Name/Title
Rogers, Donald "Don" HowardEntry/Object ID
8339Description
Born 26 Nov 1918 in Hamilton, Ontario Don was a flying instructor at Mount Hope during the early years of the War and in December 1941 he joined National Steel Car as a test pilot, stayed on during Victory Aircraft time and joined Avro Canada in December 1946 and became the chief test pilot in 1946 where he was a test pilot over the next decade for the C-102, CF-100, Lancaster test bed for Orenda engines then moved into Manager of Flight Operations for the Arrow program. Attended Avro's first 10-year club event in 1955. Put on a Boat Piloting Course as an instructor in 1958.
Don was sent to the UK in 1949 to learn to fly jets prior to being at the controls of the Jetliner. Don commented how quiet the Jetliner was in 1949 and was the pilot on the NYC Jetliner flight in 1950, as Test Pilot he was aboard the Jetliner that crash landed at Malton and he was one of the people who spent time with the Jetliner and Howard Hughes at Culver City, Califorina from April until September 1952. A little known piece of trivia is that Don was a member of Avro's Stamp Club in 1950.
Don flew Jetliner to observe CF-100 rocket tests in 1954 and was a participant at the first 10 yr awards event in 1955. As Chief of Flight Operations for the first CF-105 Don was in the flight control tower 25 March 1958 and that summer he co-ordinated the Flying Display at the International Airshow 1958 in Toronto. When the Arrow was diverted to Trenton, Don few with Bill Devine to Trenton to pick-up the pilot.
Worked in the Avro Marine Division in 1961 as a Manager then after leaving Avro, Don joined DeHavilland as a Test Demonstration and Delivery Pilot.
Attended Jetliner 50th anniversary reunion in 1999 and the CF-100 50th anniversary celebration in 2000. Passed away at his home 16 Jul 2006.