First Air

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First Air
IATA
7F		 ICAO
FAB[1]		 Callsign
FIRST AIR
Founded 1946
Hubs Yellowknife Airport,
Iqaluit Airport
Frequent-flyer program Aeroplan
Airport lounge No
Fleet size 20,[2][3] 26[4]
Destinations 34[5]
Headquarters 20 Cope Drive, Kanata, Ontario[6]
Key people Kris Dolinki President & C.E.O
Alexandra Pontbriand VP,Finance
Rashwan Domloge VP, Maintenance
Chris Ferris VP, Marketing & Sales
Bill Roach VP, Flight Operations
Bill Thompson VP, Commercial Operations[7]
Website http://www.firstair.ca

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 also assisted in various humanitarian missions such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, airlifting relief supplies and equipment.[8] Its main base - including a large hangar and maintenance facility - is Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, with hubs at Iqaluit Airport and Yellowknife Airport.[9]

Contents

[edit] History

ATR 42 at Cambridge Bay Airport, newer livery
First Air Boeing 767 at Val-d'Or 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. Eventually, the airline would have southern gateways at Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. Through Kuujjuaq, in Nunavik and Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, 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, both of which were merged into First Air. In 2011 First Air celebrated its 65th anniversary.[10][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 their first wide-body aircraft in the form of a Boeing 767-223 SF (Super Freighter) which is under a 3 year dry lease from (CAM) Cargo Aircraft Management, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG).[15]

Question book-new.svg
 This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2011)

After the introduction of the more economical (both operationally and logistically) Boeing 767-223SF, in March 2010, First Air retired and removed their two Boeing 727-233 aircraft from their 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. Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-GFNW has been retired as of March 2011. Replacing this aircraft type are 2 Aérospatiale ATR72's COMBI aircraft as part of First Air's fleet replacement program. They are outfitted with a cargo handling system one of which is being outfitted with a large cargo door. A first of its kind in North America, as it will be able to handle built ULD (Unit Load Device) positions. This intern will create a larger load capacity and flexibility reaching remote communities. One has come online the last quarter of 2011, and the second will be online sometime in the first quarter 2012.

In February 2011, First Air along with Qikiqtaaluk Corporation (QC) started a new airline named Qikiqtani First Aviation Ltd. The new company provides services throughout the Qikiqtani Region utilizing First Air’s fleet.[16]

In December 2011, Scott Bateman, President & C.E.O, resigned his position abruptly with First Air.[17]. The position of President and C.E.O has currently been filled by Kris Dolinki the previous intrim President and CEO after Batemans departure.[7]

[edit] Destinations

First Air Boeing 737-200 at Ottawa International Airport
ATR 42 at Cambridge Bay Airport, older livery
First Air Boeing 767 at Val-d'Or Airport, Quebec
First Air L-382G

First Air operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations:[5]

[edit] Fleet

The First Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of December 2011):[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 9 9 ATR42-300
ATR42-320		 42 seats, combi aircraft, ice/gravel runway capable[3][18]
Aérospatiale ATR 72 2/1 2 ATR-72-212C Combi aircraft up to 60 passengers[19]
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 1/0 2 Series 2
Series 2A		 40 seats, combi aircraft, large cargo door & ice/gravel runway capable.[3] This airframe has been retired in 2011.[citation needed]
Boeing 727 1/0 2 727-233F Cargo only, ice runway capable.[3] These aircraft were retired from the fleet mid / late 2009.[citation needed]
Boeing 737 7/6 7 737-200
737-200C		 3 200C, 115 seats, combi or 7 pallets full freighter configuration, ice/gravel runway capable, 4 200's 99 seats and no cargo[3][20][21]
Boeing 767 1 1 767-223SF Cargo only 19 pallet configuration, primarily used for the Nutrition North Program.[3][22]
Lockheed L-100 Hercules 2 2 L-382G Cargo only configuration 5-8 pallets or bulk loaded freight.[3][23]

A Douglas DC-3 is still listed with Transport Canada but with its certificate cancelled.[4]

[edit] 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.[24][25][26]
  • 23 August 1978, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-FQDG of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in Frobisher Bay, NU.[27]
  • 29 August 1979, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-GROW of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in Frobisher Bay, NU.[28]
  • 15 March 1981, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-FDHT of Bradley Air Services sunk through polar ice near Nord, Greenland.[29]
  • 15 September 1988, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-GFFA of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in a crash near Hammond, ON.[30]
  • 12 January 1989, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-GDOV of Bradley Air Services was destroyed in a crash near Dayton, Ohio.[31]
  • 12 August 1996, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 C-GNDN of First Air was destroyed near Markham Bay, NU.[32]
  • 3 December 1998, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 C-FBNW of Bradley Air Services was damaged beyond repair after landing in Frobisher Bay, NU.[33]
  • 22 May 2001, a Boeing B-737-210C C-GNWI of First Air was damaged beyond repair after landing in Yellowknife, NT.[34]
  • 25 February 2004, a First Air Boeing B-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.[35]
  • 20 August 2011, Flight 6560, a First Air Boeing B-737-200 (C-GNWN)[36] flying a charter flight crashed en route from Yellowknife to Resolute, killing 12 and injuring 3 others.[37]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Transport Canada - Air Traffic Designators - TP 143
  2. ^ a b c Media Kit
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i First Air fleet details (PDF)
  4. ^ a b c d Transport Canada listing of aircraft owned by "Bradley Air Services" (enter Bradley Air Services in the box titled "Owner Name")
  5. ^ a b c d First Air route map, Destinations
  6. ^ a b "First Air Head Office." First Air. Retrieved on 13 January 2012. "20 Cope Drive Kanata, Ontario Canada, K2M 2V8"
  7. ^ a b Officers
  8. ^ Northern airline sends planes to Haiti
  9. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 82. 2007-04-03. 
  10. ^ Milestones
  11. ^ About First Air
  12. ^ First Air
  13. ^ Ownership
  14. ^ First Air fires president Davis
  15. ^ Transport Services Group to Lease 767 to First Air
  16. ^ Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and First Air sign new airline joint venture agreement
  17. ^ [1]
  18. ^ ATR 42 at First Air
  19. ^ ATR 72 at First Air
  20. ^ Boeing 737-200 at First Air
  21. ^ Boeing 737-200C at First Air
  22. ^ Boeing 767-223SF at First Air
  23. ^ Lockheed L-100 Hercules
  24. ^ "CF-TVK Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19740128-1. Retrieved 23 August 2010. 
  25. ^ "CF-DIJ Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19740128-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  26. ^ "Otter of the Week". Fly the Bush. http://flythebush.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html. Retrieved 21 March 2011. 
  27. ^ "C-FQDG Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19780823-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  28. ^ "C-GROW Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19790829-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  29. ^ "C-FDHT Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19810315-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  30. ^ "C-GFFA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19880915-1. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  31. ^ "C-GDOV Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890112-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  32. ^ "C-GNDN Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19960812-2. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  33. ^ "C-FBNW Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19981203-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  34. ^ "C-GNWI Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20010522-1. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  35. ^ AVIATION REPORTS - 2004 - A04W0032
  36. ^ First Air 737 Crashes in Northern Canada, Killing 12
  37. ^ Plane crash near Resolute Bay kills 12

[edit] External links

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