Trans-Canada Trophy

The Trans-Canada Trophy, also known as the McKee Trophy, is awarded by the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute to a Canadian citizen who has made an outstanding, contemporary achievement in aerospace operations, whether a single act within the year prior to the award or a sustained level of performance over a period of several years. The award was founded in 1927 by James Dalzell McKee(1893–1927) and is the oldest aviation award in Canada.^[1]

History

In 1926, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadron leader Albert Earl Godfrey and McKee flew together in a Douglas MO-2B seaplane from Montreal, Quebec to Vancouver, British Columbia.^[1] During the course of the flight it was decided a "Trans-Canada Trophy" would be created to commemorate the flight. In appreciation of the RCAF and the Ontario Provincial Air Services, McKee presented the trophy, requesting it be awarded each year to the person who best advanced aviation in Canada. McKee also provided an endowment for a replica to be given to each winner.^[1]

The trophy was deeded to the Crown in the person of the Department of National Defence, which controlled all aspects of aviation at the time, both military and civil.^[2] In 1971, the administration of the McKee trophy was transferred to the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute.

Winners

• 1927 Harold Anthony Oaks *
• 1928 C.H. Dickins *
• 1929 Wilfrid R. "Wop" May *
• 1930 John Henry Tudhope *
• 1931 George H Phillips *
• 1932 Maurice Burbidge *
• 1933 Walter E Gilbert *
• 1934 Elmer G Fullerton *
• 1935 William M Archibald *
• 1936 Arthur Massey Berry *
• 1937 J.P. Romeo Vachon *
• 1938 Philip G. Johnson
• 1939 Murton A Seymour*
• 1940 Thomas W Siers *
• 1941 A. Daniel McLean *
• 1942 Thomas Mayne Reid *
• 1943 Thomas Mayne Reid *
• 1944 John Armitstead Wilson *
• 1945 Grant W.G. McConachie*
• 1946 Zebulon Lewis Leigh *
• 1947 Bernard A Rawson *
• 1948 Roland B West *
• 1949 Dennis K Yorath *
• 1950 Carl C Agar *
• 1951 Philip C Garratt *
• 1952 Keith R Greenaway *
• 1953 Franklin I. Young *
• 1954 Jerauld G Wright *
• 1955 Gerald L MacInnis *
• 1956 Robert T Heaslip *
• 1957 John G Showler *
• 1958 Janusz Żurakowski *
• 1959 John Alexander Douglas McCurdy *
• 1960 Wilson George Leach *
• 1961 Welland W Phipps *
• 1962 Not Awarded
• 1963 Frank MacDougall
• 1964-65 Not Awarded
• 1966 Philip C Garratt *
• 1967 Robert A White *
• 1968-1972 Not Awarded
• 1973 Max W Ward *
• 1974 R.H. Fowler *
• 1975 John A.M. Austin *
• 1976 David C Fairbanks (posthumously)
• 1977 Albert Earl Godfrey *
• 1978 R.D. Schultz *
• 1979-80 Not Awarded
• 1981 F.D. Adkins
• 1982 E.N. Ronaasen (posthumously)
• 1983 D.H. Rogers *
• 1984 G.N. Henderson (posthumously)
• 1985 P.Y. Davoud *
• 1986 T.M. Watt
• 1987 S.W. Grossmith*
• 1988 Not Awarded
• 1989 G.A. Neal *
• 1990 B. Granley
• 1991 S. Graham * (posthumously)
• 1992 L. Kerr*
• 1993 L. deBlicquy
• 1994 B.J. Wormworth
• 1995 V. Moshansky
• 1996 A.R. Baker
• 1997 Not Awarded
• 1998 A.O. Dumas
• 1999 John B. Croll
• 2000 J.F. Henley
• 2001 Mr. Wallace K Warner
• 2002 South Pole Rescue Team, Kenn Borek Air
• 2003 Capt. Robert Piché
• 2004 William Peppler
• 2005 John Maris
• 2006 John Aitken
• 2007 Captain Gordon Lemon
• 2008 CF Cormorant, 19 Wing, 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, Captain Sean Morris, Captain Rob Mulholland, Flight Engineer Cpl Derek Agnew, SAR Tech MCpl Kent Gulliford, and SAR Tech Sgt Yves St. Denis
• 2009 Mr. Larry Dufraimont, Bombardier Aerospace
• 2010 Captain S.C. Mullins, CFAWC(O)
• 2011 Mr. Cameron Robertson and Dr. Todd Reichert, U of T Human-Powered Ornithopter Project
• 2012 Mr. David Kroetsch and Dr. Michael Peasgood, Aeryon Labs, Inc. ^[3]

Note: "*" denotes Members of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame

References

Bibliography

• Sutherland, Alice Gibson (1978). Canada's Aviation Pioneers: 50 Years of McKee Trophy Winners. McGraw-Hill Ryerson. ISBN 0-07-082704-4.