Company History

Leggat Aviation was started by Jim Leggat in 1945 at Barker Airfield (a small airport then located at Dufferin and Lawrence Avenue in Toronto).

Jim's intent was to form a company that would service the needs of small aircraft owners. One of Jim's first employees was his young brother-in-law, Hedley Tripp, who is still an active participant of the company.

In 1953, Leggat Aviation moved it's operation to a small grass strip on the northern outskirts of Toronto at Buttonville.

Throughout the years, Buttonville Airport has grown from a small grass strip with a flight school to the third busiest airport in Canada.

The area around the airport has seen tremendous expansion over the past years, completely surrounding the airport with commercial and residential development.

Over the years Leggat Aviation....

  • has represented the Champion Aircraft Company, becoming a Canadian distributor for the Champion (to become Alatra Aircraft and, later, the Bellanca-Champ) and Bellanca Viking,
  • has represented Mooney Aircraft Sales for Eastern Canada and to this day is still an authorized Mooney Service Centre,
  • has represented Grumman-American in the sale of the Cheetah/Tiger product line,
  • has supported Piper as an authorized service centre,
  • has supported Grumann-Commander as an authorized Commander Service Centre,
  • is now an authorized Cessna Service Station and CSTAR for new Cessna Aircraft.

The Progression of Leggat Aviation

  • 1946 Company started by Jim Leggat and Hedley Tripp at Barker Field, Toronto.
  • 1953 Moves to Buttonville Airport
  • 1953 Ross Tripp joines company in the Engine Shop.
  • 1954 Tim Smith joins company - Parts and Aircraft Sales.
  • 1960 Leggat Aviation becomes a Champion Aircraft Dealer.
  • 1966 Leggat Aviation moves to new hangar- Northwest corner of Airport (Hangar # 9).
  • 1970 John Leggat joins company.
  • 1970 Leggat becomes Bellanca Viking Dealer.
  • 1972 Leggat becomes a company approved by the Department of Transport.
  • 1972 Leggat acquires Avionics Shop- King and Nauo Dealer.
  • 1974 Leggat becomes Mooney dealer for Eastern Canada.
  • 1976 Leggat becomes Grumman American dealer.
  • 1982 Leggat services first turbine aircraft for Toyota Canada.
  • 1982 Becomes Grumman Commander Service Centre.
  • 1983 Leggat moves to 20,000 sq. ft. Hanger # 12 on the east side of the airport.
  • 1989 Leggat services first jet aircraft (Cessna Citation) for Toyota Canada.
  • 1994 Leggat becomes Cessna Service Station.
  • 1997 Leggat starts to sell new Cessna aircraft.