KF Aerospace is a Canadian aerospace company providing aircraft maintenance, engineering, training, parts manufacturing, commercial flight operations, and pilot training. KF is a Transport Canada Design Approval Organization (DAO) and Recognized Design Approval Organization (RDAO) with the Department of National Defence (DND). KF also purchases, modifies and leases or sells commercial aircraft. KF Aerospace is the central Okanagan’s largest private sector employer and Canada’s largest commercial MRO. [1]
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd. (KFL) – a division of KF Aerospace – is an Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) and operates two maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Canada, one at Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia and the other at Hamilton International Airport in Ontario. KFL also holds delegated Engineering authorities under TC Transport Canada (TC) and the Department of National Defence (DND), and is an Approved Training Organization (ATO) under DND.
Map of KF Aerospace’s locations
KF Aerospace is the parent company of KF Defence Programs/Allied Wings Inc. and contract operator of the Canadian Forces Contracted Flying Training and Support program.
Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter Ltd. (KFACL) provides charter passenger and charter cargo services.
Regency Aero Lease Inc. (RALI) provides aircraft leasing to KF Aerospace’s domestic and international customers.
History
KF Aerospace c. 1970sBarry Lapointe c. 1968
The company was established as Kelowna Flightcraft on March 20, 1970 in the Okanagan Valley by owner Barry Lapointe, and the charter subsidiary Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter was established and started operating in June 1974.
In 1996, Kelowna Flightcraft was operating Boeing 727-200 jets in scheduled passenger airline service using its own "KF" airline code on a contract basis for Greyhound Air, a Canadian-based new startup air carrier.[2]
KF's extensive history in maintenance work directed to the ubiquitous Boeing 727 "feederliner" series has led to their adaptation as the main type for cargo operations, with Purolator Courier their main client. It was announced on February 19, 2014 that Flightcraft lost their contract with Purolator Courier as another carrier, Cargojet, won the contract.[3]
KF Aerospace currently delivers cargo for Purolator within British Columbia, Canada, as part of the British Columbia Feeder Network (BCFN) using a fleet of Convair 580 aircraft. KF provides Type-A dispatch services for Canadian operators.
On March 30, 2005, KF Aerospace was awarded a $1.77 billion contract to lead a team of Canadian companies called Allied Wings to provide primary flight training for the Royal Canadian Air Force at Southport Aerospace Centre Inc. - the former CFB Base in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Since 2005, KF Aerospace and its Allied Wings partners have provided basic and advanced flying training (multi-engine and rotary-wing) for RCAF pilots and aircrew. Training includes live flying on the Grob-G120A, King Air C-90B, Bell B206B Jet Ranger and Bell B412 CF Outlaw. Allied Wings also provides classroom and simulator instruction alongside RCAF uniformed instructors, and manages all facilities, grounds and operations for the program.
A Convair CV580 in KF's cargo fleet
KF Aerospace undertakes maintenance and upgrades on the Convair CV-240 family, for which it owns the type certificate. KF Aerospace has converted existing Convair CV-580s to the updated CV5800 configuration and had provided conversions of the former Canadian Forces CC-109 Cosmopolitan transport fleet into freighters and "fire-fighting" water/chemical bombers.[4]
In February 2019, KF announced plans for a $30 million expansion of its MRO facility in Hamilton, Ontario, including a new 75,000 sq. foot hangar that introduced wide-body aircraft capability and additional lines of maintenance to KF’s Hamilton operation. The expansion was completed in November 2019.
The KF Centre for Excellence
In September 2020, KF Aerospace founder Barry Lapointe announced plans to build an aerospace museum, hangar and conference center in Kelowna.[5] The KF Centre for Excellence is a 50,000 sqft facility designed by Meiklejohn Architects and built by Sawchuk Developments Co. Completed and opened in 2022, it is shaped like a plane and features a mass timber and steel design.[6][7] The two hangars house legacy aircraft such as a World War IIMosquito fighter-bomber and a Hawker Tempest MKII.[8]
An Aeroflyer B737NG
KF launched the passenger charter airline Aeroflyer in 2022, operating with a fleet of B737NG aircraft.
In 2022, KF Aerospace partnered with the City of Kelowna, Kelowna International Airport (YLW), and the YMCA to build the Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care Centre. The child care centre opened in 2023, offering spaces for 86 children under age six. In 2024, an expansion for the child care centre was announced. The expansion is expected to open in late 2025.
KF Aerospace announced a partnership with Boeing to open two conversion lines for 737-800BCF at its Kelowna facility in 2023.[9]
Operations
The wide-body hangar at KF Aerospace’s Hamilton location
KF Aerospace is Canada’s largest commercial Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) provider, with 15 maintenance lines across Canada completing over 1,100, 000 maintenance hours annually. KF Aerospace offers services in aerospace engineering, shops and manufacturing, engine repair and overhaul, avionics, composite repair and overhaul, landing gear, plating, non-destructive testing (NDT), painting, modifications, parts, heavy maintenance, line maintenance, and mobile repair. KF has over 200 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) and repair approvals.
KF Aerospace specializes in passenger to freighter conversions for the Convair 580, Boeing 737-300, 400, & 800, and ATR 75-500, and maintenance and modifications for the Boeing 727, 737, 757, and 767; Airbus A320 support; Lockheed 100-J Hercules; De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400; and ATR.
KF Defence and SkyAlyne
KF Aerospace is a prime contractor at the Contracted Flying and Training Support (CFTS) Program in Southport, MB, providing pilot training and in-service support for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with its partners in Allied Wings. Over 80% of RCAF pilots earn their ‘wings’ through the CFTS Program. At YPG, KF directly maintains Grob 120A training aircraft and Textron/Beechcraft King Air C-90 aircraft. At YLW, KF provides comprehensive maintenance services for the CC138 Twin Otter Transport Squadron.
KF provides Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) maintenance for the Department of National Defence. KF is a member of Team Poseidon for Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMAA), slated to provide ongoing maintenance and engineering support for the P-8A Poseidon.
KF is a founding partner of SkyAlyne (along with Canadian company CAE) to provide aircrew training and in-service support for the RCAF’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program. In May 2024, SkyAlyne was awarded the 20+ year, multi-billion-dollar FAcT contract.
In 2021, KF Aerospace partnered with Mohawk College to build the Centre for Aviation Technology – a three story, 75,000-square-foot aviation jobs and skills training facility adjoined to KF Aerospace’s Hamilton MRO facility.
Locations
KF’s Kelowna base
KF Aerospace has hangar facilities in Kelowna, BC and Hamilton, ON, and four operational sites in Vancouver, BC, Calgary, AB, Portage La Prairie, MB, and Ottawa, ON. KF’s head office, main MRO and Flight Ops are located in Kelowna.
KF offers international leasing through Knight Aircraft Leasing. KF has an exclusive dealership arrangement to sell, market, and lease Grob products in North America.
KF offers maintenance for the following aircraft types:[11]
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 and cargo flights throughout Yukon, as well as between Yukon and the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. The airline also operates charter flights throughout Canada and Alaska. The airline also provides ground handling services and fuel services to other airlines throughout Yukon, and it also provides ground handling services at Vancouver International Airport and Edmonton International Airport. Its main base is Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport.
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.
The Royal Canadian Air Force is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force consists of 12,074 Regular Force and 1,969 Primary Reserve personnel, supported by 1,518 civilians, and operates 258 manned aircraft and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny is the current Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Chief of the Air Force Staff.
Prince George Airport is an airport that serves Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, and the surrounding area. It is located just within the southern boundary of the city, 2.8 nautical miles southeast, and is run by the Prince George Airport Authority.
Les Investissements Nolinor Inc., trading as Nolinor Aviation, is a charter airline based in Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It operates passenger charter and cargo services within Canada and to the United States. Its main base is Montréal–Mirabel International Airport. It has 200 employees.
PAL Airlines is a Canadian regional airline with headquarters at St. John's International Airport in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. PAL operates scheduled passenger, cargo, air ambulance and charter services. PAL is the commercial airline arm of the PAL Group of Companies. In addition to its head office, it also has bases in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Montreal, Quebec. PAL is the second largest regional airline operator in Eastern Canada next to Jazz Aviation.
Kelowna International Airport is a Canadian airport located approximately 10 minutes or 6.2 nautical miles northeast of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, on Highway 97.
West Atlantic UK Limited, formerly Atlantic Airlines Ltd is a British cargo airline based at East Midlands Airport. It operates contract and ad hoc cargo flights worldwide, especially within Europe as part of the West Atlantic Group. The company's fleet is composed of Boeing 737 and ATR72 aircraft. The airline specialises in the transport of dangerous goods and radioactive products and other specialist aerial work, including oil spill response, dispersant spraying and icing trials. The prime activity of the business is the supply and operating of aircraft to night-time freight integrators and consolidators and the operation of ad hoc air charters on behalf of other airlines, freight brokers and forwarders. Atlantic Airlines merged with the Swedish airline West Air Europe in 2008 to establish the West Atlantic Group.
AllCanada Express was a cargo airline based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It operated nightly flights to some of the major United States cargo hubs and to Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter trading as KF Cargo and Kelowna Flightcraft trading as KF Maintenance and Engineering is a cargo airline based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It operates long term cargo charters for couriers and freight companies, forest fire patrols, and aircraft sales and leasing in Canada and worldwide. It also provides maintenance and aircraft manufacturing services.
Winnport was the first Canadian all-cargo airline to operate scheduled service between Canada and the People's Republic of China. Franklin "Lynn" Bishop was the president of Winnport.
Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness directives and repair.
Kelowna Flightcraft may refer to;
Shaheen Air International was a private Pakistani airline with its head office at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and was founded by the Shah family. It remained Pakistan's second-largest airline until its liquidation in 2018 due to financial troubles. The airline owed Rs. 1.36 billion to Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA) and its employees salaries.
Air Transport Services Group Inc. (ATSG) is an American aviation holding company which provides air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. ATSG, is the world's largest lessor of converted Boeing 767 freighter aircraft through its leasing division, Cargo Aircraft Management. Through its principal subsidiaries, including three airlines with separate and distinct U.S. FAA Part 121 Air Carrier certificates, ATSG provides aircraft leasing, air cargo lift, passenger ACMI and charter services, aircraft maintenance services and airport ground services. ATSG's subsidiaries include Cargo Aircraft Management; ABX Air; Air Transport International; Omni Air International, Airborne Global Solutions; Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, including its subsidiary, Pemco Conversions dba Pemco World Air Services; and LGSTX Services.
FL Technics is a global provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. The company has Base Maintenance facilities in Lithuania and Indonesia and provides Line Maintenance support across Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
The aircraft maintenance industryin India was worth US$800 million in 2011 and is expected to grow to over US$1.5 billion by 2020. However, currently India constitutes 1 percent of the global maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) market, worth US$45 billion.
SkyLink Express is a cargo airline headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It operates dedicated air cargo / courier feeder flights throughout Canada and the United States and provides on demand air cargo charters from its bases in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montréal-Mirabel.
KF Defence Programs, a division of KF Aerospace, operates the Contracted Flying Training and Support (CFTS) Training Centre located at Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport in Southport, Manitoba, Canada. KF Aerospace leads a joint partnership that includes Canadian Helicopters, Bluedrop Performance Learning, and Canadian Base Operators. The main building is named The Hilly Brown Building after Wing Commander Mark Henry Brown who was the first Canadian flying ace of the Second World War.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
