Edmonton Carpenter Flies Airship of his Own Invention
In spite of Milton Wright’s prediction that humans would never fly, an Edmonton carpenter and inventor took to the air on September 7, 1909. The headline on the front page of the September 8th edition of Edmonton’s newspaper, The Evening Bulletin, reads "Edmonton Carpenter Flies Airship of his Own Invention." The subheadings read; "Keeps Aloft for Half Hour, Flying at Will Over Roofs of Houses," Manufactured Own Monoplane," and "Had Been at Work on Problem Three Years, Engine Made from Own Model."
The following are some excerpts from that article:
To this city must be given the honour of numbering among her residents the first successful inventor of an airship in the Canadian West. On Labor Day residents of the west end were startled to see, flying high over their houses, an airship carrying a full-grown man. The mechanical bird hovered about for a time floating hither and thither, then settled down near the home of Reginald Hunt. Mr. Hunt has been working for 3 years to perfect his airship.
The exciting moments of suspense were not long. The machine rose slowly at first, barely cleared a few buildings, then gaining momentum, soared high. The flight was fraught with no little danger. The slightest miscalculation might result in collapse and not unlikely death to the daring aviator. Fortunately, however, the steering device and warping contrivance worked to perfection, and Hunt’s control of his machine was marvellous.
After remaining in the air for about 35 minutes, during which he flew over the neighbourhood, at a height ranging from 35-50 feet above the housetops, the inventor descended to earth triumphant, conqueror of the air.
On June 7, 1919, the first commercial flight was made from Edmonton to Wetaskiwin. Over the following years, the city of Edmonton would become an aviation centre for bush-planes to fly supplies to northern communities. In time, Edmonton would be home to an industrial airport and an International Airport.
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