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​
  • Home
  • Get Involved
    • Membership
    • Museum Membership
    • Sponsor the CAHS
    • Donate to the CAHS
  • Organization & Chapters
    • CAHS National >
      • Society History
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    • Chapters >
      • CAHS Calgary
      • CAHS Manitoba
      • CAHS Medicine Hat
      • CAHS Montréal
      • CAHS New Brunswick
      • CAHS Ottawa
      • CAHS Regina
      • CAHS Toronto
      • CAHS Vancouver
      • CAHS CAAA
  • History Resources
    • CAHS Journal
    • CAHS e-Newsletter >
      • e-Newsletter Archive
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      • Articles – Historical
      • Aviation History Books
      • Articles Archive
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      • Video Viewport
    • In Memoriam
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Skyward
Frank Henley​


With a heavy heart, we are sad to announce the passing of Fernand 'Frank' Henley. Starting his career in aviation by joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941, Frank would go on become a flight instructor. A couple years later he was serving in antisubmarine patrols as a Flight Lieutenant on the east coast in Halifax.
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From 1947 to 1951 he flew bush flying operations. By 1954 he was senior Captain for Maritime Central Airways (MCA) and was responsible for northern base operations with contracts for the Distant Early Warning Line. Following promotion to General Manager in 1956, Frank amalgamated both Boreal Airways Ltd and mont Laurier Aviation, both owned by MCA, and renamed them Nordair Ltd. Under Frank's leadership, this new company improved air service to the eastern Arctic, provided scheduled flights, and would go on to offer trans-border charter flights and scheduled service between Montreal and the eastern Northwest Territories. 

From 1972 to 1983 Frank was an Executive Consultant for Hydro-Quebec, where he was responsible for operating standards, selection of airport and heliport sites, developing communication and navigation systems and managing cargo and passenger transport. In 1983 he was promoted to Quebecair Vice President of Operations, and fro 1985 to 1990 he was President of his own company, Zenith Aviation Inc. Zenith Aviation Inc provided consulting services and aircraft equipment, plus service for small private and commercial aircraft. 

In 1990, Frank retired from a lifetime of aviation with 31 types of aircraft under his belt and a total of 17,752 hours. In 2000 Frank was awarded the Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy and two years later was inducted into the Quebec Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2004, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2013, Frank was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame.

CAHS would like to pass on our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Frank Henley.​

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CAHS Member Frank Henley wrote an article about the air support aspect of the James Bay Hydro Project for CAHS Journal Vol 48 No 1 (Spring 2010). Members can view it in our very first digital edition here (you will need your email address of record and a password to log-in if you are not already logged in) while a standalone PDF version is also available in our shop here.
Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS)
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Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5W7
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