and assisted in the design of hangars.© Copyright in the portrait drawings of the honoured members of the Aviation Hall of Fame, which were prepared by Mrs. I. Coucill are the property of Mrs. Coucill.