R.A. (Bob) Logan

It has been announced that Squadron Leader R.A. Logan has been made head of the Eire Air Force, and his fellow members of this Institute, as well as many friends throughout Canada, join in extending to him their congratulations. Few men of his years have crowded into their lives so much adventure and varied experience as Bob Logan and it is gratifying to know that this recognition has been given to the important part he has played in the development of aviation and air routes.

Born in Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia, in 1892, Squadron Leader Logan was commissioned as a Dominion Land Surveyor in 1914. He was also a provincial land surveyor in Nova Scotia. Among the first of Canadians to enlist in the Royal Naval Air Service in the Great War, he rendered distinguished service until shot down between the lines and captured by the Germans. Recently on a trip from London to Budapest by plane to attend the International Conference, he flew across Germany and directly over the prison camps where he had been a prisoner of war in Germany for almost two years. It is interesting to know that while a prisoner in this camp, he prepared a scheme for the resurvey of Nova Scotia. After the war he served for some time in the Royal Canadian Air Force and, among other activities, made investigations of flying con­ditions in the Canadian Arctic. Attracted by civil flying, he made extensive air surveys in Rhodesia and later did invaluable work with Pan American Airways in the organization of their South American services. He accompanied Colonel Lindbergh in an investigation of the Northern Trails-Atlantic routes via Greenland and Iceland and his skill and experience have been largely drawn upon in the organization of Trans-Atlantic air services. During the past several years, he has spent a large part of his time in his native province of Nova Scotia engaged in the development of milling property near Ship Harbour.

Squadron Leader Logan has contributed several articles for The Canadian Surveyor and has always kept up his interest in the profession and his connection with the associates of his early years "on survey." His pioneering work in aviation has placed him among the most prominent figures in air transportation and gives assurance that he will be equally successful in his new position. Bob always dropped ill to see us when in Ottawa and we hope he will be able to visit us again in the near future.

Source: Canadian Surveyor, October 1938