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Nordair

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox airline

Nordair was a Quebec-based airline in Canada founded in 1947 from the merger of Boreal Airways and Mont Laurier Aviation.

HistoryEdit

The airline operated from the 1940s to the 1980s. Initially, most of its business was international and transatlantic passenger and freight charters and other contracts. It also operated scheduled flights to a number of destinations in eastern Canada and the Northwest Territories. Nordair flew out of Montreal's two airports: initially from Dorval Airport, now Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, and later from Montréal–Mirabel International Airport as this latter airfield did not open until 1975. It was headquartered in Montreal with operations at Dorval, Quebec and their head office at 1320 Boulevard Graham in Mont Royal.<ref>World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 20, 1975. "495.</ref>

Nordair was operating scheduled passenger services in July 1959 utilizing Douglas DC-3 and Douglas DC-4 propeller aircraft with routings of Montreal - Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) - Cape Dyer Airport; Montreal - Roberval - Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq) - Frobisher Bay; and Montreal - Quebec City - Roberval - Chibougamau.<ref name=tt07161959/>

The airline was still operating scheduled passenger flights 20 years later. According to Nordair's July 1, 1979 system timetable and route map, jet service was being operated as far west as Winnipeg and as far north as the Resolute Bay Airport in the Canadian Arctic with a number of destinations in Ontario and Quebec in Canada being served including Montreal (via Dorval Airport), Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Ontario and Windsor, Ontario as well as Pittsburgh in the United States, primarily with Boeing 737-200 jetliners but also with Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop aircraft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The airline was also operating scheduled passenger flights in 1975 with Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft primarily to destinations in Quebec.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nordair was continuing to operate scheduled passenger flights in 1986 primarily with Boeing 737-200 jets.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Fairchild Hiller FH-227B, Nordair AN1312773.jpg
A Fairchild Hiller FH-227B at Montréal–Trudeau International Airport

Introduction of Boeing 737 jet aircraftEdit

The airline was operating Boeing 737-200 passenger jet service in 1969 in both scheduled and charter operations according to the June 15, 1970 Nordair system timetable which contained the following marketing message concerning its leisure charter flights: SUNNY HOLIDAYS - BLUE TAIL JET CHARTER FLIGHTS TO THE SUN....BARBADOS - JAMAICA - BAHAMAS - FLORIDA - MEXICO.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This same timetable also lists scheduled passenger service operated by Nordair with the Boeing 737-200 between Montreal Dorval and Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq), Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit), Great Whale (now Kuujjuarapik), Hamilton and Resolute.

Merger and aftermathEdit

File:Lockheed L1049H CF-NAM Nordair MAN 02.07.66 edited-2.jpg
CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nordair was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines which had operated as CP Air. On March 27, 1987, Pacific Western Airlines purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines and then emerged as Canadian Airlines. The jet operation was absorbed into Canadian Airlines, while the turboprop operations were absorbed into Inter-Canadien. In 2000, that airline was acquired by Air Canada.

Intair, a scheduled passenger airline that was based in Canada and operated jet and turboprop aircraft, used Nordair's two letter "ND" airline code for its domestic flights in eastern Canada in 1989 until it ceased operations and went out of business.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Another company called Nordair Quebec 2000 Incorporated operated in 2000 as a domestic regional carrier and cargo operator in Quebec, but the licence and licence applications for the airline were suspended in 2006 by Transport Canada, and again the Nordair name disappeared from the airline industry

File:Nordair DC-4.jpg
Nordair DC-4 Inflight

DestinationsEdit

The following destinations in Canada were served by Nordair with scheduled passenger flights during the airline's existence:<ref name=ttall>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

CanadaEdit

File:Grumman G.73T Nordair Dorval 05.11.73 edited-3.jpg
Nordair Grumman G-73 Mallard at Montreal Dorval in 1973
File:Lockheed L-188C(IR) Electra, Nordair (Environment Canada - Ice Reconnaissance) AN1273945.jpg
Lockheed L-188C Electra operating as Environment Canada ice patrol

Outside of CanadaEdit

Most of the flights to the United States, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe were charter flights, as Nordair operated only a few scheduled passenger services outside of Canada.

File:Nordair DC-8.jpg
Nordair Douglas DC-8 at the operations base.

Military contract flight servicesEdit

Nordair served as an air service contractor to the Canadian Armed Forces, including ice reconnaissance missions flown with a Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and United States Air Force support flights to Distant Early Warning Line stations from Alaska to Baffin Island.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

FleetEdit

Nordair had the following aircraft registered by Transport Canada and listed in their timetables. Over the years they had at least 40 aircraft.

Nordair fleet
Aircraft Number Variants Notes
Beechcraft At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada<ref name=tt07161959/>
Boeing 737 15 737-200 Gravel strip equipped, includes combi aircraft<ref name=tchistory/><ref name=combi/>
Cessna 150 1 150K <ref name=tchistory/>
Consolidated PBY Catalina Flying boat. At least one aircraft listed as a Canso. Not listed with Transport Canada<ref name=tt07161959/>
Convair CV-990 2 Two aircraft, N5609 and N5615 were leased from Modern Air Transport and operated on charter services
Curtiss C-46 Commando   citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver 1 Beaver I <ref name=tchistory/>
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter 2   <ref name=tchistory/>
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter   citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Douglas C-47 Skytrain At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada<ref name=tt07161959/>
Douglas DC-3 1 DC-3SC Former Douglas C-47 Skytrain military aircraft<ref name=tchistory/>
Douglas DC-4   At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada<ref name=tt07161959/>
Douglas DC-6   DC-6A, DC-6B citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Douglas DC-8 1 DC-8-52 Operated on charter services<ref name=tchistory/>
Douglas DC-8 "Stretch" 1 DC-8-61 Operated on charter services, Reg. C-GDNA/>
Fairchild FH-227 4 FH-227B, FH-227D, FH-227E <ref name=tchistory/>
Grumman G-73 Mallard   citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation   L-1049G, L-1049H At least two aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada<ref name=tt06021968/>
Lockheed L-188 Electra 2 L-188C <ref name=tchistory/>
Piper PA-31 Navajo 1 PA-31 Navajo citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Short SC.7 Skyvan citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

The Boeing 737 fleet included the combi aircraft version for mixed passenger/freight operations.<ref name=combi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nordair also operated de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop aircraft during the early and mid 1970s in scheduled passenger service between the community of Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) and various local destinations in this region of the Canadian Arctic.<ref name=ttall/>

Another type operated by the airline was the Grumman G-73 Mallard amphibious aircraft which had been converted with turboprop engines and was capable of landing on both land and water (see above photo).

In addition, a division of Nordair, Nordair Metro, was operating Convair 580 turboprop aircraft in 1986.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Accidents and incidentsEdit

  • On 6 February 1973, the Douglas C-47B CF-HTH was damaged beyond economic repair when it was hit by a vehicle at an airport in Montreal.<ref name=ASN060273>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:Portal bar Template:Defunct airlines of Canada

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