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Air Tindi

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Air Tindi
An Air Tindi DHC-7 Dash 7 on approach into Yellowknife, NT (CYZF)
IATA ICAO Call sign
8T TIN[1] TINDI[1]
Founded1988
AOC #3169[2]
HubsYellowknife Airport
Fort Simpson Airport
Fleet size24 (TC),[3] 20 (AT)[4]
Destinations9[5]
HeadquartersYellowknife, Northwest Territories
Key peopleChris Reynolds (president)
Employeesapprox. 250
Websitehttp://www.airtindi.com

Air Tindi is an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled and on demand charter services. Its main base is Yellowknife Airport and the airline was previously owned by the Arychuk family.[6] The name Tindi means "the big lake" or "Great Slave Lake" in the local native Tłı̨chǫ Yatiì language.

History

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Air Tindi DHC-6 Twin Otter operating in winter
Air Tindi DHC-7 Dash 7 at Vancouver International Airport

Air Tindi was established by two families, Alex Arychuk and his wife Sheila, and his brother Peter Arychuk and his wife Teri.[7] It began operations on 1 November 1988, with four float/ski aircraft. In 1990, it purchased its first de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop with the help of the Rae-Edzo Development Corporation, allowing the airline to expand and provide more services to the growing mining exploration industry. In 1991, Air Tindi merged with Latham Island Airways and acquired a further four aircraft in the process.[6] By mid-1992, Air Tindi was operating four Twin Otters on floats. In 1993, its first large aircraft was purchased, a DHC-4 Caribou for re-supply work with the mining industry. A DHC-7 Dash 7 STOL capable turboprop was acquired in 1996.

On 19 December 2006, Air Tindi was sold to Discovery Air (Toronto Stock Exchange at DA.A), a publicly traded holding company based in London, Ontario.[8] The founders originally maintained their positions with Air Tindi, but various corporate disagreements led to Alex Arychuk leaving as president, and departing the Discovery Air board.[9]

In August 2011 the Government of Nunavut announced that it had awarded a contract to Air Tindi and its partner Aqsaqniq, owned by Dennis Lyall, to provide medivac services to the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. The previous holder of the contract, Adlair Aviation, appealed to the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti and a decision was expected by 11 October 2011.[10][11] The decision to dismiss the appeal was made 29 October 2011 and the news released 31 October. Adlair was given an extension on their contract until the end of November 2011.[12] Air Tindi also provides medivac services for the entirety of Northwest Territories.[13]

In December 2024, Northwestern Air announced it would be shutting down its scheduled flights. Air Tindi agreed to take over its routes and announced it would acquire two Dash 8s to cover the Yellowknife-Fort Smith-Fort Chipewyan-Edmonton route.[14]

Destinations

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View of three Air Tindi DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplanes in Yellowknife

As of 5 November 2025 Air Tindi operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations:[5]

Province/territory City Airport Notes
Alberta Edmonton Edmonton International Airport Southern gateway
Fort Chipewyan Fort Chipewyan Airport
Northwest Territories Fort Simpson Fort Simpson Airport
Fort Smith Fort Smith Airport
Gamèti Gamètì/Rae Lakes Airport
Hay River Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport
Whatì Whatì Airport Suspended 12 October 2025[15]
Wekweètì Wekweètì Airport
Yellowknife Yellowknife Airport Hub

Fleet

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As of 5 November 2025 Air Tindi had the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada and listed with Air Tindi:[3][4]

Air Tindi fleet
Aircraft No. of aircraft
(TC list)		 No. of aircraft
(AT list)		 Variants Notes
Beechcraft Super King Air 5 4 3 - Model 200GT
2 - Model B300		 Air Tindi lists three King Air 250 (200GT, 200CGT)[13] and one King Air 350[16]
Cessna 208 1 1 208 Caravan 7 passengers[17]
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 7 6 Series 300 Up to 17 passengers[18]
de Havilland Canada Dash 7 11 6 4 - DHC-7-102
7 - DHC-7-103		 Combi aircraft (freight and passenger configuration) & 46 passengers (in all passenger configuration)[19]
De Havilland Canada Dash 8 3 2 - Series 100
1 - Series 300		 100 series is a combi aircraft capable of carrying 21, 29, or 37 passengers[20] and the 300 carries 50 passengers. Not shown at Transport Canada.[21]
Total 24 20

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 30 January 2019, a Tindi King Air 200, C-GTUC, was en route from Yellowknife to Whatì Airport in instrument meteorological conditions, and crashed about 21 nautical miles (39 km; 24 mi) east southeast of the community of Whatì. The two crew, who were the sole occupants, were killed. The investigation determined that both attitude indicators had failed, one prior to departure and one in-flight.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. 11 July 2024. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2024. Air Tindi: TIN, TINDI
  2. ^ Transport Canada (18 July 2024), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
  3. ^ a b "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Air Tindi". Transport Canada. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Air Tindi Fleet". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Where We Fly". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 27 March 2007. p. 67.
  7. ^ Locke, Darren (2011). "One on One: Alex Arychuk". Wings. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  8. ^ Discovery Air Inc. Closes Private Placement Offering and Acquisition of Air Tindi Ltd.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Danylchuk, Jack (July 2009). "Things Fall Apart: Discovery Air". Up Here Business. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010.
  10. ^ George, Jane (6 September 2011). "Adlair fights GN decision on Kitikmeot medevac contract". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012.
  11. ^ George, Jane (3 October 2011). "Facing an uncertain future, Adlair puts up brave front". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
  12. ^ George, Jane. "Adlair Aviation Ltd. loses medevac contract appeal". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  13. ^ a b "King Air 250". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  14. ^ Williams, Ollie (23 December 2024). "Air Tindi sets out how Fort Smith flights will look from mid-January". Cabin Radio. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  15. ^ Tredinnick, Devon (7 October 2025). "Air Tindi pausing flights between Yellowknife and Whatı". CBC North. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Beechcraft King Air 350 | Our Fleet". Air Tindi. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  17. ^ "Cessna Caravan". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  18. ^ "DHC-6 Twin Otter". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Dash 7 Combi". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  20. ^ "Dash 8-100 Combi". Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Dash 8-300 Extended Rangee". Air Tindi. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  22. ^ "N.W.T. plane crash kills 2 people". CBC News. 4 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Two dead in small plane crash in Northwest Territories, two others survive". Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  24. ^ "Controlled Flight into Terrain Air Tindi Ltd". Transportation Safety Board. 20 March 2013.
  25. ^ "Air transportation safety investigation report A19W0015". 27 April 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
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