Canadian Aeronautical Institute

From The Space Library

The first informal meeting of the Canadian Aeronautical Institute (CAI) took place at RCAF Downsview on Jan 13 1954. It comprised of members from the Royal Aeronautical Society resident in Canada, The Ottawa Aeronautical Society, the Institute of Aircraft Technicians of Montreal, and the Toronto and Montreal Sections of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences.

The session was addressed by R.D. Richmond, chief development engineer at Canadair, and Dr John J. Green scientific adviser to the RCAF Chief of Staff.

In April 1954 the CAI set up its first offices at 304 Laurier Avenue in Ottawa. The first general meeting was held on May 25 1954 in Ottawa. The founding President was John J. Green. Group Captain C.W. Crossland was honorary secretary before being replaced by H.C. Luttman. By June 1955 branches had been set up in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg and membership at this time was approximately 1000 people. Its first publication was a 30 page mimeographed document called the CAI Log and was issued monthly starting in September 1954 until being replaced by the Canadian Aeronautical Journal in April 1955. The CAI Log was assembled by Group Captain H.R. Footit, H.C. Oatway and J. Lukasiewicz. The CAI would merge with the Canadian Astronautical Society in October 1961 to create the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute.

Sustaining Members of the Institute in its first year included:

• Aircraft Industries of Canada
• Alloy Metal Sales Ltd
• Aviation Electric Ltd
• Aviquipo of Canada Ltd
• Avro Aircraft Ltd
• Babb Company Ltd
• Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd
• B.W. Deane & Co.
• Canadair Ltd
• Canadian Aviation Electronics Ltd
• Canadian Car & Foundry Ltd
• Canadian Flight Equipment Ltd
• Canadian Pacific Air Lines Ltd
• Canadian Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Ltd
• Canadian Steel Improvement Ltd
• Cannon Electric Canada Ltd
• Chatco Steel Products Ltd
• Computing Devices of Canada Ltd
• Decca Radar Canada Ltd
• DeHavilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd
• D. Napier & Son Ltd
• Dowty Equipment of Canada Ltd
• Fairey Aviation Company of Canada Ltd
• Field Aviation Company Ltd
• Fleet Manufacturing Ltd
• Garrett Manufacturing Corporation of Canada Ltd
• General Controls Co Ltd
• Godfrey Engineering Ltd
• Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Ltd
• Imperial Oil Ltd
• Jarry Hydraulics Ltd
• Lucas-Rotax Ltd
• Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company Ltd
• Normalair Ltd
• Northwest Industries Ltd
• Orenda Engines Ltd
• Prenco Progress and Engineering Ltd
• PSC Applied Research Ltd
• Railway and Power Engineering Ltd
• Rolls-Royce of Canada Ltd
• Ross-Aero Ltd
• Rousseau Controls Ltd
• Shell Oil Company of Canada Ltd
• Simmonds Aerocessories of Canada Ltd
• Spartan Air Services Ltd
• Thompson Products Ltd
• Trans-Canada Air Lines
• Walter Kidde & Company Ltd
• York Gears Ltd