Ontario Central Airlines
Nunasi-Central Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
— NUN NUNASI
Founded1947
Commenced operations1957
Ceased operations1991
Operating basesKenora Airport
Fleet size22 (1963)
DestinationsBall Lake Airport, Red Lake Airport
Key peopleDon Watson
Barney E. Lamm
Rex A. Kiteley
Stanley Matthew Deluce

Ontario Central Airlines was a Canadian airline headquartered in Kenora, Ontario. It was founded in 1947 and served the Kenora District. It operated a wide range of aircraft, ranging from outdated passenger planes like the Douglas DC-3 to small bush planes like the Noorduyn Norseman.

The airline was renamed Nunasi-Central Airlines in 1984 and Nunasi-Northland Airlines in 1987. It ceased operations in 1991.

History

Nunasi-Central Douglas DC-3 CF-YQG

Ontario Central Airlines was founded in 1947,[1] starting with two Fairchild 82 aircraft.[2] Founded as a charter airline, Ontario Central introduced its first scheduled services in 1957, having purchased a Beechcraft 18 (CF-KIA). The first two routes were from Kenora to Winnipeg, Manitoba and return, and from Kenora to Fort Frances, Atikokan and Fort William and return. These services were discontinued in the summer of 1958.[3]

In 1963, its president was Barney E. Lamm and its vice president was Rex A. Kiteley.[1] In 1976, the airline was bought by entrepreneur Stanley Matthew Deluce.[4]

A large number of Ontario Central Airlines' aircraft were Noorduyn Norseman bush planes. One specific Norseman, CF-OBE, was completely metalized using metal from the wings of another Norseman, CF-UUD, thus making it one of two all-metal Norseman planes, the other being CF-UUD. CF-OBE suffered substantial damage while attempting to land at Birch Lake Lodge, 120 kilometers north of Red Lake, in 2004. As of 2005, the wreckage is still ashore at Birch Lake Lodge.[5]

In December 1984,[6] Ontario Central Airlines was renamed Nunasi-Central Airlines.[7] Nunasi-Central Airlines was allocated the ICAO Code NUN and used the callsign NUNASI.[8] In 1987, Nunasi-Central Airlines was renamed Nunasi-Northland Airlines.

Nunasi-Northland Airlines ceased operations in 1991.[9] Several of its former aircraft survived into the 21st century, and some are now in the hands of private collectors and other airlines. Others are on display in aviation museums, such as CF-AXL, a Fairchild 82 that is currently preserved at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.

Services

The airline operated amphibious flights from Kenora, Ball Lake, and Red Lake in Ontario. The airline also engaged in aerial advertising and pest control services.[10]

Ontario Central Airlines operated a maintenance facility in Redditt. It was a former Canadian National Railway roundhouse that was extensively modified to fit the needs of the airline. The switch yard was used as a landing strip for wheel aircraft after the tracks had been pulled. the inflow to Corn Lake was dredged, and a control dam was constructed at the outflow of Ena Lake to ensure an adequate water depth for the landing of amphibious aircraft, which were then towed by a dolly to the roundhouse for maintenance.

Fleet

Over its 44-year existence, Ontario Central Airlines and its successors operated the following aircraft in its fleet, many of which were surplus military aircraft:

Aircraft Total Introduced Last retired Notes References
Fairchild 82 2 1947 1954 First aircraft purchased [2]
Noorduyn Norseman 25 1947 1986 Highest number of planes in the fleet [5][11][12]
Stinson Reliant 1 1954 Unknown [13]
Beechcraft 18 4 1957 1990 [3][14][15][16]
Cessna 180 5 c. 1963 After 1970 [1][10]
Piper PA-18 Super Cub 1 c. 1963 After 1970 [1][10]
Piper PA-23 Apache 1 c. 1963 Unknown [10]
Grumman G-21 Goose 3 c. 1963 c. 1984 [1][10][17]
Curtiss Wright C-46 6 Unknown Unknown [18]
Douglas DC-3 5 c. 1965 1991 [6][19][20][21][22]
Consolidated PBY-5A Canso 1 1965 1992 Former RCAF aircraft; airworthy as of 2001 [23]
De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter 2 1977 1986 [16][24]
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver 1 1981 1985 [25]

Accidents and incidents

  • On 23 December 1950, Norseman CF-CPS crashed at Kirkness Lake, Ontario, killing the pilot and passenger.[11][26]
  • On 22 October 1951, Norseman CF-BTH was destroyed after it struck rocks during a night landing at Red Lake Water Aerodrome.[11]
  • On 20 December 1957, Norseman CF-DRE crashed during a landing at Ball Lake, Ontario, seriously injuring the pilot and killing three passengers.[11]
  • On 25 July 1958, Norseman CF-IRH was involved in a mid-air collision with Norseman CF-BZM of Parsons Airways on approach to Kenora Airport. CF-BZM was written off, but CF-IRH was repaired and returned to service.[11] All fifteen passengers and crew on both aircraft survived. The worst casualty was a broken arm.[27]
  • On 26 March 1960, Norseman CF-IRH crashed at Red Lake, Ontario and was destroyed.[11]
  • On 19 June 1974, Norseman CF-BHU crashed at Sachigo Lake, Ontario due to fuel mismanagement. The pilot was injured and one of the two passengers was killed.[11]
  • On 19 August 1965, Norseman CF-OBO was destroyed in a landing accident at Island Lake, Manitoba. The pilot was seriously injured.[11]
  • On 15 February 1983, Douglas DC-3 C-FBKX was damaged beyond repair in a crash landing near Shamattawa, Manitoba following an engine failure. The aircraft was on a non-scheduled passenger flight. All four people on board survived.[28] As of July 2009, the wreckage remains on site at 55°58.18′N 92°31.65′W / 55.96967°N 92.52750°W / 55.96967; -92.52750.[29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Flight International, 26 March 1970, p495. Retrieved on 25 July 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Ontario Central Airlines". Ed Zaruk. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 Whittingham, Bruce (29 April 2010). "OCA Sked Run (1958)". Ed Zaruk. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  4. ↑ "Stanley Matthew Deluce". Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Aircraft". norsemanhistory.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  6. 1 2 "Ray Fread's Photos of Propellor Planes". Ruud Leeuw. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "O Airlines". Airline History. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  8. ↑ "January 2005, Section E". Transport Canada. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "Nunasi-Northland Airlines". Airlines History. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Flight International, 2 April 1964, p. 523. Retrieved on 25 July 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "A brief history of each individual Norseman". Norseman History. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  12. ↑ "The Norseman Bush Plane - From Fabric To Metal". Ed Zaruk. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  13. ↑ [Canadian Aviation Historical Society - Journal Vol.32 No.3: Fall 1994, back cover] Retrieved on 25 July 2010
  14. ↑ "Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers RCAF 1945 to 1968, Some WW II serials, re-used 2305 to 2343 detailed list". R W Walker. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  15. ↑ "C-FXUO". Flying Higher. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  16. 1 2 "Bushplanes at Kenora, Ontario". Ruud Leeuw. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  17. ↑ "Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers RCAF 351 to 400 Detailed List". Robert Walker. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  18. ↑ "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". 28 August 2013.
  19. ↑ "Accident description". N3FY Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  20. ↑ "US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (00001 to 10316)". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  21. ↑ "My visit to Buffalo Airways (Red Deer, ALB 2006)". Ruud Leeuw. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  22. ↑ "Villavicencio Airport, Colombia". Michael Prophet. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  23. ↑ "PBV-1A/RCAF11074". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "No. 8512. de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter (CF-MEL) Lambair". 1000 Aircraft Photos. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  25. ↑ "c/n 997". DHC-2.com. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  26. ↑ "CF-CPS Noorduyn Norseman VI (c/n 439)". Ed Coates. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  27. ↑ Whittingham, Bruce (10 June 2010). "Crowded Skies". Ed Zaruk. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  28. ↑ "C-FBKX Accident report". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  29. ↑ "Abandoned Plane Wrecks of the North". Ruud Leeuw. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
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