Entrepreneurs, war heroes and a long-time aerospace executive will be inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in Montreal in May. “In 2019, Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame will honour five individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Canadian aviation,” said Rod Sheridan, chairman of the board for the Hall. “Honoured this year are two fighter pilots of the Second World War who post-war continued in aviation development for the rest of their lives. As well, we will honour three individuals whose accomplishments in civil aviation have made advancements in the industry from the design and development of aircraft to building airlines.”
David Charles Fairbanks DFC (two bars) was a Second World War ace with 15 victories in a Hawker Tempest and after the war he was a test pilot for de Havilland. John Peter Holding worked for Canadair and helped develop the Challenger business jet. He also served as chairman of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. Kelowna Flightcraft (now KF Aerospace) founder Barry Lapointe started as a freelance airplane mechanic in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley in the 1960s and grew it into one of the world’s largest MROs in the world. Greg McDougall co-founded Harbour Air in B.C. in 1982 and it’s now the largest seaplane operator in the world. Bill Paris was a Spitfire pilot in the Second World War and played a key role in the establishment of Transport Canada’s general aviation regulations as the manager of the Royal Canadian Flying Clubs Association. The induction ceremony will be held May 16 at Bombardier’s completion centre at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal.