Canadian Pacific Airlines floatbase

Last updated
Canadian Pacific Air float base Canadian Pacific Float Base 02.JPG
Canadian Pacific Air float base

Canadian Pacific Airlines built this modern float base on the waterfront of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada in 1946 to serve as an office, staff housing, and mooring for its fleet of bush planes. Yellowknife was a very active aviation centre during the late 1940s as a result of renewed gold exploration after World War II. The aviation industry however was very tumultuous and many bankruptcies and mergers occurred throughout history, and many airline companies came to use this float base in Yellowknife, including: Canadian Pacific Airlines (1946–1949), Yellowknife Airways (1949–1951), Associated Airways Limited (1951–1956), Pacific Western Airlines (1956–1966), Northward Airlines (1966–1978), and Air Dogrib (1978–1980s).

In more recent years, the old float base was renovated into a micro brewery and pub known as Bush Pilot Brew Pub (1993-1997) and then as a private residence. The CPA float base was designated a City of Yellowknife Heritage Site in 1992. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Pacific Air Lines</span> Defunct airline of Canada (1942–1987)

Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian as well as international routes until it was purchased by Pacific Western Airlines and absorbed into Canadian Airlines International.

de Havilland Dragon Rapide 1934 small airliner family

The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide is a 1930s short-haul biplane airliner developed and produced by British aircraft company de Havilland. Capable of accommodating 6–8 passengers, it proved an economical and durable craft, despite its outdated plywood construction.

Pacific Western Airlines Ltd (PWA) was an airline that operated scheduled flights throughout western Canada and charter services around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s.

de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Utility transport aircraft family by de Havilland Canada

The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted production in 2008 before re-adopting the DHC name in 2022. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL capabilities, twin turboprop engines and high rate of climb have made it a successful commuter airliner, typically seating 18–20 passengers, as well as a cargo and medical evacuation aircraft. In addition, the Twin Otter has been popular with commercial skydiving operations, and is used by the United States Army Parachute Team and the 98th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bush plane</span> Airplane used in remote or underdeveloped areas

A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft used to provide both scheduled and unscheduled passenger and flight services to remote, undeveloped areas, such as the Canadian north or bush, Alaskan tundra, the African bush, or savanna, Amazon rainforest or the Australian Outback. They are used where ground transportation infrastructure is inadequate or does not exist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Tindi</span> Airline in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

Air Tindi is an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled and on demand charter services. Its main base is Yellowknife Airport and the airline was previously owned by the Arychuk family. The name Tindi means "the big lake" or "Great Slave Lake" in the local native Tłı̨chǫ Yatiì language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman G-73 Mallard</span> Type of aircraft

The Grumman G-73 Mallard is a medium, twin-engined amphibious aircraft. Many have been modified by replacing the original Pratt & Whitney Wasp H radial engines with modern turboprop engines. Manufactured from 1946 to 1951, production ended when Grumman's larger SA-16 Albatross was introduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport</span> Airport in Yukon, Canada

Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport is an airport of entry located in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. It is part of the National Airports System, and is owned and operated by the Government of Yukon. The airport was renamed in honour of longtime Yukon Member of Parliament Erik Nielsen on December 15, 2008. The terminal handled 294,000 passengers in 2012, representing a 94% increase in passenger traffic since 2002. By 2017, this number had risen to 366,000. Air North is based in Whitehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Airways</span> Airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, established in 1970. Buffalo Airways was launched by Bob Gauchie and later sold to one of his pilots, Joe McBryan. It operates charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting, and fuel services, and formerly operated scheduled passenger service. Its main base is at Yellowknife Airport (CYZF). It has two other bases at Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY) and Red Deer Regional Airport (CYQF). The Red Deer base is the main storage and maintenance facility. The airline is also the subject of the History television reality series Ice Pilots NWT. The company slogan is Your passage to the North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noorduyn Norseman</span> 1935 utility aircraft family by Noorduyn

The Noorduyn Norseman, also known as the C-64 Norseman, is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Distinctive stubby landing gear protrusions from the lower fuselage make it easily recognizable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Queensland</span> Formerly Bush Pilots Airways, an Australian airline which operated from 1951 until 1988

Air Queensland, formerly Bush Pilots Airways, was an Australian airline which operated from 1951 until 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Ward (aviator)</span> Canadian aviator (1921–2020)

Maxwell William Ward was a Canadian aviator and founder of Wardair Airlines, at one time the third-largest air carrier in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairchild F-11 Husky</span> Type of aircraft

The Fairchild F-11 Husky was a Canadian bush plane designed and manufactured in the post-Second World War era. Despite a promising design, a lack of a suitable powerplant hurt performance, and stiff competition from the de Havilland Beaver and de Havilland Otter designs meant the type never gained a solid foothold in the marketplace.

de Havilland Dragonfly Type of aircraft

The de Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly is a 1930s British twin-engined luxury touring biplane built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company at Hatfield Aerodrome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Airways</span>

Canadian Airways Limited was a Canadian regional passenger and freight air service based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Slick Airways was a cargo airline from the United States, that operated scheduled and chartered flights between 1946 and 1966. The airline was founded by Earl Slick, a Texas aviator and multimillionaire who along with his brother had inherited $25 million after their father's death in 1930.

Invicta International Airlines Ltd was a charter airline based at Manston Airport in the United Kingdom. It operated non-scheduled passenger and freight services between 1965 and 1982.

Ernest Joseph Boffa was a pioneering Canadian bush pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hudson's Bay Warehouse</span>

The Hudson's Bay Company began a trading post in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada in 1938 at the height of the first gold rush in the region. Fire destroyed the original building in January 1945, and the HBC rebuilt and reopened this expanded trading post store and warehouse in November 1945. It served the Old Town waterfront of Yellowknife for several years. The post was primarily designed for prospector's bush orders during the gold boom years. With the opening of a modern downtown department store in 1947, the Old Town post catered almost exclusively to bush orders, fur trappers, commercial fishers, and prospector supplies. The store closed in 1960 when all HBC operations were centralized to the downtown location. Thereafter, the building was used only as a warehouse for HBC retail operations. The Bay retail stores were rebranded as Northern Stores Inc in 1987 and the warehouse was sold to Les Rocher who has owned it ever since.

References

62°28′02″N114°20′53″W / 62.4671°N 114.3480°W / 62.4671; -114.3480