Robert Thomas Heaslip

Robert Thomas (Bob) Heaslip, A.F.C., C.D.*, was born in Uxbridge, Ontario, on June 26, 1919. After graduating from Oshawa Collegiate in 1936, he joined the Oshawa Times-Gazette where he remained until he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1941. He received his pilot's wings the same year and was assigned to 122 Squadron at Patricia Bay, British Columbia, on army co-operation and transport flights. Two years later he was posted to 166 Squadron at Sea Island, British Columbia, as a communications and transport pilot. He was awarded the Air Force Cross (A.F.C.) in 1945 for his part in rescue activities.

At war's end Heaslip completed the RCAF's first pilot/navigator course at Summerside, Prince Edward Island, and was posted to No. 435 Squadron at Winnipeg, Manitoba, as a Flight Lieutenant. During 1947 he was trained as one of the RCAF's first helicopter pilots at Trenton, Ontario, and then was ordered to Rivers, Manitoba, to command the helicopter section of the RCAF Light Aircraft School. He instructed helicopter pilots until 1951, was then appointed Commanding Officer of the RCAF recruiting unit at Fort William, Ontario, promoted to Squadron Leader and posted to command the Hamilton, Ontario, recruitment centre. As the RCAF's most experienced helicopter pilot, he was named commander of the force's first all-helicopter unit, No. 108 Communications Flight at Bagotville, Quebec, in 1954.

In April of 1954, the Canadian and United States Governments jointly announced plans for continental air defence. Four links emerged in the planning: the northern Arctic link was known as the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, the Mid-Canada Line was built along the 55th parallel of north latitude, the Pinetree Line was located along the Canada-U.S. border, and the fourth link was the line of radar towers which extended down both flanks of North America.

The Mid-Canada Defence Line was an electronic warning network with no tracking facilities. It consisted of a series of stations linked by multi-channel communications at intervals along the line. The system used an electronic device which sent a beam straight up to detect all types of airborne objects moving through the electronic 'fence', from ground level to heights above the ceiling of any bombers of that day. It received electronic warnings from the DEW Line, confirming the direction of any attack. It would give a minimum of 60 minutes warning to the closest North American targets against any bombers or other aircraft flying at speeds up to 700 miles (1,126 km) per hour. The Pinetree Line would control the interceptor forces.

At Bagotville, Heaslip organized and trained a 200-man unit to provide air transport for the construction phase of the Mid-Canada Line. In February 1956, Heaslip's unit, using up to 22 helicopters, carried out the major lift of the materials required to build and furnish the sites.

Heaslip was awarded the Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy for his work in 1956, in recognition of his contribution to helicopter operations during the construction of the Mid-Canada Line. The helicopter flight he commanded had flown in excess of 9,000 hours airlifting 14,000 personnel and 10,000 tons (9,072 tonnes) of electronic and construction equipment over rugged terrain, often under hazardous conditions. He personally piloted many of these flights and he evolved unique airlift techniques for a large variety of load configurations, including bulky antenna assemblies, large diesel engines, steel towers, and other equipment peculiar to the needs of the Mid-Canada Line operation. He was responsible for the evolution and perfection of many new cold-weather operating techniques, which allowed the operation to proceed smoothly under extreme climatic conditions in the north. His command was then moved to Rockcliffe, Ontario, and later disbanded.

After completing the RCAF Staff College course at Toronto, Ontario, in 1957, Heaslip was selected to remain on the college's directing staff for three years and was promoted to Wing Commander. A senior staff officer's posting followed at Trenton, where he supervised a selected staff in the development of military plans concerned with transport operations, including those related to United Nations (UN) requirements in foreign lands.

This comprehensive background in air operations led to his appointment in 1965 as Commanding Officer of No. 117 Air Transport Unit in Lahore, West Pakistan, operating in support of the UN mission to that country. The 100-man unit operated from the Himalayan Mountains near the Chinese border to the Arabian Sea, a frontier of some 1,200 miles (1,931 km).

The following year he was named Base Operations Officer and Second-in-Command of Canadian  Forces Base, Trenton, in charge of flying activities, support services, flight planning, air traffic control, weather services and air movement. He retired from the service in 1968 to become Military Marketing Manager in North America for de Havilland of Canada Ltd. at Downsview, Ontario. He received the Canadian Forces Decoration (C.D.) and Clasp for his service. Bob Heaslip died, at age 88, on December 30, 2007 in Toronto, Ontario.

Robert Thomas (Bob) Heaslip was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974 at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.