Ontario's Historical Plaques 


Discover Ontario's history as told through its plaques


2004 - Now in our 15th Year - 2019


 To find out all about me, you can visit the Home Page 


Looking at this page on a smartphone?
For best viewing, hold your phone
in Landscape mode (Horizontal)



The Ayling and Reid Flight

Ayling and Reid Flight

Photo by contributor Colin Old - Posted January, 2009

Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted December, 2010

Plaque Location

The County of Simcoe
The Town of Wasaga Beach
On a cairn at the entrance to Nancy Island Historic Site
on Mosley Street across from 3 Street North


Coordinates: N 44 31.200 W 80 01.260

Plaque Text

On 8 August 1934 J.R. Ayling and L.G. Reid, flying "The Trail of the Caribou" a twin-engined biplane, the De Haviland "Dragon", took off from the hard sands of Wasaga Beach headed for Baghdad. An icing problem led to a bent control rod and a throttle stuck wide open. This, in turn, increased fuel consumption by 70 per cent above that estimated and resulted in termination of the flight at Heston Airfield, London, England after 6,000 km and 30 hours, 55 minutes of flying time. Despite failure in their main objective the aviators had accomplished the first non-stop flight from the mainland of Canada to England.

More
Flight

More
Wasaga Beach Plaques




Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted July 4, 2016
James Reginald Ayling (born 1905 in India) was the son of Sir William Bock Ayling (1867-1946) & Emma Graham (1868-1912).
Chris




Here's where you can send me a comment for this page.

Note: Your email address will be posted at the end of your comment so others can respond to you unless you request otherwise.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours (usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as I have posted your comment, a reply to your email will be sent informing you.

To send me your comment, click .

Thanks
Alan L Brown
Webmaster

Note: If you wish to send me a personal email, click .