Pilot flew into Canadian history

A Kingston man will be heading to Hamilton in May to relive a summer spent flying in some of the most difficult conditions a pilot can face.

Victor Bennett (BCom'51) will be attending an induction ceremony by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame as a now-defunct company with which he once flew will receive a special award for its contribution to Canadian flying history.

Hollinger Ungava Transport Ltd., better known by its initials HUT, will receive the Belt of Orion award for its role in building a railway through northern Quebec in the early 1950s.

Bennett spent a summer during his university years flying for the company.

Bennett, now 82, was born in St. John's and attended school in Quebec. He went to McGill University to study commerce and joined the university air-training plan.

He got his wings and a commission and flew with the air force reserves out of Montreal as "a weekend warrior."

He went to the University of British Columbia to study law and ying.

"I paved my way through university by flying on weekends, which was a pretty nice way of doing things."

Read full article: The Kingston Whig Standard, January 7, 2010