Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame 2024 Induction Ceremony

On the evening of September 14, the prestigious Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame (CAHF) hosted its annual Induction Ceremony at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. Founded in 1973, CAHF is dedicated to recognizing individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to Canadian aviation, and this year’s event was another remarkable celebration of aviation excellence.

The evening began with a warm reception at 5:00 p.m., where guests enjoyed cocktails, networking, and the chance to catch up with familiar faces from the aviation community. The formal program kicked off at 7:00 p.m., with Jean Menard, the Master of Ceremonies, inviting attendees to take their seats for a night of recognition and celebration.

John McKenna, Chair of the National Board of Directors for CAHF, delivered the opening remarks, setting the tone for the evening. Following his welcome, Jean Menard introduced the distinguished members of the Hall who were present, before turning the stage over to keynote speaker Roddy Mackenzie, who delivered an inspiring address to the gathered guests.

The highlight of the evening was the induction of five individuals whose outstanding contributions to Canadian aviation were celebrated:

J. Neil Garfield Armstrong

John Binder

Mary Cameron-Kelly

Ken Money (accepted by his daughter, Laura Money)

Robert & Tommy Wong (accepted by Robert Wong’s daughter, Roberta Lau)

A special moment during the ceremony came when Evelyn Sue Wong, daughter of inductee Robert Wong, took to the stage with her book, Ready to Fly. The book details the story of how Robert and Tommy Wong built the Pietenpol Sky Scout in 1935 as teenagers. Proceeds from the book’s sales will be generously donated to CAHF.

Jeremy Diamond, CEO of the RCAF Foundation, addressed the attendees towards the end of the ceremony about the partnership between the RCAF Foundation and Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, and the launch of a scholarship program aimed at supporting future generations in the field of aviation.

As the ceremony concluded, there was a heartfelt congratulations to all the 2024 inductees. A special thank you to Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame for hosting such a memorable event and for giving us the honour of covering this year’s induction ceremony. It was a privilege to witness such an inspiring evening celebrating the best of Canadian aviation.