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CALL NUMBER: T3213:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Cyril Charter discusses: his background -- born in 1916 in China to medical missionary parents; moved to Canada, 1919; to Oyen, Alberta in 1921; describes the first aircraft he ever saw; anecdote about Captain Paddy Burke; joined an aviation club at his high school in Vancouver through urging of Robert Pike; Robert Pike's 'Vancouver AeroTeck' school; Cyril's attendance at the aviation ground school; did some janitorial work at the aviation school to pay his way; getting his flying hours so he could obtain a private pilot's license; helping build an airplane for Turner and Madill; took; night school courses and tried to make his way in the flying world, mid-'30s was a difficult to time to want to be a pilot; 1937 -- taken on as staff of Coate's Limited; going to work in the Yukon for Northern Airways in 1938 at age 22 as an air engineer -- worked there for 3 years, learned a lot, first real job in the 'bush'; working at Boeing, then joining the army; went up to Fort Smith in 1945 as a base engineer for Canadian Pacific Airlines; working in Yellowknife; in 1946-47 he was offered position of chief mechanic in the B.C. district with headquarters in Vancouver.
TRACK 2: Cyril Charter discusses: working as chief mechanic in Vancouver; plant at New Westminster (worked there before he was in Vancouver); closing of the plant at New Westminster, 1944; New Westminster plant was working on an operation known as Western Air Command; in any frontier boom, transportation always plays a vital role; more about his days with Yukon Airways; anecdote about Harry Oakes, the millionaire.;

CALL NUMBER: T3213:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Cyril Charter discusses: story about the mail carrier, the Steerman (cont'd); uses of the Steerman; story of a parachute deal and the dropper, Jack Rolle; long anecdote about adventure with Les Cook -- almost losing a plane, difficulties putting on a new prop, getting out of a deep canyon, fixing the engine. Going back up north before the Vancouver job opened up in 1947: good career decision to go up to Fort Simpson; getting to know Grant McConnachie; flood in the Fraser Valley in 1948 -- exciting period for Canadian Pacific. TRACK 2: Cyril Charter: CPA in the early '50s; almost taking jobs in Sidney and Honolulu, but fate intervened; the death of the Comet series; supervising an overhaul of CB [CP?], re-activating his pilot's license; supervising the Dew Line contract -- Fort Nelson and Norman Wells; stories about the Dew Line time in his life; over to England to buy Britannia aircraft [Bristol Britannia turboprop]; back to Canada in 1958 and went right on crew of the Britannia maintenance; then overhaul supervisor until retirement. With CP Air for almost 32 years, plus another 11 years with other aircraft services. Stories about events and happenings during his years in the aircraft business. Mentions his first ride in an airplane. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3217:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Don MacLaren discusses: background- born in Ottawa, moved to Calgary in 1898, went to McGill University in 1912, joined Royal Flying Corps in Toronto in 1917, with air force until 1920; locating seaplane station at Jericho Beach; fisheries patrol, forestry work done by seaplane station; 1924, he decided to go into business himself -- bought a seaplane, took over Jericho Beach station, bought a flying boat; at this time, the air board became the Royal Canadian Airforce; got fisheries contract from military; partner at the time of Ernest Rogers; cost of buying good new planes- Fokkers, Fairchilds, Junkers; decided to sell company to Western Canadian Airways, but he stayed on; opened base in False Creek area and business started- taxi service to anywhere in province, 2 trips a day to Seattle; passenger load of planes at the time; jobs done- carrying miners up north, ridding the hemlock of an inch worm, dealing with a spruce budworm up north, ambulance cases, photography for timber cruisers, fishery patrol, mail contract. TRACK 2: Don MacLaren discusses: getting the mail contract (cont'd); navigation in the 1920s and '30s; differences between types of planes; training he received at Long Branch; bush pilot business; the Aero Club of B.C.; anecdote about a military parade; Burns Lake operation. CALL NUMBER: T3217:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Don MacLaren discusses: the emergence of Canadian Airways; training pilots in Winnipeg; communication on airplanes in mid 1920s- no reliable radio; more about the Aero Club; Sea Island story; difficulty in convincing people that airplanes were a good form of transportation; H.R. MacMillan; near accident anecdote. TRACK 2: Don MacLaren discusses: difficulties with injured people in the bush; round-the-world flights; lack of training caused the downfall of some operations; problem of landing on glassy water; difference between bush flights and commercial flights; experiences in the Queen Charlottes; pilchard patrol story; relationship between CNR and the airline; Grant McConnachie; story about Paddy Burke. CALL NUMBER: T3217:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Don MacLaren discusses: more on the Paddy Burke crash story; no search-and-rescue formal operation until the war; McAlpin expedition; gliding; more on the Aero Club of B.C. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3215:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Earl MacLeod discusses: anecdote about flying with Alan in the summer of 1923; first job at Jericho Beach was riding a three track tractor for the air board; describes first plane he ever saw; training to be a Royal Naval Air Service officer in Halifax; sent to central France; instruction in the air given through a one-way telephone from the instructor in the front cockpit to the student in the rear cockpit; more on his WW I service; story about narcotic trafficking; anecdote about bootleg retailers. TRACK 2: Earl MacLeod discusses: surveying in southern British Columbia mountain ranges; making a mosaic of the Vancouver Harbour for geodetic surveying; researching a timber disease for the Department of Agriculture in 1922 -- story about lead researcher Dave Davidson; trip to Harrison Hot Springs; recounts names of some of his more prominent passengers; use of his aircraft for Department of Fisheries; landing in the Queen Charlottes -- response to plane, story of taking Chief Edenshaw up in the air. CALL NUMBER: T3215:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Earl MacLeod discusses: story of Major MacLaren; expansion of air mapping in the 1920s and 1930s; describes the rules established in 1914 by the Military Division No. II Victoria, which accepted responsibility for aviation in British Columbia; first airmail between Canada and the U.S. was in 1919; assisting Colonel E.L. Broom in organizing a Vickers Vulture around the World flight, flown by A.S.C. MacLaren and W.N. Plenderleith -- story behind this adventure; using pigeons in the early days of flying -- one pigeon on each plane in case of problems; records MacLeod set while flying; the Canadian Air Board -- carried out civilian duties under its auspices. TRACK 2: Earl MacLeod: reads a message carried by pigeon from Cultus Lake to air station in Vancouver; anecdote about a neighbour using a telescope to watch him land his plane; situation in Kamloops in 1921; convincing the government of the necessity of the Canadian Air Board; he helped select the base at Jericho Beach; Joe Hobbs. (End of interview)

The collection consists of oral history interviews pertaining to the aviation history of B.C.

CALL NUMBER: T3219:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Gordon Ballentine discusses: background -- born in Vancouver, first interest in airplanes; got involved with an airplane club and met Don MacLaren; first job for MacLaren was as a crew man in; 1928; learning to fly; rebuilding an old H boat; met Harold Davenport; fisheries patrol; losing planes and pilots in the early days; story of the Queen Charlotte Islands crash that he was in when he was a crew man- quite an adventure; aircraft technology at the time (early 1930s); Queen Charlotte Islands -- seeing an Albino crow. TRACK 2: Gordon Ballentine: anecdote about Moresby Island incident; fisheries patrol- worked there in the summer, even when he was a Canadian Airways pilot in 1938 and 1939; enjoyed the fisheries work; Indians in the Queen Charlottes and northern Vancouver Island; first pilots were all with the Royal Canadian Air Force; Aero Club stories; flying in the Cariboo; the Zeballos gold rush; ski flying planes vs. flying float planes; describes some characters of early aviation in B.C.; competition between Yukon Southern and Canadian Airways; coastal flying was more prevalent at the time; flew Junkers through Winnipeg in WW II; operations in the interior were very small; weather conditions when flying are very important; early radio communication. CALL NUMBER: T3219:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Gordon Ballentine discusses: patrolling the fishing industry; little drinking on planes; mechanic not always on flight; air engineer exams- he passed, but never really did mechanical work; merging of different airlines; longevity of engines; planes he flew with Canadian Pacific; de-icing process- some bad experiences with ice. TRACK 2: Gordon Ballentine: continuation of a story about flying across the Rockies; search and rescue operations; did not expect to make money out of flying -- he just loved it; only damaged a plane once, in 1938; Canadian Airways ran a very good operation; description of his first flight, and his first solo flight; glider school- how it started, his involvement in it; Aircraft Charter Services; competition between airlines; story about flying a commercial plane after he retired; as a young pilot, he was very cautious; landing a plane in very poor visibility. CALL NUMBER: T3219:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Gordon Ballentine discusses: story about former attorney-general Wismer; carrying a hidden gun; during war, you had to guard all the airplanes; guns were eventually not carried by pilots; differences in training now and in the early days of aviation- learning through soaking up the knowledge of others; different medical standards today; airplanes were much more individual in the old days; Canadian Airways sent him down to Seattle to take a course- learned a lot; Canadian Airways- a very good operation; the Flying Seven -- women pilots; bombing practices using flour; barnstorming; merging of different airlines. TRACK 2: Gordon Ballentine discusses: the Prince George run- he had sole discretion over how he got there; differences in aircraft; radio equipment description; oxygen on planes; uniform he wore as a pilot with Canadian Airways; lay-over period between flights; Lloyds, the insurer of airlines used to have a lot of say in airline operation; weight of load was not a precise science; getting lost on the way to Zeballos; searches; pilots were the 'individuals' of their generation; opinion of the union; solo bottles. CALL NUMBER: T3219:0004 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Gordon Ballentine discusses: the one time he flew after having a couple of drinks; Zeballos gold rush story- very bad weather, shipping gold out; survival equipment; pilots needed to be sensible in the old days; overloading of smaller aircrafts is a big problem. (End of interview) [TRACK 2: blank.]

CALL NUMBER: T3218:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: Hal Wilson discusses: growing up in England; how he got interested in aviation; joining the Royal Air Service; being demobilized after the war; coming to Canada; refreshing his pilot's license so he could work with Eve brothers; starting in Victoria on the Lansdowne field; starting to instruct in 1928; differences in opinion between himself and Eve; description of a plane accident at Port Townsend; coming to work in Vancouver in 1929 with the Aero Club of B.C.- became an instructor for them; training procedures for pilots at this time; Pacific National Exhibition and Aero Club story; process of teaching people to fly -- he was interested in quality of pilots, not quantity; search-and-rescue operations; women in air school; trouble with planes when he was instructing; flying backwards; the Dobbins brothers and Dominion Airways; Harold Walker's crash; crashes always affected the airplane business badly; with Aero Club for 10 years; in 1939, he was sent to Dauphin, Manitoba for war effort;.; CALL NUMBER: T3218:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hal Wilson discusses: end of war; training program in Dauphin -- what recruits were taught; his first solo flight; why a fire wall was put on the cowlings; partridge shooting anecdote; did not fly up the coast too much; B.C. Airlines; the air show -- aerobatics, tricks; Ginger Coote. TRACK 2: Hal Wilson discusses: Ginger Coote (cont'd); difficulty in convincing people that air transportation was a good idea; some pilots used to fly and drink; flight regulations in 1928-29, no real regulations until 1932; suspended license procedure; advent of radio in airplanes; how the Vancouver-Victoria-Seattle service came into being; story about flying the Bishop of Hong Kong; did not always fly with a mechanic; no competition between TCA and Canadian Pacific Air; he always enjoyed flying. (End of interview);

CALL NUMBER: T3182:0001 PERIOD COVERED: 1915-1925 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Harold Davenport discusses: immigration to Canada, 1915; south Vancouver, 1915-19; childhood and youth in south Vancouver; began work for Jericho Beach Air Station in 1923; worked as a flight; engineer/mechanic; history of the Jericho Beach Air Station; Davenport's first flight and forced landing. Description of the Air Station, ca. 1923. Personnel. Description of early aircraft, especially HS2L flying boat. Physical layout of the station. Military competitions. Early flights on the coast of British Columbia. TRACK 2: Harold Davenport: Jericho Beach Air Station personnel, ca. 1923; equipment at the air station; the station's pigeon loft; more description of the Curtis Wright HS2L flying boat. The first flight from Vancouver to Prince Rupert, July 1923. Description of the trip. Great interest shown in aircraft. Fisheries patrols in the 1920s. Discussion of fishermen's offences and the use of aircraft to patrol the Upper Coast area. Being forced down on the first flight to the Queen Charlotte Islands, 1923. CALL NUMBER: T3182:0002 PERIOD COVERED: 1923-1930 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Harold Davenport discusses: flying in the Queen Charlotte Islands, 1923; forced landings and engine problems in the Prince Rupert area; more on the Queen Charlotte Islands; inspection of Junkers aircraft in Hazleton, 1923; radio communications around Prince Rupert, 1924; crash landing in Milbanke Sound, 1924. TRACK 2: Harold Davenport: conclusion of the air crash story; storm damage to flying boats; around-the-world flights, 1924; formation of Pacific Airways Limited, 1926; the training of pilots in the 1920s; flying anecdotes, 1920s; flying on the upper coast; makeshift repairs to aircraft and aircraft engines. CALL NUMBER: T3182:0003 PERIOD COVERED: 1924-1941 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Davenport's comments on early around-the-world flights. Early aerial photography in British Columbia, 1920s. Visiting Namu, 1926. Western Canada Airways buys Pacific Airways, 1928. Description of various aircraft in the late 1920s. Anecdotes about air crashes, late 1920s. Staff of Western Canada Airways, Swanson Bay, 1928. Radio communications. Anecdotes about radio communications. More on Swanson Bay. Fatal air crash near Butedale, late 1920s. TRACK 2: Description of Swanson Bay. Davenport opens Aircraft Service of British Columbia at Vancouver Airport, 1929. Minoru Park Airport, Richmond, B.C.. Davenport's great faith in flying boats. Reservations about modern aircraft. Went to Whitehorse to work for White Pass and Yukon Route, 1936-41. Flying in the Yukon. Anecdotes about early pilots. Gliding at Vancouver Airport, 1930s. Anecdote about flying B.C. Provincial Police to Anyox to quell riot, 1933. CALL NUMBER: T3182:0004 PERIOD COVERED: 1933-1967 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Continuation of the story of Anyox, B.C., strike and riot, 1933. Inspection discovering structural damage to the aircraft, 1933. Davenport went to Whitehorse, Yukon, to work for White Pass and Yukon Route, 1936. Work for WP&YR Air Division, 1936-41. Established repair and maintenance in Whitehorse. Description of Whitehorse, late 1930s. Transportation in the Yukon. Boats on the Yukon River. Many pilots killed in air crashes. Anecdote about sick Indian child. TRACK 2: More on sick Indian child. Superstitions about the bad luck of religious men. More on the development of air travel in the Yukon. Instrument flight. Davenport observed large meteorite, 1938. Japanese goodwill flight to Whitehorse, 1938. Anecdotes about flying. Davenport's brush with 'gold fever'. Davenport's later career in aviation: Pan American Airways, CP Air, Department of Transport as an inspector. Felt badly used by CP Air. Established maintenance schools. Davenport spent 45 years in field of aviation in Canada. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3214:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Joe Bertalino discusses: background; how he got interested and involved in aviation; Lulu Island experience; doing both flying and mechanical work at this time; started a flying school in Kamloops; barnstorming; training procedure when he was learning to fly; out at the new airport in Vancouver in the '30s; United Air [Transport?] job, 1934-39; switched to Air Canada (i.e., Trans-Canada Airlines) at outbreak of war; joined Air Force -- organized flying schools; time in the Army; Abbotsford airport, job as inspector in 1947 until retirement, 28 years later. Discusses his work with flying schools, especially the training students received during the war. Flying up the coast before WW I. Procedures in case of an accident. Accidents. Dobbin brothers -- Dominion Airways. TRACK 2: Joe Bertalino: the Dobbin brothers (cont'd); the Travelaire; Dominion Airways -- what happened to staff when it folded; gliding; social life in the airline business; difficulties in the Depression -- hard to convince government to spend money on aviation, but no active opposition; Hal Wilson and his flying of the tri-motor (based in Victoria); his first flight; why he got involved in aviation -- the excitement; adventures in flying in the bush; anecdote about getting lost; pilot-mechanic partnership on flights; wooden props -- took awhile to ship; no radios in planes until 1934 in Canada. CALL NUMBER: T3214:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Joe Bertalino discusses: beginning to use radios in airplanes; advent of night flying; large aircraft first came in early to mid 1930s; icing problems when he was flying -- worst was with the Beechcraft traveling up the coast; first jets in B.C. -- the De Havilland Comet, Douglas DC-8; relationship between TCA and CPA in the early days; the 'Flying Seven' -- a group of seven women who got their aviation licenses. [TRACK 2: blank.] CALL NUMBER: T3214:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], [1978?] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: A continuation of Paul Stoddart's interview with BC aviation pioneer Joe Bertalino. Mr. Bertalino recalls his experiences barnstorming in the B.C. interior in a Fleet biplane with Humphrey Madden in the 1930s; the beginning of his involvement in aviation; navigating by following roads and powerlines; taking people up for short airplane rides; visit to Douglas Lake Ranch; Grant McConachie's early freight service into the north; etc. [TRACK 2: blank.]

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation in B.C. : Margaret Rutledge RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Margaret Rutledge discusses: background- born in Edmonton, early interest in flying; obtained private pilot's license in 1933 and joined the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Club; Grant McConnachie very helpful, but conceited; getting her commercial license in 1935; training required for a private license in the early 1930s; trained on a English biplane; requirements for a commercial license- 50 hours; went down to Los Angeles in 1935 to meet other female pilots, including Amelia Earhart; getting together with other Vancouver female pilots and calling themselves the 'Flying Seven'; work in the war with planes- but women could not be pilots in the Air Force at this time; describes different members of the 'Flying Seven'; cost of renting planes at this time; became a radio operator at Zeballos for Ginger Coote Airways- first woman radio operator in the world; anecdotes about Ginger Coot; description of Zeballos in the 1930s; radio operations in B.C. in 1937-38; at Zeballos, she only flew as a co-pilot; more on Ginger Coote and his airline. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3222:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor discusses: his background- born in Victoria in 1911, attracted to the romance of flying after the Lindbergh flight; learned to fly from friend Hal Wilson- description of his first day of flight school; getting his private license, then his commercial; 1930- barnstorming out of Ladner, Roscoe Turner story, aerobatics; establishing his own flying school in Vancouver, but never really succeeding with that; operating a flying school in Victoria at Gordon Head; training Chinese pilots at this time- got to know the Chinese community, so he was asked to go to China to teach flying, but could not go because he was accepted by the R.C.A.F. for a navigation course; Prime Minister Bennett cut back on money for aviation, many people laid off; desire of many non-permanent R.C.A.F. men to go to China. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: China offered new opportunities for young pilots, ones that were not available in Canada -- but government in Canada would not allow pilots to go; government's cancellation of mail contracts; first air shows- Lulu Island in 1930, Trans Canada Air Pageant; worked briefly for Airland Manufacturing Company; Paddy Burke crash- he almost went on that flight; Ernest Eve- started the Ford Tri-motor operation, McGregor's father also involved in this company; became an officer in the 111 AC Squadron, R.C.A.F. non-permanent in Vancouver- involved doing tactical exercises, instrument flying, aerobatics; search-and-rescue missions; maps were very poor when he first started; many forced landings; surviving in plane crashes- needed to be tough; flying up the coast in the early '30s; fishery patrol. CALL NUMBER: T3222:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor: anecdote at McKay Lake- mechanical difficulties, tricky maneuvering; engine problems a few times- adventures connected to these experiences; getting involved in hauling fish from the north- experience with a snowstorm while bringing fish down to Kenora, competition between companies involved in this business, story about snarling huskies in a search-and-rescue; came back to the coast to open a base at Burns Lake- difficult days in the Depression; flying in dangerous weather conditions; anecdote about falling 30 feet out of a plane during a near fatal landing. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: more on story about the landing in which he and his passengers fell into the water; growth of Canadian Airways; making the transition from being a bush pilot to a commercial pilot; working for TCA after it took over Canadian Airways; he flew the Vancouver-Seattle route for TCA; moving to Winnipeg to deliver mail; became captain on the first official night airmail service on the Vancouver-Winnipeg route; trained by Americans for awhile; became supervisor of area between Winnipeg and Vancouver; outbreak of war- his role in training pilots, selecting radio range sites; then moved east, supervised various other regions during war. CALL NUMBER: T3222:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early aviation : Maurice McGregor RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Maurice McGregor: more on the growth of TCA- expansion of passenger flights; anecdote about flying Senator Gray Turgeon in 1935; expanding TCA service to all over the world; getting lost in Brazil right after the war; expanding to the Caribbean in 1948; after being with TCA for 15 years, he joined Canadian Pacific as director of development- first task was to negotiate agreements with foreign countries so CP could fly to these places; CP could not survive on travel to the Orient alone; going over to Pakistan to help them establish a first class airline- difficult, but interesting experience. TRACK 2: Maurice McGregor: more on his experiences in Pakistan and setting up an airline in this country; going back to B.C. and establishing his own company that concentrated on flying up the coast; selling his line to Northwest Industries; favourite planes he flew; impressions of CP Air, Air Canada; final thoughts about aviation history in B.C.. (End of interview)

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Earl Gerow discusses: his background- born in Saskatchewan in 1913, introduced to aviation in 1930; learned to service a plane, got a job as an apprentice at Burns Lake; logistics of the 'food drop'; Canadian Airways pulled out of Burns Lake, he lost his job; then hired on with Pacific Airways to pick up miners; education in the aviation industry; hired on to Trans Canada Airlines (Air Canada) in 1938 and stayed there until his retirement in 1977; the McAlpine expedition; description of weather, environment, living conditions of Burns Lake; seeing his first plane; never got his pilot's license; equipment used at Burns Lake; United Air Transport; numerous small airlines in the north at the time. TRACK 2: Mr. Gerow discusses: the differences in dealing with bush planes and dealing with regular airline planes; first memories of working for TCA in Winnipeg; more on logistics of Burns Lake operation, and Burns Lake itself; black flies and mosquitoes; bush schedule was tough, but more flexible than regular airline employee schedule; period when TCA carried mostly cargo and few passengers; effects of war on airline -- some pilots to the air force; beginning of TCA -- difficulties, challenges. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T3221:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Gilbert discusses: his background- born in eastern Ontario in 1899, getting involved with the Royal Flying Corps of Britain in WW I, experiences in the war in France, came back in 1919; moving out to B.C. as soon as he returned to Canada; no active flying in 1919-20 in B.C.; Don MacLaren- started Pacific Airways at this time; differences between flying in the war and 'flying boats'; doing fisheries patrol, 1923-24; summers in Bella Bella and Prince Rupert; after 1927, he flew mainly in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon; takeover of Western Canada Airways by Canadian Airways; description of different types of airplanes; did not want to be part of Canadian Pacific after merger. TRACK 2: Walter Gilbert: description of Vancouver when he first arrived after WW I; getting to know Don MacLaren; fish patrol memories of the early 1920s; Queen Charlotte Islands experiences- first time many Indians had ever seen an airplane; no radio in the early days; fishery patrol for 7 years; ;then based out of Fort McMurray; weather conditions in the north; never had serious accidents; Lindbergh- flight anecdote, friendship.;

CALL NUMBER: T3221:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Walter Gilbert discusses: the grandfather route; Ginger Coote; Zeballos gold rush; more on Vancouver in 1921; clothing he wore as a pilot in open cockpit planes; loyalty to employer definitely existed; salaries; he was first president of Central British Columbia Airways- partner was Russ Baker, company started in early 1940s, did not do well business-wise; Alaska Highway surveying; did not like CPA- too many rules, not enough camaraderie; engine failure story- engine conked out near Fort McMurray. TRACK 2: Walter Gilbert: describes mountain goats in early days; occasional trouble with planes flying up to Alaska; anecdotes about Russ Baker; his first wife could fly- part of the 'Flying Seven'; Ginger Coote; book called "Arctic Pilot" by Walter (helped by Kathleen Shackleton)- no longer published; Helen Bristol; description of small towns on the coast, near Prince George; mosquitoes and black flies; weather conditions. (End of interview);