The history of Canada's Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is indelibly linked to the history of winged flight. Canada's 20th century began with the advent of the Silver Dart as the first Canadian aircraft to fly in 1909 at Baddeck, Nova Scotia. The technological advancement since those early days has been astounding. The RCAF has played a leading role throughout the development of aviation.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is the youngest of the three services. It is less than a century old. RCAF units are defined as three Flights to a Squadron, three Squadrons to a Wing, the Wing reports to a Group, and the Group reports to a Command.