CanWest Air

CanWest Air is a charter airline based in La Crete, Alberta. Founded in 1986 as Little Red Air Service, CanWest Air provides on-demand charter services to the communities of the Little Red River Cree Nation as well as to various other companies throughout northern Alberta. Nor-Alta Aviation also provides Air Ambulance services under contract from Alberta Health Services. Nor-Alta Aviation purchased Can-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd., and became Can-West Corporate Air Charters a Nor-Alta Aviation Company in late 2015.

Can West Corporate Air Charters Ltd.
A Cessna 206 at Fort Vermilion Airport
IATA ICAO Callsign
- CWA[1] CAN WEST[1]
Founded1986
AOC #5659[2]
HubsEdmonton International Airport
Calgary International Airport
Grande Prairie Airport
Peace River Airport
Fort Vermilion Airport
High Level Airport
Medicine Hat Airport
Fleet size23[3]
HeadquartersLa Crete, Alberta
Key peopleJake Fehr (CEO)
Websitehttp://canwestair.com/

History
A Nor-Alta Aviation Cessna 206 on the apron at Fort Vermilion Airport

Nor-Alta Aviation began in 1986 as Little Red Air Service, which was owned and operated by the Little Red River Cree Nation. The purpose was to provide passenger charter and air ambulance services between the communities of Fox Lake, John D'Or Prairie, and Garden River, Alberta. As the company expanded it began to offer additional charter services throughout northern Alberta and western Canada. Later, LRAS secured a contract from the Alberta provincial government to provide air ambulance services from Fort Vermilion.

Nor-Alta Aviation Leasing Inc. was formed in 2004 for the purpose of leasing aircraft to Little Red Air Service. These additional aircraft allowed LRAS to augment its air ambulance fleet and add executive charters to its list of services. In 2006 was acquired Slave Air,[4] the two companies entered into a management agreement, and Nor-Alta Aviation Leasing purchased the assets of LRAS. The new company became known as Nor-Alta Aviation, and was headed by a group of local entrepreneurs from the nearby community of La Crete.

In the summer of 2010, Nor-Alta Aviation expanded its operations to Fort McMurray after the grounding of Air Mikisew.[5]

A Nor-Alta Aviation King Air A100 touching down on Runway 08 at Fort Vermilion Airport

In 2015 Nor-Alta Aviation purchased Can-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd., which was founded in 1988, and served Wabasca, Slave Lake and Edmonton with medevac, private and executive charters. In late 2015 Nor-Alta Aviation took on the Can-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd name as part of its takeover.[6]

Prior to the end of 2015 Can-West Corporate Air Charters Ltd. secured the purchase of Meadow Air Ltd. and their fleet of Cessna 337's.

Destinations

CanWest Air does not offer any scheduled air services. Frequent destinations for charter flights include the communities of the Little Red River Cree Nation, as well as Fort Chipewyan, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and several fishing lodges and oil camps throughout northern Alberta.

Fleet

As of September 2019, CanWest Air has the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada:[3]

CanWest Air Fleet
AircraftNo. of aircraftVariantsNotes
Beechcraft Super King Air9Model B200GT, Model B200CGT, Model B300Cmedevac configuration, executive charter, the Model B300C marketed as King Air 350C
Cessna 2066U206E, U206F, U206GOne E, two F and 3 G. Up to five passengers or 1,000 lb (450 kg) of freight
Cessna 208 Caravan2208B Grand CaravanUp to nine passengers or 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of freight
Cessna 3376337A, 337C, 337E, 337F, 337GUp to three passengers or 1,000 lb (450 kg) of freight

References
  1. "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. 2023-05-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-02-24. Can West Corporate Air Charters: CWA, CAN WEST
  2. Transport Canada (2019-09-06), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
  3. "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Can-West Corporate Air Charters". Transport Canada. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  4. "Slave Air". Airline History. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  5. Fort McMurray Today article about Nor-Alta Aviation
  6. Nor-Alta Purchase of Can-West. on
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