Tower Aerospace: Canadian Pioneer Aviation, Aerospace Story
Within Canada, Aircraft Support from international suppliers was basically unheard-of regarding import of critical required all airborne parts, airframe components, coatings, advanced materials, engines, electrical, electronic, hydraulics; operational and structural fastening devices. It could take up to a year to get delivery and sometimes as long as a year and a half. International support was even longer depending on the availability of the required part or component or material. There was a vast open demand for immediate response support. As a result, Tower Aircraft Corporation was born.
Mr. McLeod, the founder of the Tower Group of companies realised the inadequacy, sometimes futility and operator frustration due to no support and the massive open and vast market across Canada. As a result, Mr. McLeod created a Technical Emergency Response Support program in direct communication with the entire Aviation and later Aerospace Industries. That move created the initial planning and the eventual move toward design engineering, advanced product development, prototype testing, atmospheric and flight testing.
We took four years to break through the operator resistance to establish a Canadian National Distributor. Customer resistance to carve out a working relationship with the industry across the Country was extremely difficult as attitudes had to change. In those days we were up against the Americans and all we heard was “you will never make it.”
Once accomplished, mid 1980’s, the company took a move to Calgary Alberta and began the long and difficult road into manufacturing self produced airborne equipment; specific products as Auxiliary Fuel System design test and manufacturing and Crash Position Indication equipment that can withstand total atmospheric, UV and other impact issues. Not withstanding north harsh marine environments as Canada has three of the longest connected marine coast lines in the world including vast Arctic regions. Early ninety’s the Company studied and entered into advanced airborne wildfire Helicopter Support waterbombing equipment, advanced delivery platforms with “first of” products, technology never been openly spread around the world.
Over several years the company grew to thirty plus staff and engaged with over100 design contractors, 3000 suppliers and most Heavy Jet Transport Aircraft, Regional Carrier turbine component manufacturers and suppliers. Eventually Tower’s Fuel Systems for the MD Helicopter line reached international impact in eighteen Countries; today our systems are in daily operations such as Police, Fire Prevention, Scientific Research Missions, off shore Oil Ops and Hydro line Inspection. In addition, environmental long distance research programs including missions to the North and South Poles, providing very necessary auxiliary fuel for mission specific Helicopters.
Crash positioning equipment was a very important add on in the 1980’s and the Canadian Armed Forces required Tower Aerospace assistance in supplying personal locator equipment and instant traceable positioning equipment initiated from airborne search and rescue aircraft; notwithstanding other special mission requirements.
The Company became a leader in design, manufacturing, flight test and production of advanced light weight materials specifically Wild Fire Airborne Initial attack equipment – addressing the Bell and MD line of Helicopters. Tower studied other platforms including design capability to support heavy machines like the Sikorsky S-61, EH101 and Boeing Chinook large Helicopters. Along the way Tower was engaged to design and build a mobile transportable fuel control center for Jet Engine overhaul and test Facilities.
Tower Aerospace in the 1990’s was one of the first in Western Canada to have a fully operative advanced composite materials facility fully equipped to build and test advanced composite airborne products.
Training:
Canada has an enviable education system equal to that of the US and many advanced eastern and western European Countries. Tower Aerospace recognizes the European and South American well-educated talent in both genders, female and male and has hired from Russia, Romania, the Asian area, South America and also, from Canadian Universities; Aviation and Aerospace certified Colleges and Technical Schools. All embracing Technologist levels to full senior PHD Specialist in Aerospace and Space Activities; including Satellite Technologies and Space Data Transfer. The company has screened, hired and on the job trained over 200 individuals in support services regarding aircraft product overhaul repair and manufacturing including electronics manufacturing and across the board product flight testing.
The Company’s international relations have been very strong and our attitude toward our customers demands at all times to deal with all customers openly with the utmost of respect and to dedicate ourselves to our mission statement that reads, quote: “what we are, what we offer, with dedicated concern to the customer and to do exactly what we quote and to give total support efforts to prove what we say and to deliver what we quote on time and to specification”. Tower Aerospace recognizes the customer is the ultimate concern. Our annual rejection rate of any product or component, manufactured or overhauled system is less than .05 percent. International Quality Assurance and aerodynamic safety is paramount in our combined interface with the world Aero Space industry.
The Future:
Tower Aerospace is open for business in any corner of the world with respect to direct support to every customer to meet the end objective they present. Tower Aerospace staff and affiliates support Aerospace, Space and advanced Aviation by its historical demand of critical transportation quality control standards. Those standards are known across industry as the highest demanded levels of non-failure in all aspect of flight and space environments. The company is ready to interface with the international world in addressing the total impact of climate and environmental change and space advancements. By supporting human life in space, we can and are able to interface totally with other Earth environmental science-based operations; our 43-year company evolution has prepared us for the advanced space future and the learned return data and science achievements to support world climate concerns and the present dramatic impact.
Respectfully submitted;
Sandford McLeod
President
Tower Aerospace Inc
Nelson BC Canada
Tel 011-1-778-529-2422
Email: towera@toweraerospace.com
