Many times I have asked myself, " What if the Avro Arrow was released?" and "Why was it scraped". Although there have been many speculations as to why the arrow was scrapped such as the US felt threaten that Canada could produce such a plane. However this post is one that will dwell on the Arrow's much debated history. This post is on the question "Why did the Canadian government decide to build the F35 instead of rebuilding the Arrow?" Recently a test was run to compare the Avro Arrow to the F35 (by Avro itself). The result was staggering, the Arrow cost only $12 billion to build a service 100 planes for 20 yrs where as the F35 for 65 planes. The test also showed if both planes ere to leave Vancouver at the same time the F35 would make it to Winnipeg on 1 tank of gas where the Avro would make it almost to Toronto. On top of that the Avro Arrow would make it there all the quicker, flying at the speed of 3800 km/h which is twice the top speed of the F35. When asked Major General Lewis Mackenzie told The West Block, That the arrow exceeds anything in the design phase and anything flying. On top of that this plane would be the rebirth of the super sonic industry in Canada. Which in tun would provide thousands of jobs and a huge boost to the economy. Yet with all of these facts the Harper government brushed this plan aside to buy the F35. So really the question is, "Why is the Canadian government so against the Avro Arrow?" but still that question will probably never be answered leaving the Avro Arrow as Canada's BIGGEST WHAT IF?
