Toronto, Ontario—View Photos from the Flight
The Vimy was hosted in Toronto by Toronto Aerospace Museum and Downsview Park with the assistance Bombardier Aerospace. Pilot Mark Rebholz and Co-pilot Dan Downs arrived in the Vimy from Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Wednesday May 25, 2005 at 8:40pm. On hand were crews from two television stations and a photographer from the largest Toronto newspaper; a picture of the Vimy appeared in the paper the next day.
100 people awaited the Vimy's arrival on Wednesday evening and after the Vimy landed, the plane was pushed into the hangar by museum volunteers. Over 50 volunteers from the Toronto Aerospace Museum contributed throughout the Vimy's stay in Toronto and Mark Rebholz was offered full use of the facilities at Downsview Park-thank you so much to everyone in Toronto! The Vimy's visit coincided with Doors Open Toronto-a citywide open house of heritage buildings, helping bring almost 4,000 people to the museum to visit the Vimy over the weekend.
On Monday, May 31st, 2005, the Vimy was moved to a hangar at Bombardier Aerospace's large aircraft factory at Downsview, where airliners and business jets are built for global customers. There on Tuesday eight Orenda engine specialists volunteered their time to perform a major technical inspection of aircraft took place in Toronto in preparation for the transatlantic adventure. Following the inspection the engines were run several times to fine-tune their operations. The aircraft was visited by cameramen from the CBC National News.
On Monday, the Vimy was moved to a hangar at Bombardier Aerospace's large aircraft factory at Downsview, which builds airliners and business jets for global customers. After a thorough engine inspection on Tuesday, the Vimy engines were run several times to fine tune their operations. The aircraft was visited by cameramen from the CBC National News.
On Wednesday June 1st, 2005 the Vimy taxied from the Bombardier aircraft factor 1 kilometer north to Downsview Park shortly after 8am Wednesday morning where Steve Fossett was waiting to be reunited with the Vimy, which he had flown from California to his home base of Salina Kansas the previous week.
Toronto Aerospace Museum arranged for four replica WWI fighter aircraft to accompany the Vimy as it departed Downsview. The spectacular site of the five biplane aircraft taking off was broadcast live on national television. The host of CBC TV's national morning program broadcast live form downs throughout the morning.
In recognition of the aircraft's first visit to Canada, Downsview Park EVP Tony Genco affixed a Canadian Maple Leaf flag sticker to the right side of the cockpit. The five aircraft flew over the Toronto waterfront where photos were taken against the city's lakefront skyline and the CN Tower-one of the largest free-standing building in the world.
Ottawa, Ontario—View Photos from the Flight
The Vimy’s stay in Ottawa was focused on preparing the biplane for its 1,100 mile non-stop flight to St. John’s, Newfoundland. This flight will be a rigorous, disciplined preparatory flight for the upcoming Transatlantic flight. Builder John LaNoue and crew Sebastien Arsenault and Ken Smyth installed cowlings over the engines as the last major maintenance initiative before the flight to Clifden, Ireland.
After being at the www.aviation.technomuses.ca for two days, Steve Fossett commended the world class facility.
The Vimy was ferried from Ottawa's Rockcliffe Airport to Gatineau Airport in the rain on June 8th, 2005 at 12:00pm EST. At 2:45pm EST, the Vimy, piloted by Mark Rebholz and John LaNoue (both of the Vimy's England to South Africa flight of 1999), took off from Gatineau airport after being fueled with 1449 litres of fuel from a generous donation from Mike Potter, based at Gatineau Airport. The Vimy took off in the rain for a five-hour flight to Quebec City, Quebec and then from Quebec City to St. John's, Newfoundland on June 9, 2005.
St. John's, Newfoundland—View Photos from the Flight
The Vimy rests in St. John's in preparation for the final leg of the Vimy Triple Crown (1919/1994: England to Australia, 1920/1999: England to South Africa, 1919/2005 Newfoundland to Ireland.) Please check back for details about events in St. John's, Newfoundland.
Clifden, Ireland—View Photos from the Flight
Pilot Steve Fossett and Co-pilot Mark Rebholz will depart St. John's, Newfoundland for Clifden, Ireland to attempt to recreate the 1919 first non-stop Transatlantic flight made by Capt. John Alcock and Lieut. Arthur Whitten using the same navigational devices used by Alcock and Brown— a sextant, a drift meter, a magnetic compass, and a watch. Please check back soon for details about the exciting and historic flight.
