Canadian Airways - Historical Pioneer of Canadian Aviation
I love history and being a part of compiling our little nostalgic newsletter provides me with constant opportunity to dive into the internet and always be learning about the evolution of aviation in Canada.
While researching the airlines that would eventually be absorbed into Canadian 'Airlines', I learned about Canadian 'Airways' and its importance in history.
The official name of YWG is Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport; a well deserved honour to a true entrepreneurial pioneer in aviation.
Western Canada Airways (WCA) was founded in Winnipeg by James Armstrong Richardson Sr. in 1926 and was fully established by 1930 following WCA's acquisition of a number of smaller regional competitors. At its peak, Canadian Airways had a total of 51 aircraft of various types that provided both regular scheduled service between settlements as well as charter service to bush locations.
Richardson was made director of Canadian Pacific Railway in 1927 and envisioned the creation of an airline to provide similar service as the CPR. In order to expand WCA at the national level, Richardson convened a syndicate, which led to the formation of the Aviation Corporation of Canada in July 1929. The purpose of this formation was to help in the acquisition of eastern Canadian aviation companies to facilitate the planned expansion.
In 1930, Canadian Airways Limited was established after the acquisition of several aviation companies, including the previously mentioned Aviation Corporation of Canada. Richardson's goal was realized.
Richardson became the president and general manager. Richardson's advanced logistical knowledge, business sense, vision and technological innovation, allowed him to piece together a vision for Canadian Air Services heading into the future.
However, by 1936, the Canadian government took control of civil aviation and established the Department of Transport, operated under Minister C. D. Howe.
Using Richardson's Canadian Airways business plan and key personnel from the airline, Howe formed a government-run entity known as Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in 1937 leaving Richardson feeling betrayed because he had hoped for support rather than the creation of a government owned competitor, leaving Canadian Airways vulnerable.
At some point in 1939, Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, now led by Sir Edward Wentworth Beatty began to implement a plan to purchase ten bush airlines from around Canada to form a new airline that would become Canadian Pacific Airlines which would, in turn, absorb Canadian Airways in 1942.
Additional info:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Airways
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Armstrong_Richardson_Sr.
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