New book follows history of Ontario Provincial Air Service

If you're looking for an extensive guide to the aircraft of the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS), the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre has got you covered.

The Centre announced today the release of a book put together by late volunteer John Stephens as part of its OPAS 100th Anniversary celebrations.

Stephens, who volunteered with the CBHC for many years, started the project after a stroke stopped him from returning to his professional career. The book focuses on the development of the OPAS's aerial fleet.

Stephens died in 2019 before he could see the book officially published.

This book details every type of aircraft owned by the OPAS (later, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Aviation Forest Fires and Emergency Services), listing individual crafts and their historical contexts. it encludes research and photographs sourced primarily from the CBHC’s extensive archival collection and offers readers a unique and thorough insight into the province’s bushplane heritage. 

“We are proud to bring John Stephens’s vision to life with this publication, particularly during the OPAS’s 100th Anniversary year. The details of individual aircraft tell a story of technical and organizational change that have shaped the work of Ontario’s provincial fleet to the present day.” said Mary Collier, Curator. 

The book is now available for purchase in person or online at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre’s gift shop.