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Nordair was a Quebec-based airline in Canada founded in 1947 from the merger of Boreal Airways and Mont Laurier Aviation.
Nordair was operating scheduled passenger services in July 1959 utilizing Douglas DC-3 and Douglas DC-4 propeller aircraft with routings of Montreal - Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) - Cape Dyer Airport; Montreal - Roberval - Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq) - Frobisher Bay; and Montreal - Quebec City - Roberval - Chibougamau.
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 as Winnipeg and as far north as the Resolute Bay Airport in the Northern Canada with a number of destinations in Ontario and Quebec in Canada being served including Montreal (via Dorval Airport), Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Ontario and Windsor, Ontario as well as Pittsburgh in the United States, primarily with Boeing 737-200 jetliners but also with Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop aircraft. The airline was also operating scheduled passenger flights in 1975 with Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft primarily to destinations in Quebec. Nordair was continuing to operate scheduled passenger flights in 1986 primarily with Boeing 737-200 jets.
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.
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 by Transport Canada, and again the Nordair name disappeared from the airline industry
The Boeing 737 fleet included the combi aircraft version for mixed passenger/freight operations.
Nordair also operated de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop aircraft during the early and mid 1970s in scheduled passenger service between the community of Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) and various local destinations in this region of the Canadian Arctic.
Another type operated by the airline was the Grumman G-73 Mallard amphibious 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 operating Convair 580 turboprop aircraft in 1986.
Introduction of Boeing 737 jet aircraft
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. This same timetable also lists scheduled passenger service operated by Nordair with the Boeing 737-200 between Montreal Dorval and Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq), Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit), Great Whale (now Kuujjuarapik), Hamilton and Resolute.
Merger and aftermath
Nordair was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines which had operated as CP Air. On March 27, 1987, Pacific Western Airlines purchased Canadian Pacific Air Lines and then emerged as Canadian Airlines. The jet operation was absorbed into Canadian Airlines, while the turboprop operations were absorbed into Inter-Canadien. In 2000, that airline was acquired by Air Canada.
Destinations
The following destinations in Canada were served by Nordair with scheduled passenger flights during the airline's existence:
Canada
Outside of Canada
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.
Military contract flight services
Nordair served as an air service contractor to the Canadian Armed Forces, including ice reconnaissance missions flown with a Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft and United States Air Force support flights to Distant Early Warning Line stations from Alaska to Baffin Island.
Fleet
Nordair had the following aircraft registered by Transport Canada and listed in their timetables. Over the years they had at least 40 aircraft.
+ Nordair fleet At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada Gravel strip equipped, includes combi aircraft Flying boat. At least one aircraft listed as a Canso. Not listed with Transport Canada Convair CV-990 2 Two aircraft, N5609 and N5615 were leased from Modern Air Transport and operated on charter services At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada Former Douglas C-47 Skytrain military aircraft At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada At least two aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada Operated on charter services Operated on charter services, Reg. C-GDNA/> At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada At least two aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada At least one aircraft. Not listed with Transport Canada
Accidents and incidents
See also
External links
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