Flying Canucks II

A.A. den Otter is a professor of history at Memorial University of
Newfoundland and the author of The Philosophy of Railways.

Peter Pigott’s second book about famous Canadian aviators is as
enjoyable a read as its predecessor was.

In addition to modern aviators, Pigott focuses on administrators, civil
servants, politicians, and builders. Among those profiled are Claude
Taylor, president of Air Canada, who guided the airline through the
initial stages of deregulation; John Armistead Wilson, a civil servant
who was responsible for locating and constructing many of Canada’s
airports; Canada’s superminister, C.D. Howe, a founder of Trans-Canada
Airlines; Squadron Leader Leonard Birchill, who distinguished himself in
military action, particularly in Ceylon; Erroll Boyd, who in 1930 became
the first Canadian to pilot an aircraft across the Atlantic; and Robert
Randell, who pioneered Canadian Pacific Airlines’ transpolar routes.

Also featured are pilots “Bus” Davey, the author of An Airman’s
Prayer, and “Buck” McNair, a World War II flying ace; James C.
Floyd, chief engineer at Avro; Philip Clarke Garratt, an executive at De
Havilland Canada; and Herb Seagram, another founding member of
Trans-Canada Airlines.