Walter Frank Chmela

Walter Frank Chmela was born in Vienna, Austria on May 28, 1926. His interest in aviation began as a model aircraft builder, and he participated in many competitions. Enthusiasm for the sport of gliding was taking hold in his country, and he made his first solo flight in a German Primary Glider SG 38 in 1940. At the time, all first flights were solo, and the glider was launched by a rubber cord sling-shot type of device^on a hillside. He received his Glider Pilot Licence in 1943.

Following his high school matriculation, he studied machine design at the Technical High School, and law at the University of Vienna. From 1948 to 1950 he worked in technical administration during the reconstruction of Vienna.

In 1950 he immigrated to Canada with just $25 in his pocket. He was determined to be successful, and studied courses in engineering at the Canadian Institute of Science and Technology in Toronto. He worked for several years in the engineering field as an electrical designer and designer of special purpose machinery, tools and dies.

In 1962 he formed his own company, Indesco International Ltd. in Toronto, which provided personnel and consulting engineering services for mining, petro-chemical, automotive and general manufacturing industries. He holds a patent for a new style 'floating pump' used to pump water from low-lying areas. Chmela operated his company until 1995, a period of 33 years.

When he arrived in Canada in 1950, Chmela found few opportunities to continue with his love for the sport of gliding, but with his 'can do' attitude and persistence, he made it happen. In 1954 he co-founded a gliding club, the Aero Club Harmony in Toronto. The club needed tow pilots so he took flying lessons, earning his Private Pilot Licence in 1956, and bought a British Auster to use as a tow plane.

In 1961 he founded the York Soaring Association. He provided the land, supplied the tow planes and gliders, and soon rounded up help to build two large hangars and a club house. By then he had his Commercial Pilot Licence, his Multi-Engine Rating, and Glider Instructor Rating, including Aerobatics.

Walter Chmela bought his first airplane, a British Auster, in 1958, to use as a tow plane.

Over the next 45 years Chmela inspired others by his many personal achievements. He gained his 'Diamond C' badge, the highest achievement award available to individual pilots. He set numerous Canadian gliding records, five of which still stand after 30 years or more, most notably Gain of Altitude and Absolute Altitude, accomplished at Colorado Springs. Examples are:

1971 - Multi-place glider speed record of 47 kph to a declared goal of 100 km distance.
1974 - Canadian citizen absolute altitude record: 12,449 m. (He is believed to be only the third person in the world to have flown a glider over 40,000 ft above sea level.)
1974 - Canadian citizen gain of altitude: 8,321 m.
1975 - Canadian citizen absolute altitude record in multi-place glider: 10,390 m. (35,000 ft.)
1976 - Multi-place glider speed record of 65 kph over a 300 km out-and-return course, in Pennsylvania, USA.

From 1970 to 1984 Walter Chmela organized wave-flying camps at Colorado Springs, where he taught high altitude flying to groups of up to 20 licensed pilots. Since gliders may fly at over 30,000 feet in these mountain waves, he lectured on the physiology of high altitudes and the use of oxygen, and conducted orientation and instructional flights.

Chmela's encouragement for young people to enjoy flying is legendary. Over a period of 34 years, from 1972 to the present time, he has organized annual flying training camps for the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. More than 500 cadets have graduated from these camps. In 1973 he was named Instructor of the Year by the Soaring Association of Canada.

Walter Chmela and student preparing for a high altitude lesson

In 1976 and again in 1993 he was presented with Achievement Awards by the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation. In 1993 he was awarded the prestigious Paul Tissandier Diploma by the Paris-based Federation Aéronautique Internationale for long and devoted service to the sport of soaring.

In 1979, and again in 1984 and 1986, he served as Contest Manager during the National Soaring Championships. Since 1984 he has served as President of the Ontario Soaring Association, an organization dedicated to providing umbrella services to all of Ontario's gliding clubs.

But Chmela's real contribution to the sport is as a builder and promoter, as represented by his work with the York Soaring Association. The expressed goal of the Association is to introduce more people to the sport and provide instruction at a reasonable cost. What has evolved under his direction is a Club that has done more, by far, than any other in Canada to foster these ideals.

He has served as its President and Treasurer since 1961. He was chief flying instructor for about 10 years, tow pilot and recruiter of new people into the sport. The club has won the Soaring Association of Canada's Roden Trophy for the most efficient club many times between 1974 and 1988.

Under his leadership the York Soaring Club has grown to be one of the largest and busiest in Canada. The Club has about 200 members, and its fleet now7 consists of 19 gliders and 5 tow planes. It has its own 200-acre airfield at Arthur, Ontario, complete with a serviced campground and 10-bunk trailer for cadets. In each of the past 15 years it has averaged 5000 aero-tows, 600 introductory flights, mostly to first-timers, and 2500 instructional flights. Each year the Club graduates an average of 25 new licenced pilots. As well, Air Cadet training camps are held concurrently with normal club flying operations.

Chmela continues to pursue his work vigorously and organized the first ever Air Cadet Officers' glider pilot training camp for 2006. He remains very active in the Club, looking after its finances and maintenance of aircraft and field. As well, he arranges meetings and takes care of membership, which continues to grow. His spirit of volunteerism still sets a high standard and his enthusiasm for the sport has never diminished.

Chmela enjoyed travelling back to Austria each year to visit family and friends. He and his wife, Eva, live in Toronto, Ontario. Walter Chmela passed away on July 10, 2021.

Walter Frank Chmela was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame at ceremonies held in Montreal on May 27, 2006 at a ceremony held at Montreal, Quebec.