William John Sanderson

William John (Jack) Sanderson was born in Lakewood, Ohio, U.S.A., on November 24, 1898, and was raised on a farm near London, Ontario. At the outbreak of World War I, he joined the 9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops and went overseas in 1916. In mid-1917 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and was posted to France. As a pilot with No. 110 Squadron, he flew de Havilland DH-9A's in high altitude bombing raids against Germany. At the end of the war, he returned to his father's farm in Ontario. In 1928 the London Flying Club was formed, and following completion of an instructor's course, he was hired as the Club's flight instructor.

A chance meeting with Major R.H. Fleet, President of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in Buffalo, New York, resulted in a change of plans. Sanderson was hired as the Canadian representative for the company and began demonstrating Fleet 2 aircraft in Canada in October 1929. Fleet Aircraft of Canada Limited was incorporated in March 1930, and aircraft manufacturing began that year. As General Manager and Test Pilot, Sanderson divided his time between managing the company, testing each new aircraft and flying the Fleet demonstrator at flying club meets throughout Ontario. He took a Fleet 7 to Ottawa in October 1930, for extensive testing by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), following which the company received an order for twenty aircraft.

Sanderson was recognized as one of the best aerobatic pilots in Canada, and he participated in the Trans-Canada Air Pageant in 1931 in a Fleet 7. He sustained the company during the next two years when orders for new aircraft were virtually nonexistent, by performing aerobatics at airshows, and overhauling aircraft. In 1934 he secured the rights for the Waco line of aircraft. After modification for Canadian operating conditions, a number were sold and operated across the country.

By late 1934, orders for new Fleet aircraft were again being placed, and in 1937, the Fort Erie plant was expanded. The company was reorganized as a Canadian-owned company under the name Fleet Aircraft Limited, with Sanderson as President and General Manager. He concentrated part of his efforts on the development of a twin-engine freighter for bush flying and on February 22, 1938, he flew the prototype of the Fleet 50 Freighter. During the late 1930's, under his direction, Fleet built more aircraft than any other Canadian firm.

Sanderson was appointed Director of the Commercial Air Transport and Manufacturers Association of Canada in November 1937. He met with British trade missions to discuss the establishment of a consortium of companies in Canada to manufacture British aircraft. These meetings led to the formation of Canadian Associated Aircraft Limited.

In October 1939, Sanderson was hired by the Defence Purchasing Board, and in April 1940, was appointed Director of Aircraft Supply, Department of Munitions and Supply. He was responsible for the ordering and production of the various aircraft required for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). His own company's major war production program included the manufacture of the Fleet Finch and Hampden bomber fuselages, the Fairchild PT-23 and PT-26, Cornell, and the outer wings for the Lancaster Mk 10.

He returned to Fleet Aircraft in October 1940, to oversee the manufacture of the Fleet Fort advanced trainer until 1942. He spent the remainder of the war years in the United States engaged in the development and production of plastic material for use in aircraft.

At war's end, Sanderson established Central Aircraft in Toronto, Ontario, operating as a component sub-contractor to de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited and Cessna distributor. In 1958, when a fire destroyed the property, he reorganized under the name Sanderson-Acfield Aircraft Limited, and continued as a Cessna sales agency.

At age 65, he completed a season of amphibious flying in Newfoundland. He moved to British Columbia in 1967, where he took instruction and became qualified to fly helicopters. He died in Victoria, British Columbia, on January 22, 1984.

Jack Sanderson was interested in the development of pilot training programs at Flying Clubs across Canada. He felt that the Flying Clubs Associations should train their own instructors, air engineers and maintenance mechanics in order to provide a broader service to Canadian aviation.

William John (Jack) Sanderson was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983 a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.