THE CF-105 AVRO ARROW JET FIGHTER
A SYMBOL OF CANADIAN AVIATION ACHIEVEMENT
Who we are and the Web
Welcome to our homepage on the Avro Arrow. We are students in a Educational Technology class at the University of Calgary. Dave, Natalie and Shannon created this page to provide an introduction to this magnificent, but considerably expensive, Canadian aerospace achievement. Students are encouraged and expected to use this webpage as a tool to enhance their learning about this particular subject. The Internet and the World Wide Web in particular, provides an excellent research and study tool for students to utilize because the information available is often quite vast and literally at the student's fingertips. The student merely has to input search terms into an internet search engine. The real advantage in using the Web over conventional monographs such as books is the wealth of information that may not be otherwise available in books or journals.
The use of the Web also allows students to become more experienced using computers as multimedia tools of learning. In the Grade 10 Social Studies curriculum, students are examining Canada and Canadian society. The Avro Arrow was definitely a part of Canadian aviation and how Canada was perceived by the United States and the world. However, the Web is not expected to be the sole tool for learning. Students should also refer to the Hyperstudio stack and the database we created for the class as relevent tools of learning. Furthermore, our webpage consists of a page of links and a photo gallery which students can refer to for more information.
Why study the Arrow?
The Avro Arrow, also designated the CF-105, was an outstanding aviation accomplishment on the part of the A.V. Roe Canada Limited and the Canadian aviation industry as a whole. The design and development of the Arrow showed the rest of the world that Canada was as capable in producing modern, high tech military aircraft. The Arrow was cancelled in 1959, mere weeks before it was to have engaged in speed trials which would likely have shattered the former speed records held by American designed jet aircraft. The importance of the Arrow to Canada was reflected in the manner in which Canada grew continuously more subservient to the United States for military interdependence. If Canada had been able to produce this aircraft and sell it to foreign nations, it would have had a new voice in the world. Furthermore, students will discover that the "brain drain" of Canadian academics and scientists began in earnest during this period. The cancellation of the Arrow left many Canadians without jobs. The real tragedy of this disaster was that the rapidly developing National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, quickly hired many of these invaluable and highly educated individuals. We all know that the United States was in a space race with the then Soviet Union and their space program quickly took on form in the early 1960's with the assistance of these Canadian imports. There are many different questions and issues which can be examined. Did the government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker have to cancel the Arrow? What role did fiscal considerations play in the cancellation? What role did the American political and military institutions play in the Arrow's demise? Students will study Canadian military and political history as well as examining various aspects of the economy. At the conclusion of their research, students will be assessed through research papers and class discussions about how they perceived the Arrow and how important it was to Canadian society.
If you have questions or comments about our webpage, feel free to contact us by e-mail at:
dtchin@acs.ucalgary.ca
nekleman@acs.ucalgary.ca
skoseen@acs.ucalgary.ca