Air Tindi
Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox airline
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.<ref name="FI">Template:Cite news</ref> The name Tindi means "the big lake" or "Great Slave Lake" in the local native Tłı̨chǫ Yatiì language.
History
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Air Tindi was established by two families, Alex Arychuk and his wife Sheila, and his brother Peter Arychuk and his wife Teri.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It began operations on 1 November 1988, with four float/ski aircraft. In 1990, it purchased its first de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop with the help of the Rae-Edzo Development Corporation, allowing the airline to expand and provide more services to the growing mining exploration industry. In 1991, Air Tindi merged with Latham Island Airways and acquired a further four aircraft in the process.<ref name="FI"/> By mid-1992, Air Tindi was operating four Twin Otters on floats. In 1993, its first large aircraft was purchased, a DHC-4 Caribou for re-supply work with the mining industry. A DHC-7 Dash 7 STOL capable turboprop was acquired in 1996.
On 19 December 2006, Air Tindi was sold to Discovery Air (Toronto Stock Exchange at DA.A), a publicly traded holding company based in London, Ontario.<ref>Discovery Air Inc. Closes Private Placement Offering and Acquisition of Air Tindi Ltd.Template:Dead link</ref> The founders originally maintained their positions with Air Tindi, but various corporate disagreements led to Alex Arychuk leaving as president, and departing the Discovery Air board.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In August 2011 the Government of Nunavut announced that it had awarded a contract to Air Tindi and its partner Aqsaqniq, owned by Dennis Lyall, to provide medivac services to the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. The previous holder of the contract, Adlair Aviation, appealed to the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti and a decision was expected by 11 October 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The decision to dismiss the appeal was made 29 October 2011 and the news released 31 October. Adlair was given an extension on their contract until the end of November 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Air Tindi also provides medivac services for the entirety of Northwest Territories.<ref name=KA250/>
In December 2024, Northwestern Air announced it would be shutting down its scheduled flights. Air Tindi agreed to take over its routes and announced it would acquire two Dash 8s to cover the Yellowknife-Fort Smith-Fort Chipewyan-Edmonton route.<ref name=CabinRadioTindi>Template:Cite news</ref>
Destinations
Template:As of Air Tindi operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations:<ref name="dest">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Province/territory | City | Airport | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Edmonton | Edmonton International Airport | Southern gateway |
| Fort Chipewyan | Fort Chipewyan Airport | ||
| Northwest Territories | Fort Simpson | Fort Simpson Airport | |
| Fort Smith | Fort Smith Airport | ||
| Gamèti | Gamètì/Rae Lakes Airport | ||
| Hay River | Hay River/Merlyn Carter Airport | ||
| Whatì | Whatì Airport | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Wekweètì | Wekweètì Airport | ||
| Yellowknife | Yellowknife Airport | Template:Airline hub |
Fleet
Template:As of Air Tindi had the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada and listed with Air Tindi:<ref name="TCfleet">Template:TCregister</ref><ref name="ATfleet">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Aircraft | No. of aircraft (TC list) |
No. of aircraft (AT list) |
Variants | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft Super King Air | 5 | 4 | Template:Nowrap 2 - Model B300 |
citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> and one King Air 350<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Cessna 208 | 1 | 1 | 208 Caravan | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 7 | 6 | Series 300 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| de Havilland Canada Dash 7 | 11 | 6 | 4 - DHC-7-102 7 - DHC-7-103 |
Combi aircraft (freight and passenger configuration) & 46 passengers (in all passenger configuration)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 3 | 2 - Series 100 1 - Series 300 |
100 series is a combi aircraft capable of carrying 21, 29, or 37 passengers<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> and the 300 carries 50 passengers. Not shown at Transport Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| Total | 24 | 20 | ||||
Accidents and incidents
- On 4 October 2011, a Tindi owned Cessna Caravan en route from Yellowknife Airport to Lutselk'e Airport crashed about Template:Cvt west of the community. There were, including the pilot, four people on the aircraft and two were reported killed. The condition of the two survivors was not disclosed but they had been sent to Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- On 30 January 2019, a Tindi King Air 200, C-GTUC, was en route from Yellowknife to Whatì Airport in instrument meteorological conditions, and crashed about Template:Convert east southeast of the community of Whatì. The two crew, who were the sole occupants, were killed. The investigation determined that both attitude indicators had failed, one prior to departure and one in-flight.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>