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Roland Groome Don O’Hearne
Born in England in the 1890’s, Don O’Hearne enlisted
Roland Groome was a pilot in the RCAF in 1939,
instructor during the First World over the next 27 years
War. He is best known for he served around the
making the first airplane flight world, flying everything
from Saskatoon to Regina in from war-time patrols
1919. Other honours include along Canada’s west
receiving Canada’s first coast to peace-time
commercial pilot license in 1920 and having the first duty with Air Defense
registered aircraft in Canada. Europe. His distinguished military career was
marked by numerous honours, including the NATO
As chief flying instructor with the Regina Flying Club he
forces decoration and Queen’s commemorative
taught many people how to fly. Groome was killed in an metal. In 1982, he formed Vintage Aircraft Restorers
airplane crash in 1935.
which over the years restored several aircraft now
on display in the Western Development Museum,
Moose Jaw.
Stan McClelland
When Stan McClelland
joined the Royal Flying
Corps in 1917, he Dick Ryan
demonstrated Dick Ryan honed his
exceptional flying skill. skills with the Royal
He quickly became a Flying Corps in World
flight instructor in bi- War I. After the war, he
planes. When he returned to Moose Jaw
returned to Saskatoon,he formed the first commercial where he was active
aviation company in western Canada. He also flew the with the local flying
first ever flight at Saskatoon at 1919 and was the club.
second Canadian to be awarded a commercial pilot’s In 1935, Dick co-founded Prairie Airways, a
license. commercial air charter company. When it was sold
to Canadian Pacific Airlines in 1941 Dick moved with
it as manager of Saskatchewan Operations. He rose
to executive vice president of the airline before
Howdy MacPhail
retiring in 1961.
After graduating from the
University of Saskatchewan
in 1942, Howdy MacPhail
enlisted in the Royal Air
Force, he was shot down
on a mission over Germany
but escaped injury and
finished his tour with 30
flights. When he returned home to North Battleford,
he established McPhail Air Services in 1953. Over the
next thirty years, he grew the business into the biggest
spraying operation in western Canada.
