By Joanne Oostveen - The Weekly News
This year will mark the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in Canada by pilot J.A.D. McCurdy and the team of inventors led by Alexander Graham Bell.
The historic flight took place in a plane called the Silver Dart in Baddeck, but there are plans for celebrating this centennial right here in metro.
"The Shearwater Aviation Museum reflects the role that Maritime Military Aviation has played since the early days of aviation and the life of Shearwater," said aviation museum curator Christine Hines. "So it is natural that we here in Shearwater would want to celebrate the flight of the Silver Dart. It is a great Nova Scotia story."
On Feb. 27, the museum has invited the public to share coffee and cake with the Wing Commander, beginning at 11 a.m. Hines said there will be tours of the museum that day, and even though they don't have a replica of the Silver Dart there are many other displays that commemorate aviation history.
There are 11 aircraft in the museum collection, naval exhibits from the HMCS Bonventure, interactive exhibits, uniforms, an art gallery, records and archival material, and the Victoria Cross gallery.
"If it weren't for that flight in 1909 in Baddeck, and without the work and technology that came from that historical event, then everything would have been delayed for aviation in Canada," said Hines. "It will be exciting to rally around and celebrate our heritage together."
joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca
For more information, call 720-1767.
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