Robert Allan White

Robert Allan (Bud) White, OMM, SSM (NATO), QSJM, C.D.**, B.A.Sc., M.B.A., was born on December 11, 1928, in Sudbury, Ontario, and grew up in Kirkland Lake. He learned to fly in 1946 at Larder Lake, Ontario, and obtained his Private Pilot's License at Toronto, Ontario, while attending Upper Canada College. For two summers he was employed by Imperial Oil Ltd. as an engine-room seaman, initially on the Great Lakes, and in 1948 aboard oil tankers to Venezuelan ports.

His desire to become a military pilot resulted in acceptance into the Royal Military College (RMC) at Kingston, Ontario, in 1948 under an Air Cadet and later a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Benevolent Fund Scholarship. During the summer of 1951 he obtained his pilot's wings at Centralia, Ontario, and the following year he graduated from RMC as a Flying Officer in the RCAF regular force. He then attended the University of Toronto during 1952-53 and graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After completing the fighter operational training course (OTU) at Chatham, New Brunswick, White was transferred overseas to No. 427 Fighter Squadron at Zweibrucken, Germany, where he flew F-86 Sabres for 3 1/2 years during the peak of the Cold War. He returned to Canada in 1957 for brief tours of duty as resident staff officer at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, and on the staff of Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario. Pre-selected to join the Avro Arrow flight test team, he then returned to England in 1959 as a Flight Lieutenant to attend the year-long course at the Empire Test Pilot's School at Farnborough.

With the Arrow cancellation, White returned to engineering test-flying duties in Canada in 1960 with the Central Experimental and Proving Establishment (CEPE) at Edmonton, Alberta. There he served with the Climatic Detachment at Namao, and as the Detachment Commander and resident test pilot at Northwest Industries Ltd., conducting acceptance trials on Canadair T-33 and Fairchild C-119 aircraft for the RCAF. During this 2-year period, he received a commendation for saving his crew and a C-119 Boxcar aircraft when he faced an engine failure on takeoff at maximum weight during an engineering test flight. He also completed the Air Transport Command 'Captains' OTU course at Trenton, and the RCAF Staff School course at Toronto.

In 1962 White was one of 4 Canadians loaned to the United States Air Force (USAF) Space Systems Division at Los Angeles, California, for service with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space programs. He spent the first year with the Mercury manned program, then returned to the Gemini Launch Vehicle Directorate as an Operations Project Officer with the rank of Squadron Leader. There he was responsible for Pilot Safety, Man-Rating and Acceptance programs with responsibility during operations for engines, propellants and loading systems. He was also the Program Office "Chaperon" for the critical GLV#2 ‘All-Up Systems Unmanned Launch Vehicle' from Baltimore assembly and test through Canaveral erection, test and successful launch. During his 3 1/2 years with the USAF and NASA, working out of Los Angeles, Sacramento, Baltimore and Cape Kennedy (Canaveral), he served with distinction in the acceptance and launch programs for the last two Mercury and the first four Gemini manned NASA space flights, as well as representing his Gemini Program office during other associated military and NASA launches.

He returned to Canada in 1965 to attend the last RCAF Staff College course before being assigned to the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) as Officer Commanding flying operations. In 1967 he was promoted to Wing Commander and named Senior Test Pilot (STP) of AETE (which at the time was an Air Force 'mini command with units from Prestwick, Scotland to Ottawa, Cold Lake, Namao, Churchill and Yuma, Arizona).

During 1967 he led the Canadian Centennial Team, composed of military, government and civilian personnel, in challenging the Russian-held World Altitude record for aircraft during Canada’s Centennial Year. They focused the highest level of Canadian technology on special instrumentation and modifications to a CF-104 Starfighter aircraft, and a unique 'Zoom' profile. Arrangements for tracking were made with the Defence Research Board and Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE) in Ottawa; and authentication was provided by the Canadian Flying Clubs Association. After 42 flights and 25 'zooms' (with 12 of them above 96,000 feet), Wing Commander White terminated the program in December. He had failed to beat the Russian record (which had used rocket booster assist). On December 14, 1967, he had, however, piloted the aircraft to a new Federation Aeronautique International (FAI) Canadian record of 100,100 feet (30,510 m) which still stands to this day (1974). He was awarded the Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy in 1968 for his leadership and flying skills in this undertaking. His unique CF-104 #700 is still on display in the National Aeronautical collection in Ottawa.

The following year, White was appointed Director of Cadets and Military Training at the RMC. In this capacity he was responsible for implementing sweeping social and structural changes which greatly strengthened the ethos and ethics of officer education at the military colleges. In 1972-73 he attended the USAF Air War College at Montgomery, Alabama, graduating with distinction, while at the same time obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Auburn University. After his return to Canada in 1973, he was promoted to Colonel and took over the Directorate of Policy Coordination and Review (DPCR), which eventually provided the secretariat and inner staffing for the Chief and Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), Ottawa.

In 1976 he was appointed Base Commander of CFB North Bay, Ontario, a North American Air Defence (NORAD) Command base and home of the 22nd NORAD region, with one of the largest underground military facilities in the western world. Originally sent to oversee the closure of the base, Colonel White convinced Air Command and NDHQ not only to retain the base, but to upgrade and modernize the underground facility.

In 1979, after 31 years of distinguished service and with 52 aircraft types to his credit, he took early retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces to accept an offer from Noranda Mines Ltd. to become Vice-President and General Manager of their Special Metals Division nuclear tube manufacturing facility at Arnprior, Ontario. In 1981 after Noranda and Sandvik of Sweden formed a co-venture known as Nor-Sand Metals Inc, Bud White became their first President. In 1983, he returned to his aviation roots, moving to British Columbia as a Board Director and Executive Vice President (Operations) of Canadian Aircraft Products (CAP) in Richmond, BC. There he was deeply involved in the expansion and profitability of major aircraft component and composite production, leading to the purchase of CAP by Avcorp in 1985/86.

For his engineering test flying, Gemini Program Office service with the USAF and NASA, and particularly for his leadership of the Centennial team, Colonel White was made an Officer of the Order of Military Merit (O.M.M.) by the Governor General of Canada in June 1974 in Ottawa. A month later, as one of the 28 McKee Trophy recipients and with 79 others in total, he was inducted as a Member of the "First Class" of the new Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.

An outstanding athlete and hockey player at UCC and RMC, White played for the RCAF Flyers against the top National teams in Europe. An accomplished skier, he became a professional ski instructor while serving at NDHQ. After retirement from Avcorp Industries and moving to Whistler, BC in 1986, he taught skiing professionally for 6 years, began to race competitively in master’s competitions, and became a certified ski Racing Coach. Also, while in Whistler, he moved from hiking into serious mountaineering, with successful climbs of Mount Waddington, the Grand Teton, and the Tantalus Range.

In 1950, while recovering from a sport injury in Toronto General Hospital, Bud was captivated by his beautiful young nurse, Lee Smith. They were married following RMC graduation, and have 4 children, 8 grandkids and 2 great-grandkids.  In 1993, Bud and Lee White moved to Wanaka on New Zealand's South Island in order to fulfill Lee's dream of seeing animals in Southern Africa. During the next 10 years in New Zealand, they travelled widely; Bud joined a Syndicate of Hi-Country Marino sheep ranchers with a Cessna 172; taught skiing and raced in the NZ and US Masters Championships; and went hiking and climbing in the Summers.

Bud and Lee White moved back to Canada in 2004, and currently live in a Vancouver hi-rise condo. He has served on the CAHF Board of Directors; was President of the Air Force Officers Association and the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust; currently owns and flies his own Navion aircraft; and still skis at Whistler/Blackcomb at the age of 88. In 2009, the BC Aviation Council honoured him with their prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" in recognition of "his notable achievements and distinguished service in military and civilian aviation".