New Five-Stamp Set Celebrates Achievements In Canadian Aviation
Sherry Brydson, owner of De Havilland Canada, and Suromitra Sanatani, Canada Post’s Chair of the Board of Directors, unveiled the DHC-2 Beaver Canada Post Stamp at Viking Air Ltd. in Sidney, B.C., October 13, 2022.
SIDNEY – Today at Viking Air Limited’s facilities in Sidney, BC, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) owner Sherry Brydson and Canada Post representatives unveiled a new Canada Post stamp celebrating the DHC-2 Beaver’s contribution to Canadian aviation. The DHC-2 Beaver is one of five achievements featured in Canada Post’s new “Canadians in Flight” series.
Canada Post explained its selection of the iconic DHC-2 Beaver this way:
The Beaver is considered the best bush plane ever built and was named one of Canada’s top 10 engineering achievements of the 20th century. The all-metal plane’s short takeoff and landing capability – along with its ability to be fitted with wheels, floats or skis – made the Beaver ideal for accessing and connecting remote areas of the country.
De Havilland Canada began designing the DHC-2 Beaver in 1946; company engineers surveyed bush pilots from remote communities of Northern Canada and several countries on what mattered most to them in a new aircraft. The first DHC-2 Beaver flew from the runway at Toronto’s Downsview Airport on August 16, 1947, 75 years ago this summer. De Havilland Canada produced a total of 1,692 DHC-2 Beavers over the aircraft’s 20-year production period. Today, over 750 of these iconic aircraft remain operational worldwide.
“We are honoured that Canada Post has chosen the DHC-2 Beaver to be part of this new series celebrating achievements in Canadian aviation,” said De Havilland Canada CEO, Brian Chafe. “This is a special day for our company and for the people whose lives have been improved by this amazing aircraft over the past seven and a half decades, with many more to come.”
The new stamps will be available at postal outlets across Canada starting Monday, October 17, with pre-sales beginning today at www.canadapost.ca.
