The Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre (French: Centre Canadien du Patrimoine Aéronautique), registered under business number 876872128RR0001, was a Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Canada's aviation history. The organization originated in 1998 and focused on acquiring, restoring, and maintaining historically significant aircraft and artifacts related to Canadian aviation.

History

Founded in 1998 by Godfrey Pasmore, the Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre initially gathered aviation artifacts and undertook restoration projects to highlight Canada’s contributions to aviation, including bush flying and military aviation history. The Centre opened its museum to the public in 2009, located on a historic farm owned by McGill University in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. In 2016, the organization rebranded itself as the Montreal Aviation Museum (Musée de l'Aviation de Montréal), shifting its public identity while continuing its mission[2][4].

Collection and Activities

The Centre’s collection included several historically important aircraft such as the Blériot XI, Fairchild Bolingbroke Mk IV, Fairchild FC-2, Fleet Canuck, Curtiss-Reid Rambler, and a Nimmo NAC SB-1—an original homebuilt biplane from 1936. They also acquired a Stinson Model 10a project and expressed interest in adding a Canadair-built aircraft, likely a Canadair Tutor, to the collection[4].

One of the Centre’s notable accomplishments was the volunteer-built replica of a Fairchild FC-2, constructed from original drawings. Although not airworthy, the wooden dummy-engine replica symbolized early Canadian bush flying, an area with personal significance to one of the founders, Hubert Pasmore[4].

Volunteers played a vital role in maintaining and restoring the aircraft, with about 40 individuals contributing their skills on varying schedules. Restoration projects included several military and bush flying aircraft, notably the Fairchild Bolingbroke Mk IV, Noorduyn Norseman, and Canadair CF-104 Starfighter[2].

Mission

The organization aimed to educate the public about Quebec and Canada’s contributions to aviation history and to inspire future generations to value and protect this heritage, aligning with the broader goals of aviation museums in Canada[1][3].

Legacy

Although the Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre no longer operates under this name, its continuation as the Montreal Aviation Museum ensures ongoing preservation and celebration of Canadian aviation heritage. The museum remains a significant cultural and educational resource in Quebec, emphasizing Canadian bush flying, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Quebec’s aviation industry[2][4].

[1] https://www.mam.quebec/about-the-mam-2024/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Aviation_Museum [3] https://canadianaviationmuseum.ca/mandate-and-vision/ [4] https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbirds-news/montreals-canadian-aviation-heritage-centre.html [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Warplane_Heritage_Museum