2.6 C
Niagara Falls
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Letter: More books about history of flying in NOTL

Dear editor:

Re: Larry Milberry’s letter, “Excellent story on history of flying in NOTL,” The Lake Report, Sept. 12.

As the youngest son of Fred Pattison, who was instrumental in obtaining an air harbour licence  in 1929 for what is now the Niagara District Airport, I was also very interested in the article by Denise Ascenzo, “90 years of flying in NOTL,” published on Sept. 5.   

In addition to the two books mentioned in the letter from Mr. Milberry, a member of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, my father wrote his memoirs and in them he detailed how it all began, as well as his years as manager of Elementary Flying Training School (#9) in Niagara.

As well, in the early 1980s, he organized a small group known as the Niagara Aviation Pioneers.

They published Wings over Niagara, written by Jack Williams, and it outlines the history of aviation in Niagara from 1911 to 1944. 

Upon my father’s death, we donated his extensive collection to the St. Catharines Museum, where it is referenced as the Fred Pattison Aviation Collection 984 -170. I am also aware that Brock University and the St. Catharines Library have files, too. 

His memoirs, titled “His Story,” (the original handwritten manuscript was 600 pages), and the book, Wings over Niagara, can be viewed at the St. Catharines Museum. Anyone wishing to contact me for more information can reach me at Pattison@bell.net.

Paul Pattison

St. Catharines

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