When I received the images for this issue from Terry one caught my interest. I had never heard of Yukon Southern Air Transport which is surprising since I am certainly familiar with the name of this airline’s founder, Canadian aviation pioneer, Grant McConachie. The expressway leading into Vancouver International Airport, Grant McConachie Way, is named in his honour.
Originally named United Air Transport, the airline carried freight and mail to remote northern areas from Edmonton with aircraft equipped with skis in the winter and floats in the summer. It was renamed Yukon Southern Air Transport (YSAT) in 1938 and expanded its service between Edmonton, Vancouver and the Yukon.
McConachie built airstrips in Fort St. John and Fort Nelson in northern BC to bring wheeled aircraft service to those communities.
The airline provided good service but never made a profit. It was acquired by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1941 and Grant McConachie was awarded a position on the Board of Directors. He became the president of CP in 1947 and continued to play an important role in Canadian aviation history.
Terry also provided the following list of Barkley Grow T8P-1 airliners that were acquired by CPAL.
Sources and additional information:
(thanks to Arne Pederson)