NWT Air - Air Canada connector
Subscriber Jack Miles has a very interesting observation that, for whatever reason, there does not seem to be much information regarding the brief period when NWT Air was among the group of airlines acquired (at least majority ownership) to be 'Connectors' for the main airline. Our team went to work to find related info regarding the relationship between AC and NWT Air and to confirm that AC did indeed (at least briefly) own a Hercules L-100-30.
As per Horizons magazine dated March 30, 1988 (researched by Terry Baker):
NWT Air launches new service
"Northwest Territorial Airways has changed its name to NWT Air and added a new destination, Inuvik, to its network.
The Yellowknife-based carrier, which has been in operation for the past 26 years, has had an operating and marketing relationship with Air Canada since 1981. The two airlines signed a cargo marketing agreement in 1986 and since April of last year, the northern carrier has offered limited ‘connector' features on a section of its network. Effective March 27, 1988 NWT Air joins Air BC, Air Ontario, Air Nova. Air Alliance and Commuter Express as a fully fledged Connector carrier. All NWT Air flights are now displayed in Reservec II with the ‘AC’ designator (with flight numbers ranging from 1950 to 1999). The carrier’s fleet, which consists of five Lockheed Electras, five Douglas DC-3s and one all-cargo Lockheed L-100 Hercules aircraft will be refurbished in the red, white and grey Connector livery, displaying the now familiar stylized red maple leaf logo. Aircraft interiors will feature the Air Canada Hospitality Class colour scheme."
Ken Pickford adds:
"I show that AC owned NWT Air (legally Northwest Territorial Airways) from 1988 until 1997 (or 1998) when it was sold to First Air. Looks like the sale by AC to First Air was agreed in mid-1997. Probably had to wait until 1998 for government approval. Another item refers to AC owning 90% of NWT Air so original owner Bob Engle may have retained 10%.
The Transport Canada registration database shows C-GHPW as being registered to Bradley Air Services (then parent company of First Air) on June 24, 1998. Registration cancelled March 15, 2015, soon after it went to Safair in South Africa as ZS-OPS. Went to Alaska-based Lynden Air Cargo in 2022. Still registered to them as N411LC per FAA database, although I found one reference mentioning that it may have gone to Uganda last year."
When I went looking for photos to accompany this piece I found three photos, this issue's header, Reader Feedback section and below, of the Hercules in AC Connector livery. All these photos were taken by various photographers at Amsterdam (AMS). I asked photographer Martijn Koetsier if he knew why the aircraft made stops in AMS and he responded:
"C-GHPW was in Amsterdam for a couple of months flying Cargo for KLM. Mostly in the night. So this picture was taken by daylight on his parking spot the Romeo ramp. After the contract KLM used more L-100s including the PH-RMH from Schreiner Airways".
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Click the icon for more of info on the extensive usage of the Hercules. Terry Baker dug through our library of airline magazines and found a list of destinations published in PWA's 'Keeping Posted' from August 1969.
Editor's Note: Photos in AC Connector livery are identified at the original sources as having been taken in 1999, after the sale from AC to First Air. Possibly the aircraft had not yet been re-painted. See also NetLetter #1436. |
Photo courtesy of Danny Grew
at Toronto, November 3, 1983
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Photo courtesy of Joop de Groot
from the René Buschmann Collection
at Amsterdam, January 1999
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