For a relatively small and
little known town in Central
Newfoundland, Botwood has
played a major role in the
history of aviation in
Canada. Covering a period
from 1920 to 1945 this town
was flying high.
   World renown Australian
pioneer aviator, Sidney

Cotton, based a flying
operation here in 1920, from
where he did aerial surveying
for the Newfoundland
government and experimented
with using his three
airplanes to spot seal herds,
and to deliver mail by air.
   In 1933 another famous
airplane pilot, Charles

Lindbergh, and his wife,
Anne, landed his plane in
Botwood harbour for
refueling. He was exploring
the coast of the North
Atlantic for suitable sites
for the takeoff and landing
of possible transatlantic
passenger flights. His
recommendation of Botwood for

this purpose was accepted by
Pan Am, BOAC and their
respective governments.
   By 1937 all was in
readiness for these flights
and testing began and Botwood
residents gaped in awe at
these huge flying machines.
By 1939 things had gone so
well that regular flights