First Air

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First Air
200px
IATA ICAO Callsign
7F FAB[1] FIRST AIR
Founded 1946
Hubs Yellowknife Airport,
Iqaluit Airport
Rankin Inlet Airport
Frequent-flyer program Aeroplan
Airport lounge No
Fleet size 6+,[2] 23,[3] 19[4]
Destinations 33[5]
Headquarters 20 Cope Drive, Kanata, Ontario[6]
Key people Brock Friesen President & CEO
Alexandra Pontbriand VP Finance
Rashwan Domloge VP Maintenance
[7]
Website www.firstair.ca
File:First Air headquarters.jpg
First Air headquarters

Bradley Air Services Limited, operating as First Air, is an airline headquartered in Kanata, a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.[6] It operates services to 34 communities in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories.[5] The majority of its fleet is available for charters worldwide. First Air has assisted in various humanitarian missions such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, airlifting relief supplies and equipment.[8] Its main base, which includes a large hangar, cargo and maintenance facility, is located at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, with hubs at Iqaluit Airport, Rankin Inlet Airport and Yellowknife Airport.[9]

History

File:GULU First Air AT43 ATR 42.jpg
ATR 42 at Cambridge Bay Airport, newer livery
File:20101014-DSC 2288-First-Air-C-GKLY-762.jpg
First Air Boeing 767 at Val-d'Or Airport
First Air ATR 72 at Cambridge Bay Airport

The airline was founded by Canadian aviation pioneer Russel (Russ) Bradley and started operations as Bradley Air Services in 1946 and is still registered under that name. First Air first started scheduled operations in 1973, between Ottawa and North Bay. This service was operated with an eight-seat passenger plane.

The airline opened southern gateways at Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. Through Kuujjuaq in Nunavik and Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories (NWT), the airline provides services to 26 Inuit communities in Nunavut, Nunavik and the NWT.[5] Service to Sanikiluaq, Nunavut is provided in partnership with Air Inuit.

In 1995, First Air bought Ptarmigan Airways, and in 1997 it bought Northwest Territorial Airways (also known as NWT Air), both of which were merged into First Air.[10] Ptarmigan Airways operated smaller turboprop aircraft types such as the Beechcraft King Air (BE-200 model), de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Turbine Beaver, DHC-6 Twin Otter and Grumman Gulfstream I propjets in addition to Cessna Citation business jet aircraft. Northwest Territorial operated Boeing 737-200 jetliners, Lockheed L-188 Electra propjets, Lockheed L-100 Hercules cargo turboprops and Douglas DC-3s.

In 2011, First Air celebrated its 65th anniversary.[11]

First Air is wholly owned by the Inuit people of Quebec through the Makivik Corporation, who purchased the company in 1990.[12][13]

On 21 August 2008, First Air fired president Bob Davis and replaced him with new president Scott Bateman. Davis had been president since December 1997 and had several disagreements with First Air over a period of time.[14]

On 5 June 2009, First Air received a wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 767-223 SF (Super Freighter), which was under a three-year dry lease from (CAM) Cargo Aircraft Management, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG).[15] According to the First Air website, the airline no longer operates Boeing 767 aircraft.[16]

After the introduction of the operationally and logistically more economical Boeing 767-223SF in March 2010, First Air retired and removed its two Boeing 727-233 aircraft from its fleet. One was one of only two combi types in the world, and the last 727-200 in North America on scheduled passenger-freight services. The other 727-233F full freighter has also been phased out. A Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop (C-GFNW) was retired as of March 2011. Replacing this aircraft type are two Aérospatiale ATR 72 Combi turboprops as part of First Air's fleet replacement program. They are outfitted with a cargo handling system, and one is outfitted with a large cargo door. A first of its kind in North America, it is able to handle built Unit Load Device positions. This in turn will create a larger load capacity and flexibility reaching remote communities. One has come online the last quarter of 2011, and the second in the first quarter 2012.[needs update][citation needed]

In February 2011, First Air and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation (QC) started a new airline named Qikiqtani First Aviation.[17] The new company provides services throughout Nunavut's Qikiqtani Region using First Air’s fleet.[18] Another airline, Sakku First Aviation, was started the same time in partnership with Sakku Investments Corporation in Nunavut's Kivalliq Region.[19]

In December 2011, Scott Bateman, President and CEO, abruptly resigned his position with First Air.[20] Kris Dolinki became President and CEO after Bateman's departure.[7]

In October 2012, Dolinki resigned his position as President and CEO of First Air. This announcement came shortly after Makivik Corporation stated that after many rumours its stake in First Air was not for sale. The position of President and CEO was filled on an interim basis by Chris Ferris, First Air's Vice President of Marketing & Sales.[21]

In March 2013, First Air/Makivik Corporation announced it had hired Brock Friesen as its new President and CEO.[22]

On April 11, 2014, the Makivik Corporation and Norterra, owners of Canadian North announced that they were in negotiations to merge the two airlines.[23][24] According to a website set up the same day the new airline would be owned equally between the two companies and "a merger would create a stronger, more sustainable business, provide better service to customers and lead to new economic development opportunities across the North. We believe the two companies would complement each other’s strengths."[25] In October 2014, it was announced the merger would not go through.[26]

In early 2015 First Air announced strategic agreements with Cargojet Airways and Summit Air. The 767 lease was transferred to Cargojet at that time and First Air is now providing ATR Turboprop services to Cargojet.

On April 21, 2015, First Air Hercules C-GUSI flew the final civilian L382 flight in Canada, bringing to an end over 45 years of commercial Lockheed Hercules service. L382 Hercules operations in Northern Canada commenced during the 1960s and were initially flown by Pacific Western Airlines.

In 2016 First Air/Bradley Air Services will celebrate its 70th anniversary, and is the oldest airline in Canada still operating under its original name.

Destinations

First Air Boeing 737-200 at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
File:First Air's AT42 GSRR.JPG
ATR 42 at Cambridge Bay Airport, older livery
File:20100620-C-GKLY-Boeing-767-223-First-Air.jpg
First Air Boeing 767 at Val-d'Or Airport, Quebec
File:First Air C130 GHPW.jpg
First Air L-382G

First Air operates scheduled services to these domestic destinations in Canada:[5]

According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), First Air operated scheduled passenger service from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s nonstop between Ottawa (YOW) and Boston (BOS) primarily with Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops but also with Boeing 727-100 Combi jetliners as well.[27] This was the only scheduled passenger service ever operated to the U.S. by First Air.

Codeshare agreements

First Air has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

The First Air fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of April 2015):[2][3][4]

First Air Fleet
Aircraft No. of Aircraft
(FAB list)[2][3]		 No. of Aircraft
(TC list)[4]		 Variants Notes
Aérospatiale ATR 42 n/a / 9 9 300, 320 42 seats, combi aircraft, ice/gravel runway capable[3][29]
Aérospatiale ATR 72 n/a / 2 2 212C Combi aircraft which can transport up to 60 passengers[30]
Boeing 737 3+ / 9 8 200, 200C, 400, 400C Two 200C, 115 seats, combi or seven pallets full freighter configuration, ice/gravel runway capable, two 200's, 99 seats and no cargo, one 400, 135 seats and no cargo and two 400C, fixed combi (72 seats and four pallets configuration)[3][31][32][33]
Boeing 767 0 / 1 0 223SF Cargo only, 19 pallet configuration.[3][34] This aircraft is no longer operated by the airline according to the First Air website.[16]
Lockheed L-100 Hercules 0 / 2 0 L-382G Cargo only, 5–8 pallet configuration, bulk loaded freight or bulk fuel.[3][35]

Retired as of April 2015.[36]

First Air previously operated Boeing 727-100 Combis, 727-200 Combis, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprops, Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Combi turboprops, and Douglas DC-3s.

Accidents and incidents

  • 28 January 1974, a Douglas C-47B CF-TVK, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 CF-DIJ, and de Havilland Canada DHC-3 CF-OHD of Bradley Air Services were destroyed in a hangar fire at Carp Airport, Ottawa.[37][38][39]
  • 23 August 1978, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-FQDG of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in Frobisher Bay, NU.[40]
  • 29 August 1979, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-GROW of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in Frobisher Bay, NU.[41]
  • 15 March 1981, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-FDHT of Bradley Air Services sunk through polar ice near Nord, Greenland.[42]
  • 15 September 1988, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-GFFA of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in a crash near Hammond, ON.[43]
  • 12 January 1989, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-GDOV of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in a crash near Dayton, Ohio.[44]
  • 12 August 1996, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-GNDN of First Air was destroyed near Markham Bay, NU.[45]
  • 3 December 1998, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-FBNW of Bradley Air Services was damaged beyond repair after landing in Frobisher Bay, NU.[46]
  • 22 May 2001, a Boeing 737-210C C-GNWI of First Air was damaged beyond repair after landing in Yellowknife, NT.[47]
  • 25 February 2004, a First Air Boeing 737-200 (C-GNWN) returning to Edmonton as a ferry flight from Lupin Mine landed beside the runway and traveled approximately 1600 feet before returning to the runway. There were no injuries.[48]
  • 20 August 2011, Flight 6560, a First Air Boeing 737-200 (C-GNWN)[49] flying a charter flight crashed en route from Yellowknife on final approach to Resolute, killing 12 and injuring 3 others.[50]

References

  1. ↑ Transport Canada – Air Traffic Designators – TP 143
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Transport Canada listing of aircraft owned by "Bradley Air Services" (enter Bradley Air Services in the box titled "Owner Name")
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 First Air route map, Destinations
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "First Air Head Office." First Air. Retrieved on 13 January 2012. "20 Cope Drive Kanata, Ontario Canada, K2M 2V8"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 http://www.firstair.ca
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Canadian North, First Air plan 'merger of equals'
  24. ↑ Arctic airlines First Air and Canadian North talk merger
  25. ↑ Canada’s Northern Airlines Enter Merger Discussions
  26. ↑ Airlines announce First Air-Canadian North merger is dead
  27. ↑ http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 15, 1985; Dec. 15, 1989; Oct. 1, 1991 editions, Official Airline Guide (OAG), Boston-Ottawa schedules
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Boeing 767-223SF at First Air
  35. ↑ Lockheed L-100 Hercules
  36. ↑ [1]
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ AVIATION REPORTS – 2004 – A04W0032
  49. ↑ First Air 737 Crashes in Northern Canada, Killing 12
  50. ↑ Plane crash near Resolute Bay kills 12

External links

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