AERIAL EXPERIMENT ASSOCIATION CHRONOLOGY
J.A.D. McCurdy describes the first powered flight in Canada, February 23rd, 1909:
“The whole scene is still very vivid to me. It was a brilliant day in more ways
than one. The sun was glaring down on the ice of Lake Bras d’Or, which is near
Baddeck. The town had turned out in a festive mood, done up in mufflers and heavy fur
hats. The town, by the way, consisted largely of very doubtful Scotsmen. Most of them
were mounted on skates – the kind you strap to your feet. They didn’t say much – just
came to wait and see. The aircraft, or aerodrome as it was called in those days, which we
had christened the ‘Silver Dart’, was surrounded by people. During the early afternoon
it was wheeled into place. The propeller was cranked and, with a cough, the motor
snorted into place. I climbed into the pilot’s seat. With an extra special snort from the
motor, we scooted off down the ice. Behind came a crowd of small boys and men on
their skates – most of them still doubtful I would fly. With a lurch and a mighty
straining of wires we were in the air. It was amusing to look back and watch the skaters
– they seemed to be going in every direction – bumping into each other in their
excitement at seeing a man actually fly. In taking off I had to clear one old Scot, so
doubtful I would fly, that he had started off across the ice with his horse and sleigh. I
think they both had the daylights scared out of them. I traveled three-quarters of a mile
at a height of about sixty feet before again coming to the surface of the ice. I will say, the
doubting ones overcame their feelings in short order.”
J.A.D. McCurdy in an interview for the CBC,
February 26th, 1944
Bell’s Early Aeronautical Experiments
On June 15th, 1891, Alexander Graham Bell witnesses the flight of Samuel Langley’s
flying machine. This convinces him of the practicality of flight. By December he is
experimenting with propellers driven from their tips by rockets or jets of steam.
In January, 1892, Bell publishes an article called Flying Machines of the Future in which he
describes passenger carrying flying machines capable of long distance flight and in 1896
he is inspired to say: “I believe that it will be possible in a very few years for a person to take his
dinner in New York at 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening and eat his breakfast in Ireland or England
the following morning.”
By May 1898, he begins experiments with kites of various designs and in 1899 he
develops a triangular variation of the Hargrave box kite.
1902
Bell creates the tetrahedral cell by taking three equilateral triangles and joining them to
form a four-sided figure. By June he is experimenting with tetrahedral cells in kites.
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July 1904
Bell conducts experiments with four, sixteen tetrahedral celled kites. Each kite has
different surfaces covered with silk to show how different surfaces affect the lift and
stability of each kite.
August 1904
On August 31st, Bell records in his Home Notes, “After years delay fighting patent office
has at last granted my tetrahedral application … have telegraphed … to pay final fee so
that patent may be issued immediately. This stimulates me to go ahead.”
December 1905
Bell flies the ‘Frost King’ on December 18th - a 1300-celled tetrahedral kite - in Baddeck.
The kite supports Lucian McCurdy on a rope from the kite.
Then, on December 27th, the Frost King lifts Neil MacDermid 9 meters into the air.
June 1906
J. A. Douglas McCurdy, whom the Bells have known since his birth in Baddeck in 1886,
brings his friend and University of Toronto engineering classmate Frederick W. ‘Casey’
Baldwin to visit Bell at Baddeck. A graduate of the 1906 class, Casey is very interested in
the idea of mechanical flight.
Casey returns to Beinn Bhreagh in the autumn and begins working with Bell on kite
experiments. Bell encourages Casey to use his expertise to apply the tetrahedral cell to
stationary structures. Casey begins designing and overseeing construction of a huge
tetrahedral tower on the top of Beinn Bhreagh. The tower is constructed over the next
months and is formally opened on August 31st, 1907. The view of the Bras d’Or Lake and
surrounding area from its platform about 600 feet above the water is magnificent.
June 1907
Bell arrives at Baddeck from Washington DC on June 4th with McCurdy and Baldwin
who now have their engineering degrees.
On June 11th, Lt. Thomas Etholen Selfridge arrives at Baddeck detailed by the United
States army to observe Bell’s flight experiments.
July 1907
Glenn Hammond Curtiss, a United States motorcycle and engine manufacturer, brings
the 40 hp engine Bell commissioned him to build to Baddeck arriving July 13th.
Bell has gathered around him four young men who are not only enthusiastic but who
have the skills required to move forward his experimental work with powered flight.
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Mabel Bell proposes that, with her financing ($20,000 from the sale of a property), the
four young men and Dr. Bell form an association, the “Aerial Experiment Association”.
Chronology of Aerial Experiment Association Milestones:
October 1907
The Aerial Experiment Association (AEA) is officially formed and signed at the Halifax
Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, its purpose being to construct “a practical flying
aerodrome or flying machine driven through the air by its own power and carrying a
man”.
Bell says of this momentous occasion:
“For many years I have been a student of what is being accomplished in relation
to aerial flight and for many years my laboratory experiments have been directed mainly
along lines leading up to aerial flight as a logical conclusion. I now have associated with
me gentlemen who supplement by their technical knowledge my deficiencies and in this
combination I now feel that we are strong where before we were weak … I think
therefore that the progress of the experiments will be greatly promoted and the world
benefited if these young men who are now temporarily associated with me can be given
some personal inducement to continue cooperation together in accomplishing the great
object we have in common – to get into the air….”
Baldwin, McCurdy, Selfridge and Curtiss are each invited to design their own aircraft.
Their first experiments are with tetrahedral kites and soon, four biplanes (called
‘aerodromes’) are built at Curtiss’s plant, including the Silver Dart.
December 1907
Work begins with the first flight of the Cygnet 1. A giant kite made up of 3,393
tetrahedral cells, Cygnet 1 has a hollow space in its middle. In this kite, over Baddeck
Bay, Lt. Thomas Selfridge takes the first recorded flight in Canada of a heavier than air
machine. Cygnet I crashes after flying 7 minutes. Selfridge is not injured.
Winter sets in and the AEA moves their headquarters to Hammondsport, NY near
Curtiss’s workshop.
January 1908
The AEA begins flying Chanute-Herring type gliders. These are bi-wing gliders. During
these glider flights they are busily constructing their first powered aircraft.
March 1908
The AEA’s first powered biplane, the Red Wing (Drome No. 1) is ready for testing.
Designed by Lt. Thomas Selfridge, this aircraft is basically a bi-wing glider with a tail
rudder, a single plane elevator up front and skid runners for take off from the ice. An
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engine is added with a push-type propeller. It is named for the red silk used to cover its
wings.
On March 12th, Frederick W. ‘Casey’ Baldwin flies the Red Wing 97 metres (319 feet)
over ice-covered Lake Keuka near Curtiss’s workshop in Hammondsport, NY. This
flight makes Baldwin the first Canadian (and British subject) to fly an airplane in what is
also the first public flight in North America.
During his second flight on March 17th, the wind tips the Red Wing and it crashes on the
ice. Baldwin is not injured.
May 1908
All of Bell’s boys – Baldwin, Selfridge, Curtiss and McCurdy – fly the White Wing
(Drome #2). Baldwin’s design, the White Wing is named for its white cotton nainsook
wing covering. Similar to the Red Wing, it has a lighter laminated wood propeller. It has
two AEA innovations - ailerons at the wing tips to control lateral movement as well as a
tricycle undercarriage for take off from land - their icy Lake Keuka runway has melted.
On May 19th, Selfridge flies the White Wing in two flights of 30 meters and 73 meters –
the first flights by a member of the United States Army. The plane is flown near Stony
Brook Farm close to the Curtiss workshop.
On his birthday, May 21st, Curtiss turns in the White Wing’s best performance flying 310
meters in two hops of 187 meters and 123 meters. On its fourth flight, May 23rd, White
Wing crashes. Aviator Douglas McCurdy sustains a knee injury.
June 1908
The June Bug, Curtiss’s design, (Drome No. 3) is ready to fly. Dr. Bell names it after its
first flight for its resemblance to June beetles.
Constructed using the basic design of the White Wing, the June Bug has a longer body
for increased horizontal stability, removable wings and a folding tail section.
Innovations included a shoulder fork to control the ailerons and the use of wing ‘dope’
to reduce air resistance. The wing ‘dope’ mixture contains yellow ochre to make the
aircraft more visible in photographs.
Curtiss flies the June Bug on June 21st making its first three flights of 139 meters (456
feet), 129 meters (417 feet) and 370 meters (1266 feet).
After June Bug flies 1040 meters (3413 feet) on June 25th, the AEA sends a request to
Charles Munn, president of the Aero Club of America, to request a trial flight for the
Scientific American trophy to be awarded for the first flight over 1 kilometer.
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July 1908
Curtiss flies the June Bug 1553 meters (5,360 feet) on July 4th, 1908, to win the Scientific
American trophy for the first straight flight of more than 1 kilometer (3,281 feet).
On July 10th the June Bug, with Curtiss as aviator, becomes the first aircraft to navigate a
complete turn.
Douglas McCurdy flies the June Bug 3 kilometers in a figure eight on August 29th,
another aviation first. Work begins in Hammondsport, on Silver Dart, Drome No. 4.
September 1908
Selfridge, dies from head injuries he receives in the crash of a Wright brother’s airplane
in which he is a passenger at Fort Meyers, Virginia on September 17th. One of the
founding members of the AEA, he becomes the first fatality of powered aviation.
At a meeting held September 26th, the day after Selfridges’ funeral, it is unanimously
decided the AEA will continue for another six months. Mabel provides a further $10,000.
Edward A. Selfridge casts his son’s vote.
Bell’s address as Chairman to this meeting is recorded in A.E.A. Bulletin XV. During his
address to this meeting to decide the future of the AEA, Bell describes the fortuitous
coming together of the group and says, “We breathed an atmosphere of aviation from
morning till night and almost from night to morning. Each felt the stimulation of the
discussion with the others, and each developed ideas of his own upon the subject of
Aviation, which were discussed by all. I may say for myself that this Association with
these young men proved to be one of the happiest times of my life.”
November 1908
Refitted with floats to convert it to a seaplane, the June Bug is renamed ‘Loon’. It fails to
break free of Lake Keuka’s surface in all of its trials and is dismantled.
December 1908
The Silver Dart (Drome No. 4), McCurdy’s design, is constructed similarly to the June
Bug. Its tail section is shortened to facilitate turning and a bi-wing elevator is used to
increase stability. Its more powerful engine with a transmission and a chain driven
propeller enables use of a more efficient propeller. A water-cooling system to prevent
the engine from overheating is added making long distance flights possible.
With Douglas McCurdy as aviator, the Silver Dart makes 3 trial flights of about 180
meters (591 feet) each.
January 1909
The Silver Dart is shipped to Baddeck.
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February 1909
The AEA tries to fly the Cygnet II at Baddeck, a heavy tetrahedral kite (3,690 tetrahedral
cells) fitted with an engine, but it is unable to take to the air.
February 23, 1909
Red-letter day – McCurdy flew over Baddeck about one half mile! McCurdy makes
Canada’s first controlled powered flight in the Silver Dart:
“The Silver Dart … rose from the ice after traveling about 100 feet & flew at an elevation
of about 10-30 feet directly east for a distance of about ½ mile. Landed without any jar
whatsoever. The speed I should judge about 40+ miles per hr. The machine was operated
by J.A.D. McCurdy.” Home Notes, Volume 58, written by pilot J. A.D. McCurdy on Tuesday, February 23, 1909
March 1909
The AEA held its last meeting at Beinn Bhreagh Hall. Dr. Bell, Casey Baldwin and
Douglas McCurdy are present. Their last action, directed to Mabel Bell, was a vote of
“high appreciation of her loving sympathetic devotion without which the association
would have come to naught.”
Other Milestone Dates
April 1909
Bell encourages Baldwin and McCurdy to set up the Canadian Aerodrome Company
(CAC) and its facilities in Baddeck and provides the financing. Their goal is to begin
making airplanes for possible sale to the Canadian army.
June 1909
The Canadian Military invites McCurdy and Baldwin to demonstrate their flying
machines at the base in Petawawa, Ontario. They make their plans to take the Silver Dart
and the Baddeck I, the first CAC produced airplane. Since the Baddeck No. 1 is of
exclusively Canadian manufacture the people of Baddeck are invited to view it before it
is shipped to Ontario. Silver Dart is shipped to Ontario on June 26th with Baddeck No.1
following at a later date.
August 1909
Test flights in Petawawa begin August 2nd on an undulating field. McCurdy pilots the 1st
flight on his own; he pilots the second flight with Baldwin as the passenger and a third
flight with Willie MacDonald of Baddeck as the passenger. On the fourth flight, the
Silver Dart catches a knoll when landing and ends in a total wreck. McCurdy and his
passenger Baldwin are only slightly injured. The Baddeck No. I arrives the same day
and the Silver Dart is not repaired.
On August 11th, Baddeck No. I makes a 100 meter flight and then engine failure
prevents further testing.
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After a short flight on August 12th, Baddeck No. 1 is damaged after a hard landing. The
military requires no further testing and remains skeptical of the practicality of flying
machines.
Upon their return to Baddeck, the CAC builds the Baddeck No. 2.
The search begins for a suitable area to use as a runway for test trials. On August 26th
permission is granted to use meadow lands at the Bentick Farm near the mouth of the
Baddeck River.
September – November 1909
Baddeck No. 2 makes the trip to Bentick farm by water from Beinn Bhreagh and is
towed up the Baddeck River to the testing grounds on September 13th. The test trials
begin on September 17th – the ground is rougher than expected but test trials continue
into October and November. Baddeck No. 1 also undergoes further tests with
modifications made as a result of its poor performance in Petawawa.
During this timeframe, Dolena MacKay MacLeod, age 22, flies as a passenger with
Casey Baldwin in one of those airplanes over Bentick farm. Her husband Jim and their 2
toddlers along with her cousins the MacRae sisters watch anxiously. Dolena enters local
lore as the first woman to fly in an airplane in Canada.
February 1910
With McCurdy as aviator Baddeck No. 1 makes its first flight of 90 meters off the ice on
Baddeck Bay on February 23rd. Both Baddeck I and II make many more flights and are
the first to use automobile engines.
The CAC builds its third airplane called “Mike”, a monoplane commissioned by
Gardiner Hubbard, an architect and first cousin to Mabel Bell. By June, after test flights
meet with little success, Hubbard and McCurdy conclude it is too heavy.
March 1910
McCurdy makes many successful flights in Baddeck No. 2 over Baddeck Bay. On March
12th, as reported in the March 14th, 1910, Halifax Herald, he flew “up and down, around
and around the bay, covering in the eight flights in all about 18 or 19 miles, keeping at a
height of from 50 to 100 feet.”
The article continues saying that after witnessing these flights, Lt. Governor of Nova
Scotia, D.C. Fraser, is very much impressed and remarks, “Why just think of the
different uses these machines could be put to if the Canadian government owned them.
Not only would they be imperative in the time of war, they could be used for the
purpose of exploration in the north.
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Spring 1910
The CAC explores developing floats for airplanes that would land and take off from the
water.
Early in May, the Baldwins and the Bells, about to begin their world tour, meet
McCurdy in Montreal to discuss entering a machine in the 100 km race at the
International Aviation Meet to be held at Belmont Park, NY, but the Department of
Militia cannot provide funds.
On May 18th, work begins on equipping Baddeck No. 2 for a trial water landing. The
goal is to determine if in alighting the airplane will turn over bow or stern first. On June
1st, the trial is made on Baddeck Bay. McCurdy gets drenched upon landing in the water
but the engine escapes wetting and Baddeck No. 2 does not overturn.
Baddeck No. 1 is shipped by fast freight on June 14th to Montreal for Canada’s first
aviation meet. Entries include ten flying machines, two dirigibles and two balloons.
Baddeck No. 1 is assembled in 5 hours, a record for the meet. No shelter is available for
the aircraft at the meet and unfortunately Baddeck No. 1 overturned during a storm and
one wing is wrecked. Repairs are made and on June 30th the airplane reaches a height of
50 feet, makes a turn and swaying from side to side crashes. Bookins of the Wright team
makes the most successful flight of the meet.
Bell is not prepared to continue funding the airplane experiments.
With Bell and Baldwin far away, McCurdy accepts an offer to work with Curtiss in the
United States for one year and the CAC becomes a thing of the past.
While in Italy Bell and Baldwin meet Enrico Forlanini and ride in his hydrofoil boat.
When they return to Beinn Bhreagh Baldwin designs and builds their first hydrofoil boat
which they refer to as a “hydrodrome” and call it HD-1.
March 1912
McCurdy gets Cygnet III moving along the ice on Baddeck Bay on March 9th at about 40
miles per hour in a few inches of wet snow. A break in the track left in the snow by the
kite’s wheels indicates the “aerodrome” was airborne for about one foot. This is Bell’s
final tetrahedral kite venture.
Bell designs “The Oionos”, a tetrahedral triplane, with McCurdy and Baldwin as
consulting engineers. On March 14th Baldwin attempts to fly it with no success.
Hydrofoil experimentation continues. Bell and Baldwin develop their own hydrofoil
design. By September 9th, 1919, their fourth hydrodrome, HD-4, sets a world marine
speed record of almost 114 kilometers (almost 71 miles) per hour.
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