Nor-Alta Aviation

Nor-Alta Aviation

IATA ICAO Callsign LT - "Rider"
Founded	1986
Hubs	Fort Vermilion Airport High Level Airport Fort McMurray Airport
Fleet size	18
Headquarters	Fort Vermilion, Alberta
Key people	Jake Fehr (CEO)
Website	http://canwestair.com/

Nor-Alta Aviation is a charter airline based in Fort Vermilion, High Level, and Fort McMurray, Alberta. Founded in 1986 as Little Red Air Service, Nor-Alta Aviation 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.

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, 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.^[1]

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 air ambulance, 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.^[2]

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

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

Nor-Alta Aviation 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 April 2016 Nor-Alta Aviation has the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada:^[3]

Canadian Fleet

Aircraft	No. of Aircraft	Idents	Notes
Cessna 206	6	GWVT, GICJ, GGBZ, FSLR, FOOS, GLGD	Up to 5 passengers or 1000 lbs of freight
Cessna 208B	2	GGUH, GLRT	Up to 9 passengers or 3000 lbs of freight
Cessna 337	4	FZGO, FVAS, GETG, GGFA	Up to 3 passengers or 1000 lbs of freight
Beech King Air B200	6	FPQQ, GHJF, FGWR, GPNB, FSAO, FKCW	5 in medevac configuration, 1 in executive charter

References

1. Fort McMurray Today article about Nor-Alta Aviation
2. Nor-Alta Purchase of Can-West. on
3. Transport Canada listing of aircraft owned by "Nor-Alta Aviation" (enter Nor-Alta Aviation in the box titled "Owner Name")

External links

• Can-West Air Charters.