Victor Robert Bennett

Victor Bennet was born December 13, 1928 in St. John's, Newfoundland. In 1950 he enlisted as a Royal Canadian Air Force trainee Flight Cadet in the University Air Training Plan at McGill University in Montreal. He earned his Private Pilot's Licence in 1951 and his Commercial Licence in 1953. Vic graduated from RCAF Flying Training School at Centralia, Ontario, receiving his wings and commission as a Pilot Officer in September 1950, and joined 438 City of Montreal Reserve Squadron as a pilot.

After receiving a Bachelor of Commerce degree at McGill in 1951 he realized that a degree in law would complement a position in industry. Vic enrolled in law at the University of British Columbia in 1952 and paid his way through university by flying Douglas DC-3s in Quebec for Hollinger Ungava Transport in the summer of 1953. He graduated with his law degree from UBC in 1955 and left the air force in 1956 as a Flight Lieutenant, but signed up again with the RCAF in 1958. He continued with the air force Auxiliary in Personnel and Legal fields, taking his release from the RCAF in 1964.

On June 4, 1955, Vic married Constance Cyr of Edmundston, New Brunswick. In 1956 he was hired by Timmins Aviation Ltd. in Montreal, the beginning of a 35-year career in the civil aviation industry. Until 1967 he served Timmins as secretary, general manager and vice-president. The company repaired, overhauled, and modified aircraft, including design and interior completion, as well as manufacturing airline galleys.

In 1967, Timmins Aviation was bought out by Atlantic Aviation of Wilmington, Delaware. Over the next seven years with Bennett as president, the company expanded its operations in providing fuel, hangar storage, technical and management services and aircraft sales. In addition to its Montreal headquarters, it established facilities at Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and later at St. John's and Burlington, Vermont. The company represented major aerospace manufacturers, and with financial investment assistance from Innocan Investments, in 1974 Vic bought the company and renamed it Innotech Aviation Limited.

Innotech built a reputation as Canada's largest private aircraft full-service company, servicing domestic and international clients with maintenance, engineering, avionics upgrades and refurbishing for civil and military aircraft. After serving as president or chairman with Innotech for 17 years and seeing it grow to some 650 employees, Vic saw the company sold to IMP Aerospace.

Vic Bennett earned the respect and admiration of friends and colleagues in the aviation industry for his integrity, professionalism and personality which all contributed to his status as an ambassador for the aviation industry. He has served as Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, as a Member of the Premier's Economic Advisory Council of British Columbia, Vice-Chairman of the International Aviation Management Training Institute, Chairman of Airshow Canada, and as a Member of the Advisory Board for the Business Faculty of Memorial University in St. John's.

In 2005 Vic Bennett was the recipient of the C.D. Howe Award, presented by the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI). Introduced in 1966 and named for the long-time Member of Parliament and Minister of Transport, the Award is presented for achievements in planning and policy making, and overall leadership in Canadian aeronautics and space activities.

Vic Bennett's background in flying, commerce, law and business has served him well in the aviation field. From 2005 to 2007, Vic served as a chairman of the board for Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. His accomplishments have been recognized by being awarded an Honourary Lifetime Membership by the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) in 2009.

Following retirement in 1990, Vic and Connie settled in Kingston, Ontario. From 1992 - 2007 Vic served as member of the Board of Directors of Conair Aviation and Cascade Aerospace Inc. He remained active in retirement after a distinguished career as a manager, builder and spokesman in Canadian aviation.

Victor Bennet was inducted as Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame on May 30, 2013 at a ceremony held in Ottawa, Ontario. Vic Bennet passed away on August 9, 2017.