Page 5 - Feb2020

While the first Arrow to fly broke the sound barrier
The Arrow supersonic interceptor was Canada’s response
to the Cold War threat of Russia attacking the North
American continent over the Canadian arctic.
In April 1953, the RCAF issued Specification AIR 7-3 for an
all-weather military aircraft capable of Mach 1.5 at 50.000
ft. – it was the most demanding specification in the world
and international aircraft manufacturers said it simply
couldn’t be done – Avro Canada accepted the challenge.
The specification required an aircraft that could operate in
100 degrees Fahrenheit above or below zero.
The Arrow could go from an idle on the runway to an in-
flight cruise speed of Mach 0.92 in just 90 seconds.
Operating from its own hangar, the Arrow could be
completely refueled and re-armed for takeoff in less than
six minutes.
The weapons bay on an Arrow was larger than the bomb
bay on a World War Two B-17 bomber.
The Arrow’s computerized flight control and weapons
systems made it the world’s first fly-by-wire aircraft.
The Arrow, flying at a subsonic cruise of Mach 0.92 had a
projected range of some 750 miles compared to the 350
miles of the Bomarc missiles that were to replace it.
Avro publicly unveiled its CF 105 Avro Arrow in a rollout
ceremony at Malton Plant on Oct 4, 1957 – the same day
Russia successfully launched its very first Sputnik satellite
into space greatly increasing Cold War tensions.
Canada’s first Arrow, RL 201 flew for the first time on
March 25, 1958.
Built at a time when aircraft typically could only break the
sound barrier speed of Mach 1.0 in a dive - the Arrow RL
201 broke the sound barrier in a steep climb on only it’s
third flight on April 3, 1958.
A large aircraft, the 100,000 hp required for the Arrow to
fly supersonic consumed a quarter ton or one hundred
gallons of fuel per minute.
on only its third flight – the second Arrow, on its
second flight – the third Arrow broke the sound
barrier on its maiden flight. These feats stand as
strong testament to the outstanding achievements
in design, engineering and manufacturing at Avro
Canada.
The first Mk 1 Arrows had a climb rate of 38,450
ft/minute – the estimated rate of climb for the
more powerful Iroquois powered Mk 2 aircraft was
44,500 ft/minute.
Designed to fly Mach 1.5, the Mk 1 test aircraft RL
202 was recorded at Mach 1.98 on Nov 11, 1958.
The World Encyclopedia of Aircraft lists the
Canadian Avro Arrow as a Mach 2.4 aircraft.
The Arrows were test flown in succession by four
test pilots: Jan (Zura) Zurakowski, RCAF F/Lt Jack
Woodman, W. (Spud) Potocki and Peter Cope.
Jan (Zura) Zurakowski, WW 11 fighter pilot, career
test pilot and the first to fly the Arrow never held a
regulation pilot’s license in his lifetime.
Of all the Arrow test pilots William (Spud) Potocki
was the only one to fly all five Arrow test aircraft.
Peter Cope, transferred from the CF100 Canuck
test program, was the only test pilot not to fly RL
201 – the very first Arrow built.
Spud Potocki recorded the fastest flight of an
Arrow in RL 202 when he reached Mach 1.98 on
Nov 11, 1958.
Avro Design Engineer Red Darrah was the only
passenger to ever fly in an Arrow – checking the
fly-by-wire systems in RL 203 for Spud Potocki on
Feb 19, 1959. The very next day the Arrow
program was cancelled.
Spud Potocki was the only pilot to fly RL 205 – it
was ordered destroyed by government having ever
only completed a forty-minute maiden flight on
Jan 11, 1959.
Although there were five test aircraft, no two
Arrows were ever in the air at one time as Avro
only had one telemetry flight test recording
system.