Royal Cooper was born at Summerville, Bonavista Bay, formerly known as Indian Arm. After his mother died, he moved to Milton, Newfoundland, and lived with Mr. and Mrs. Arch Adams. He attended school at George’s Brook and at the age of fourteen went to work in the family’s sawmill.Royal Cooper joined the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit in June of 1940 and after ungrading his education joined the Royal Air Force at Edinburgh, March 1941. He was trained as a fighter pilot and served with the 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron RAF until his honourable discharge in April 1947.After his military service, Royal Cooper flew with Maritime Central Airways and Eastern Provincial Airways for twenty-two years. He retired from EPA in 1972 and subsequently worked with several small airlines on a part-time basis until final retirement in 1984.Active in civic affairs, he was elected to the first town council of Gander, on which he served thirteen years including three terms as mayor. He was also active in setting up the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander as vice-president of the Board of Directors. For his contributions to the aviation industry and to the Town of Gander, Copper Blvd. was named in his honour.He is married to the former Ella Adams and has one son Glen, an airways inspector with Transport Canada.In total, Royal Cooper has had over forty years in the aviation industry and flown more than sixty different types of aircraft.