Air North

Air North

IATA 4N ICAO ANT Callsign AIR NORTH
Founded	1977
Hubs	Whitehorse International Airport
Focus cities	Vancouver, Dawson City
Frequent-flyer program	None
Airport lounge	Plaza Premium Lounge
Alliance	None
Fleet size	9[1][2]
Destinations	8[3]
Parent company	Joseph Sparling
Headquarters	Whitehorse, Yukon
Key people	Joseph Sparling CEO and President
Website	www.flyairnorth.com

Air North Charter and Training Ltd., operating as Air North, Yukon's Airline is a Canadian airline based in Whitehorse, Yukon. It operates scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and ground handling services throughout the Yukon, with flights to the Northwest Territories, Alaska, British Columbia, and Alberta. Its main base is Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport.^[4]

History

An Air North Boeing 737-200C landing at Vancouver International Airport

The airline was established and started operations in 1977 with a single Cessna 206. Later came Douglas DC-3s, a Douglas DC-4, and a variety of Cessnas, de Havillands, Beechcrafts and other aircraft. From 1996 the fleet of piston-powered aircraft were replaced with more modern turboprop aircraft, and by 2000 the fleet consisted of one Beechcraft Model 99 and three Hawker Siddeley 748 Series 2As. A pair of Boeing 737-200 jets were acquired in 2002, the Beech 99 was sold in 2005, and a fourth Hawker Siddeley 748 was acquired in 2006. In summer 2008, to add capacity and versatility to the fleet, a Boeing 737-200 combi was acquired, with its large main deck cargo door and moveable bulkhead allowing all-cargo as well as mixed cargo/passenger operations with the 737, similar to what was already being done with the HS748s. In addition to the -200s, a larger 737-400 and a winglet equipped -500 were acquired in 2010.^[5]

Near the end of 2011 C-GNAU (one of the first two 737s delivered to Air North) made its final landing into Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport. Air North retired the aircraft due to the requirement to install lap joints. Both of Air North's other 737-200 aircraft already had them installed. C-GNAU is currently parked behind the hangar and is being used for spare parts and training.

Air North is owned by Joseph Sparling (51%) (President) and Vuntut Development (49%), an arm of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. It now has over 200 employees (as of May 2008), and over 1200 Class C & D shareholders.

Since the arrival of the Boeing 737s, the Air North property has expanded and now includes the original Hawker Hangar and cargo area, a new 737 tent-hangar, a new reservations/administration building, an in-house catering and cabin services department, and a small ground equipment hangar.

In conjunction with Harper Street Publishing, Air North launched its inflight magazine, Yukon, North of Ordinary^[6] in February 2007. Yukon, North of Ordinary is published quarterly with a press run of 20,000. It is available inflight, via subscriptions, and in bookstores across Canada. The magazine is owned and operated by Harper Street Publishing of Carcross, Yukon.

Destinations

Air North Hawker-Siddeley 748

As of 24 November 2011 Air North provides scheduled service to the following destinations:^[3]

•  Canada Canada
  • Alberta
    • Calgary (Calgary International Airport)
    • Edmonton (Edmonton International Airport)
  • British Columbia
    • Vancouver (Vancouver International Airport)
  • Northwest Territories
    • Inuvik (Inuvik (Mike Zubko) Airport)
  • Yukon
    • Dawson City (Dawson City Airport)
    • Old Crow (Old Crow Airport)
    • Whitehorse (Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport)

•  United States United States
  • Alaska
    • Fairbanks (Fairbanks International Airport)

Air North also offers passenger, freight and combi charter services throughout the Yukon and across North America.^[7]

Air North provides seasonal vacation flights to:

• Kelowna (Kelowna International Airport)
• Victoria (Victoria International Airport)
• Las Vegas (McCarran International Airport)

Fleet

As of 24 November 2011 the Air North fleet consists of the following aircraft:^[1][2]

Additionally Transport Canada has a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 206 listed as registered to Air North but with their certificates cancelled.^[2]

Previously operated

Aircraft previously operated include:^[8]

• Beechcraft Model 18
• Beechcraft Queen Air
• Beechcraft Model 99
• Britten-Norman Islander
• Cessna 150
• Cessna 172
• Cessna 185
• Cessna 206
• Cessna Skymaster
• de Havilland Beaver
• de Havilland Otter
• de Havilland Caribou
• Douglas DC-3
• Douglas DC-4
• Fairchild F-11 Husky

Ground handling

An Air North ground handler in Vancouver

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

At Vancouver International Airport, Air North was the Ground and Passenger Service Handler for airline partner Harmony Airways before they ceased operations in the spring of 2007. Air North is the sole provider of ground handling for American Airlines at Vancouver. The ground handling operation is also equipped to provide services for both jet and turboprop charter aircraft. Air North frequently provides support and equipment rental to much larger ground handlers, such as Handlex and Servisair.

At Calgary International Airport, Air North uses WingTips Airport Services for passenger services, and Servisair for ramp services. WingTips provides agents for check-in, departures, and arrivals. Servisair provides ramp and baggage services.

At Edmonton International Airport, Air North uses Canadian North for passenger handling and Servisair for ramp services.

At Inuvik Airport, Air North flights are handled by First Air.

At Whitehorse International Airport, Air North provides its own ground handling and passenger handling service. Air North providing ground handling and passenger services for scheduled airline service including Condor as well as charter flights.

Air North also provides fueling services for airlines in Whitehorse.

When Air Canada or Air Canada Express overnights at Whitehorse, the return catering is removed from the aircraft and stored at the Air North catering facility.

Accidents and incidents

• On 19 August 1995, Douglas C-47B C-GZOF crashed on approach to Vancouver International Airport, Richmond, British Columbia killing one of the three crew. The aircraft was on a ferry flight to Prince Rupert Airport when the starboard propeller went into overspeed and the decision was made to return to Vancouver International.^[9]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Air North

Aviation portal

• Official website
• Yukon, North of Ordinary inflight magazine