Hamilton Man Enters Contest : Royden Foley would Fly from London (ON) to London (UK)
Item
Title
Hamilton Man Enters Contest : Royden Foley would Fly from London (ON) to London (UK)
Description
HAMILTON MAN ENTERS CONTEST Royden Foley Would Fly From London to London Has Had Long Experience in the Field of Aviation Another Hamilton citizen is numbered among the large list of applicants for the honor of attempting the contemplated air flight from London, Ontario, to London, England Royden Foley, a pioneer in the flying game and agent of the Chrysler automobile, has received a reply from the sponsors of the proposed flight stating that his name will be considered along with the Others who would be among the first to hazard the perilous trip from Canada to England. A mechanical engineer by profession, Mr. Foley associated himself more than 14 years ago with the famous brothers and soon became one of their pilots when aviation was in its infancy. He drove one of the first Model B planes turned out by the renowned Wrights, when the pilot was required to occupy a place in the center of the wing and guide the machine with his legs hanging over the edge. He is bearer of pilot license No. 615 of the Aero Club of America. Mr. Foley is a graduate of the Pratt Institute of New York, although a native of Canada, having been born at St. John, New Brunswick. His practical experience proved of great benefit when, shortly after the World War broke out, he was required to help with changes demanded by the American government from the earlier Curtiss system of controls to that of the Duperdussin system. The former method necessitated guidance of a machine by the use of the shoulders, while the latter method is that ofs tick control as used universally at present. Mr. Foley served for three years in the Royal Air Force overseas, and not once in all that time did he have an accident. While in the air force, he earned for himself a reputation for careful flying and never left the ground without first making sure that his machine was in first-class working order. By reason of being so cautious, he was invariably assigned to the duty of taking officials of the air force and the war government on tours of inspection, both to the land battle areas and over the English Channel and North Sea. He got his honourable discharge. With the rank of lieutenant in 1920. It will be recalled that applicants for pilots' certificates in the R. A. I from Canada had, in the earlier years of the war, to first be ap- proved by the Wright brothers' organization, and many of Canada's successful fliers got their early Instructions from Mr. Foley.
Date
Identifier
022.016.060