Calm Air Founder Dies

EXMO · Post by **EXMO** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:10 am

Calm Air founder dies
September 8, 2005
By PAUL TURENNE, STAFF REPORTER
Manitoba lost a business icon yesterday when Arnold Morberg, the founder of Calm Air, died at his Thompson home.
He was 69 years old.
Morberg, who was born near Mildred, Sask., bought his first plane in 1962 to serve his fishing lodge near Stony Rapids, Sask., and over the years grew Calm Air into an airline that today serves 21 communities in Manitoba and Nunavut.
"He built an airline and made the damn thing fly," said Gail Morberg, who was married to Arnold for 44 years. "It's been a wonderful fly.
"I'm really proud of our old boy," she said. "He was magnificent to live with. We had fun in our lives. He gave me four great kids and wonderful grandchildren."
Calm Air was named for Morberg, using the initials from his name: Carl Arnold Lawrence Morberg.
After acquiring a small airline in northern Manitoba, Morberg moved Calm Air from Saskatchewan to Lynn Lake, then to Thompson in 1985.
Morberg's impact on the aviation business was evident yesterday.
"I've had phone calls from all over North America," said Gail. "Aviation is kind of a small community."
The family is planning services for both Thompson and Winnipeg, but details and dates have yet to be hammered out.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/Business/200 ... 5-sun.html

CD · Post by CD » Thu Sep 08, 2005 1:46 pm

Carl Arnold Lawrence Morberg, CEO of Calm Air International Ltd., passed away at the age of 69 in his home at Paint Lake, Manitoba, surrounded by his loving family. Arnold is survived by his wife Gail and his four children, Marion, Nelson (Toni), Margo (Brian Berry) and Monica (Lionnel Janzen), and 6 grandchildren, Kalie, Madison, Rayne, Max, Carl and Paige.

Arnold with his wife Gail, the founders and creators of Calm Air International Ltd., lead a dynamic and challenging life building one of Canada’s largest privately owned regional airlines. His soft smile and witty charm will be missed by the many people he captivated each day.

Today Calm Air serves communities throughout the Manitoba and the Kivalliq region of the Nunavut.

*Among his innumerable accomplishments, Arnold served a term as Mayor of Lynn Lake in the late 70’s. He sat on the Board of Directors for MTS from 1994 – 2001; CDEF – lending arm of the provincial government; Director of ATAC - Airline Transportation Association of Canada; Northern Cancer Fundraiser- with Janet Filmon.

Arnold’s life will be remembered and celebrated at a community gathering held in Thompson, MB., Wednesday, September 14th 2:00-4:00pm at the Legion Hall.

A Farewell Gathering will be held in Winnipeg at the Fairmont Hotel from 7:00-10:00pm on Sunday, September 18th.

In lieu of flowers, the Morberg Family wishes tax deductible donations to be made to the Thompson Community Foundation, Box 1074, Thompson MB., R8N 0M5.

Arnold Morberg built an airline and made it fly, and found death no less perplexing, no less wonderful than life.

Sulako · Post by **Sulako** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 2:16 pm

It sounds like he had a good run. I will raise a glass to him tonight. Godspeed Arnold!

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 1:11 pm

I worked for Arnold in the 70's just after he bought out Chiupka Airways in Lynn Lake. He was a great guy and a man with a vision.
He wanted to connect small communities in Northern Manitoba wth reliable air service.
Previously, Brochet was served by a bush airline that had sched service twice a week with an Otter on floats and/or skiis. No service during freeze up and break-up or at night.
Arnold convinced the elders to upgrade or build an airstrip and give him the business.
He started out daily service, especially to Brochet, with a Twin Beech on floats, which convinced the locals that he meant business.
That freeze - up, we started twice daily service to Brochet, first with an Islander and then with a Twin Otter. Southern Indian Lake realized this man meant business and they quickly got on the bandwagon and build an airstrip. The result was daily service Connecting Southern Indian Lake with Lynn Lake, Thompson and the rest of the world.
Remember, these communities were totally isolated during freeze-up and break-up. Medical emergencies just did not happen.
He wanted to give the locals the same level of service the southerers got and nothing was going to stand in his way.
That was the type of guy he was.
Now, daily reliable air service year round is his legacy.
He will be missed.

J.P.WISER · Post by **J.P.WISER** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:33 pm

Great post oldtimer

!!
I think this is great place for any others that might have a story about this great man!!

Arnold Morberg touched many people within the aviation community and outside of the aviation community, in the north and in many other places across Canada. Many people wouldn't be where they are today without this man's contribution and hard work. It would be very interesting to know how many careers were a result of this one man.

Not to mention the community support not just in the city of Thompson but all communities that his company was involved with.

He will be missed by many and best wishes to all the family that are left behind, and to all the employee's who lost a great role model who always had time to stop and speak with everyone that worked for him no matter how small of a job you had!!

I too will raise a glass and I hope your last flight is as good as your first flight!!!

balls · Post by **balls** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:18 pm

oldtimer wrote:I worked for Arnold in the 70's just after he bought out Chiupka Airways in Lynn Lake. He was a great guy and a man with a vision.
He wanted to connect small communities in Northern Manitoba wth reliable air service.
Previously, Brochet was served by a bush airline that had sched service twice a week with an Otter on floats and/or skiis. No service during freeze up and break-up or at night.
Arnold convinced the elders to upgrade or build an airstrip and give him the business.
He started out daily service, especially to Brochet, with a Twin Beech on floats, which convinced the locals that he meant business.
That freeze - up, we started twice daily service to Brochet, first with an Islander and then with a Twin Otter. Southern Indian Lake realized this man meant business and they quickly got on the bandwagon and build an airstrip. The result was daily service Connecting Southern Indian Lake with Lynn Lake, Thompson and the rest of the world.
Remember, these communities were totally isolated during freeze-up and break-up. Medical emergencies just did not happen.
He wanted to give the locals the same level of service the southerers got and nothing was going to stand in his way.
That was the type of guy he was.
Now, daily reliable air service year round is his legacy.
He will be missed.

Oldtimer - you didn't crash a Bugsmasher into the island at the float plane base in Lynn Lake, did you? Remember when Arnold tried to ferry the DHC-6?

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:39 pm

To answer balls, no that was a Parsons Airways pilot who took out windsock island. Happened after I left. The pilot is now a senior and very well respected pilot for a major corporate operator in CYYC. Arnold pranged the twotter at Leaf Rapids shortly after I left. The only incidents when I was there was when a pilot put a Found into the bush, Arnold landed is wheel equipped Be18 gear up on the ice at Eldon Lake with minor damage, another pilot flipped the same Beech on its back at Arctic Lodge on Malcolm Island and I dropped a Cherokee 6 through the ice at Southern Indian Lake, all with no harm to passengers and minor damage to aircraft.