Rob-n-Hild, Eastward Ho!
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Gander - Corner Brook 365 km. 4:03 hours. Elevation maximum 200 metres 
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| This morning we explored the North Atlantic Aviation Museum and Gander International Airport, before driving to Corner Brook along the Trans Canada Highway - filling in some bits that we had missed driving East last week. People said that we would have to get used to driving back along the same road in Newfoundland and they were right. The TCH is pretty much the only road across the Island and our idea of taking the ferry from Argentia on the eastern part of the island was squashed when we realised this ferry doesn't start until late June! On the trip map it will look a bit weird and we may have to use different colours for out and back.... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Anyway, the North Atlantic Aviation Museum is small but packed with fun stuff about flying across the North Atlantic (as its name suggests), but also about the role that Gander played in this history. Even before Gander was chosen as the site for an airport, people were using Newfoundland as a jumping off (or landing) point to try and fly across the Atlantic. A great many of these attempts were unsuccessful and many pilots were never heard from again, but that didn't stop others trying! The museum has a lot of heroic stories - including Gander, a Newfoundland dog who pulled the refuelling sled. Gander went on to serve with Royal Rifles in Hong Kong and saved 7 soldiers by picking up a Japanese grenade and running back towards the enemy with it! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| For us, the most incredible thing about Gander International Airport is that is is here at all. In 1934 some very far-sighted people figured that there was an opportunity to capture a slice of what was then a non-existent commercial airline market by building an airport on Newfoundland. Gander was just a lake in a forest, but it was flat and there was a railway (at the time) so even though there was no road, it was chosen. Quite remarkable by todays standards, the airport was ready for flights in 1938, just in time for the Second World War to completley change its role. Gander became critical to the Allies as a jumpimg off point for aircraft travelling to Britain and the airport became a large military base. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| After the war, international air travel took off (oops) and Gander became the most important airport as it allowed for planes to re-fuel and carry more paying passengers to and from Europe. A new terminal opened in 1959 became a glamourous place with Royalty, celebrities and politicians all dropping in and mixing with the locals who would also use the facilities! A fabulous mural was commissioned for the lounge and is still as bright as new. Sadly, as jet aircraft were developed with much longer range, non-stop trans-atlantic flights began to by-pass Gander, although the very long runway made it a useful option in emergencies - Gander was one of the sites where the Space Shuttle could land if necessary! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| One such emergency was September 9 2001 when the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington led to the closure of all US airspace. Planes in the air were diverted to the nearest airport and 38 commercial flights landed at Gander in just a few hours. As these flights were grounded for days, this meant 6,700 passengers and crew had to be looked after - in a town of about 10,000 people! The people of Gander did such a wonderful job that 2,500 of the people who were stranded came back for a commemorative event the following year. A Broadway musical based on the event - Come From Away - was a hit and ran for a number of years. This has re-ignited interest in the airport and although there are not too many flights any more, the terminal has been renovated in its original style and the International Lounge is open to the public - where we had lunch! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coming up: Corner Brook | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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May/June 2023
May/June 2023