In honour of National Aviation Day and the 111th anniversary of powered flight in Canada, Calgarians headed to the Hangar Flight Museum to celebrate on Sunday.
Museum officials explained that the day reflects the evolution of flight technology in Canada.
“It’s really important to remember where we’ve come from. It’s important to remember what a difference flight has made to our lives and to globalization,” said marketing manager Lauren Maillet.
“It all started with the Silver Dart, which we have a replica of here, and it really gives you a good sense of seeing the progress of what’s happened with flight.”
That plane was pulled behind a horse-drawn sleigh in Nova Scotia on Feb. 23, 1909, according to the museum.
“Men on skates at the wingtips kept the aircraft properly lined up as it made its initial run on the frozen lake,” museum officials said.
The 23-year-old pilot, John A.D. McCurdy, hit about 12 metres in the air and travelled 800 metres at close to 70 kilometres per hour before landing, officials said.
“The first powered flight in the British Empire, by a British subject, had been made — and in Canada,” the museum said.
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