Page 5 - May 2020
P. 5
(Sources: Frank Ellis’s book Canada's Aviation
Heritage; also Saskatchewan History magazine,
published by the Saskatchewan Archives Board,
1959 edition, and George Fuller‘s Chronology of
By Will Canadian Aviation, carried in early issues of the
Chabun Canadian Aviation Historical Society Journal.
th
May 17 , 1911 was when the first heavier-than-air flight
in Saskatchewan took place. 1911, Aug. 5-10 -- the first flight of an airplane over
Flying a Curtiss biplane, an American aviator working Regina came when American barnstormer Bob St.
under the name of Bob St. Henry (“Schaeffer” or Henry flew a Curtiss Pusher biplane from the
“Shaffer” was the real name of this Nebraskan) arrived in racetrack at the Regina Exhibition Grounds. During
Saskatoon by train from Edmonton. He made his first his Regina flights, he even circled the dome of the
flight May 17 from a grass strip on what was then the new Legislative Building.
city's west side. He remained in the city until June 2, This was a very commercial matter: in addition to
tinkering and making flights. The same aircraft and
the fee ($500 per flight) that the intrepid aviator
airman flew from the racetrack in Regina’s exhibition park
collected from the fair board, fairgoers were
in August of that same year. (See History of Canadian charged 25 cents apiece for a look at the marvellous
Airports by Tom McGrath, page 209.)
flying machine being assembled inside a tent.
Flying could not be guaranteed, of course, because
of weather!
This, the first, conventional, powered aeroplane to fly in
Saskatchewan, arrived in Saskatoon (from Edmonton)
inside several packing cases in a boxcar -- 1,000 pounds In response to Plane & Pilot’s question, Will EAA
or so of gear. The Curtiss pusher biplane with a 40- AirVenture Oshkosh Have To Cancel Due To COVID-
horsepower Curtiss engine was assembled and took off 19?
from the province's first "landing field" -- the infield of Pelton wrote, “Right now, we are planning for a full
the racetrack at the Saskatoon Exhibition Grounds, on AirVenture event. There are many uncertainties as
May 19th, 1911. Pilot Bob St. Henry flew it again in this situation unfolds and nobody knows exactly
August, when the Dominion Fair was held at Regina. how things will stand in late May, much less four
months from now. We continue to be in contact
st,
On August 1 1911, at Davidson, between Regina and with health authorities on all levels to receive
Saskatoon, the Pepper brothers, Ace and George, wanted
accurate information and make the right decisions
to fly, too. After building models and gliders, they
as AirVenture planning moves forward.”
obtained an eight-horsepower engine and built their own
biplane. During the annual fair there in 1911, George Follow us for more news as it develops.
became airborne, flying about 80 feet at a height of 10 or
12 feet before wind caused the aeroplane to crash.
