Longest Running 604,702,3,4 and 5 Compnies in Canada?

[Fresh Prince of King Air]

Here's the rules....

Mergers don't count. Unless the big company ate the little company. Then the big company may be listed.

Company size doesn't matter.

Corp. Depts are included.

Anybody?

[looproll]

past or present?

Time Air 1966 to 1991! Stubb Ross

[Liquid Charlie]

It was a shame to see Austin Airways disappear -- before they disappeared they were the longest operating airline in Canada starting in 1934 -- Bradley Air Services -- still operating started in 1946 and of course our own MNR -- started 1924 and is still in operation - not sure if you would count them but they need an honourable mention

[bmc]

Didn't Austin have White River Air Service in its ancestry?

[2milefinal]

Bearskin Airlines most be right up there
Whats it been 46 or so years? I cant get the web sight to work.

[flyinhigh]

A small one in YXL is Lockhart, Howard started that thing up about 30 something years ago now I believe.

[duCapo]

How about us at Inland Air Charters in Prince Rupert started in 1981.......a long time for a west coast operator.
http://www.inlandair.bc.ca/html/aboutus.html#dockcam

[Apache64_]

Keewatin Air has been running around since 1972.

[bandit1]

popair, Inuit

[ScudRunner]

North Cariboo Air - 51 years

[Buzz Lightyear]

Air Creebec, 25 years! Not bad when you realize that nobody at the time thought that natives could run an airline, not mentioning a profitable one.

[DHC3Rwannafly]

Northway Aviation has been kicking around since the sixties.....as far as I can remeber the old 1960's 180 is still flying....

[185/310]

First Air, 705, 1946

[black hole]

Rusty Meyers

[lucky37]

Wardair (1953-1989, taken over by Canadian Airlines)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardair

[Northern Skies]

-Theriault air services never stopped, the sons just divvied it up between them. That's been around sice the 40's or '50's
-Derry air has been going since the '60's
-Air-Dale has been around a long time.

[freakonature]

R.C.M.P. 1937-2008

[Metro-Sexual]

As far as 704 how about the Big Green Machine in Manitoba. Perimeter started in 1960. As far as 705 it would have to be Big Red didn't it start in the 1930's?

Cheers
MS

[flaps78]

For the 604 operator's you might want to check out the oil companies such as Imperial Oil and Shell Oil .

Imperial Oil bought their first aircraft (2 Junkers JL-6) in Oct.1920. This remarkable story is well documented in Canadian aviation history. The pilots were contract pilots. In 1931 IOL purchased and crewed (Pat Reid) their own aircraft primarily for Aviation Sales. Aviation Sales continued to operate aircraft until 1946.

In the spring of 1946 the Imperial Oil Air Transport Department was formed by Pat Reid with Bruce Middleton running the show. IOL Air Transport is still operating out of YYC.

Many of the early flight departments were formed between 1946 and 1950 using war surplus aircraft. One interesting flight department worth looking at is Goodyear Tire Corporation. I do not know their status at this time.

[Ref Plus 10]

Kenn Borek Air 1973-Present

[Bede]

Air Creebec, 25 years! Not bad when you realize that nobody at the time thought that natives could run an airline, not mentioning a profitable one.

Don't want to be a jerk, but most of these native owned airlines get huge capital investments from the Federal government. Not exactly a level playing field.

[flaps78]

I believe that Borek started in 1970 in Dawson Creek with a Cessna 180 (or 185). Kenn later acquired his first DHC-6 , CF-ABW which Merv McCaroll flew and was largely responsible for Kenn Borek getting it's start.

RCMP - difficult call. Do they qualify as a 604 operator as they have gone thru numerous cycles when their pilots were not employees but were contracted?

My understanding of a 604 operator is that the pilots are employed as full time employees.

[ei ei owe]

Wardair (1953-1989, taken over by Canadian Airlines)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardair

Later taken over by AC!! Does that mean there's a continuation?

And, I'm happy to say PAG's been around for quite a while and has no prospect of going anywhere.

[Scuba_Steve]

North Cariboo Air - 51 years

Waving the flag already buddy, I like it !

Cheers

[Be20Captain]

Bar XH Air has been kicking around for 40 years - Another long standing Alberta company.