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 Boeing 737-200 at the airline's base in Montreal | |||||||
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| Founded | 1947 (1947) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | March 27, 1987 (1987-03-27) (merged withPacific Western Airlines andCanadian Pacific Air Lines to formCanadian Airlines International) | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Destinations | Canada,United States | ||||||
| Headquarters | Dorval,Montréal,Quebec | ||||||
| Key people | Fernand “Frank” Henley, Founder and VP | ||||||
Nordair was aQuebec-based airline inCanada founded in 1947 from the merger ofBoreal Airways andMont Laurier Aviation.
The airline operated from the 1940s to the 1980s. Initially, most of its business was international and transatlantic passenger and freight charters and other contracts. It also operated scheduled flights to a number of destinations in eastern Canada and theNorthwest Territories. Nordair flew out ofMontreal's two airports: initially from Dorval Airport, nowMontréal–Trudeau International Airport, and later fromMontréal–Mirabel International Airport as this latter airfield did not open until 1975. It was headquartered in Montreal with operations atDorval,Quebec and their head office at 1320 Boulevard Graham inMont Royal.[1]
Nordair was operating scheduled passenger services in July 1959 utilizingDouglas DC-3 andDouglas DC-4 propeller aircraft with routings of Montreal - Frobisher Bay (nowIqaluit) - Cape Dyer Airport; Montreal -Roberval - Fort Chimo (nowKuujjuaq) - Frobisher Bay; and Montreal -Quebec City - Roberval -Chibougamau.[2]
The airline was still operating scheduled passenger flights 20 years later. According to Nordair's July 1, 1979 system timetable and route map, jet service was being operated as far west asWinnipeg and as far north as theResolute Bay Airport in theCanadian Arctic with a number of destinations inOntario and Quebec in Canada being served including Montreal (via Dorval Airport),Ottawa,Toronto, Quebec City,Hamilton, Ontario andWindsor, Ontario as well asPittsburgh in the United States, primarily withBoeing 737-200 jetliners but also withFairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop aircraft.[3] The airline was also operating scheduled passenger flights in 1975 withLockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft primarily to destinations in Quebec.[4] Nordair was continuing to operate scheduled passenger flights in 1986 primarily with Boeing 737-200 jets.[5]
The airline was operating Boeing 737-200 passenger jet service in 1969 in both scheduled and charter operations according to the June 15, 1970 Nordair system timetable which contained the following marketing message concerning its leisure charter flights:SUNNY HOLIDAYS - BLUE TAIL JET CHARTER FLIGHTS TO THE SUN....BARBADOS - JAMAICA - BAHAMAS - FLORIDA - MEXICO.[6] This same timetable also lists scheduled passenger service operated by Nordair with the Boeing 737-200 between Montreal Dorval and Fort Chimo (nowKuujjuaq), Frobisher Bay (nowIqaluit), Great Whale (nowKuujjuarapik), Hamilton and Resolute.
Nordair was purchased byCanadian Pacific Air Lines which had operated as CP Air. On March 27, 1987,Pacific Western Airlines purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines and then emerged asCanadian Airlines. The jet operation was absorbed into Canadian Airlines, while theturboprop operations were absorbed intoInter-Canadien. In 2000, that airline was acquired byAir Canada.
Intair, a scheduled passenger airline that was based in Canada and operated jet and turboprop aircraft, used Nordair's two letter "ND" airline code for its domestic flights in eastern Canada in 1989 until it ceased operations and went out of business.[8]
Another company called Nordair Quebec 2000 Incorporated operated in 2000 as a domestic regional carrier and cargo operator in Quebec, but the licence and licence applications for the airline were suspended in 2006 byTransport Canada, and again the Nordair name disappeared from the airline industry
The following destinations in Canada were served by Nordair with scheduled passenger flights during the airline's existence:[9][10][11]
_Electra%2c_Nordair_(Environment_Canada_-_Ice_Reconnaissance)_AN1273945.jpg)
Most of the flights to the United States, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe were charter flights, as Nordair operated only a few scheduled passenger services outside of Canada.
Nordair served as an air service contractor to theCanadian Armed Forces, including ice reconnaissance missions flown with aLockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft[12] andUnited States Air Force support flights toDistant Early Warning Line stations fromAlaska toBaffin Island.[13]
Nordair had the following aircraft registered byTransport Canada and listed in their timetables. Over the years they had at least 40 aircraft.
| Aircraft | Number | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[2] | ||
| Boeing 737 | 15 | 737-200 | Gravel strip equipped, includescombi aircraft[14][15] |
| Cessna 150 | 1 | 150K | [14] |
| Consolidated PBY Catalina | Flying boat. At least one aircraft listed as a Canso. Not listed with Transport Canada[2] | ||
| Convair CV-990 | 2 | Two aircraft, N5609 and N5615 were leased fromModern Air Transport and operated on charter services | |
| Curtiss C-46 Commando | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[2] | ||
| de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver | 1 | Beaver I | [14] |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter | 2 | [14] | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[16] | ||
| Douglas C-47 Skytrain | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[2] | ||
| Douglas DC-3 | 1 | DC-3SC | FormerDouglas C-47 Skytrain military aircraft[14] |
| Douglas DC-4 | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[2] | ||
| Douglas DC-6 | DC-6A,DC-6B | At least two aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[17] | |
| Douglas DC-8 | 1 | DC-8-52 | Operated on charter services[14] |
| Douglas DC-8 "Stretch" | 1 | DC-8-61 | Operated on charter services, Reg. C-GDNA/> |
| Fairchild FH-227 | 4 | FH-227B, FH-227D, FH-227E | [14] |
| Grumman G-73 Mallard | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[18] | ||
| Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation | L-1049G,L-1049H | At least two aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[7] | |
| Lockheed L-188 Electra | 2 | L-188C | [14] |
| Piper PA-31 Navajo | 1 | PA-31 Navajo | [14] |
| Short SC.7 Skyvan | At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada[19] |
TheBoeing 737 fleet included thecombi aircraft version for mixed passenger/freight operations.[15]
Nordair also operatedde Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterSTOL capable turboprop aircraft during the early and mid 1970s in scheduled passenger service between the community of Frobisher Bay (nowIqaluit) and various local destinations in this region of theCanadian Arctic.[9]
Another type operated by the airline was theGrumman G-73 Mallardamphibious aircraft which had been converted with turboprop engines and was capable of landing on both land and water (see above photo).
In addition, a division of Nordair, Nordair Metro, was operatingConvair 580 turboprop aircraft in 1986.[20]
