LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - One of the airlines based in Fort Simpson has changed hands but retained local ownership.

Laverna Martel stands with Wolverine Air's Navajo aircraft. Martel and Jacques Harvey purchased the Fort Simpson airline last month. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

On Oct. 8 Jacques Harvey and Laverna Martel officially became the owners of Wolverine Air. The couple made the purchase in order to safeguard the interests of their existing aviation company.

Harvey and Martel are the founders and owners of South Nahanni Airways. The company operates the only Twin Otter aircraft in the Deh Cho region.

Harvey said they'd known for awhile that Chris Yarrow, Wolverine Air's former owner, was looking to sell the company and other parties had shown an interest in it. There was a fear that if an outside party made the purchase they would decide to actively compete for the markets currently serviced by South Nahanni Airways and possibly even Simpson Air, Harvey said.

With that in mind Martel began a paperwork process that lasted more than two years and included input from consultants, legal advisers and accountants. The conclusion included a business plan that showed the purchase worked financially and that the two companies are compatible.

"Wolverine Air has been a small, successful air charter company in Fort Simpson for many years," Martel said.

For now Martel and Harvey have no plans to tinker with that formula. The two companies will be kept separate but owned by the same shareholders.

By purchasing Wolverine Air the couple have broadened their season and their customer base.

South Nahanni Airways is primarily used by river rafting outfitters to carry people and gear into Nahanni National Park Reserve. The season is a bit short, he said. Harvey does fly the Twin Otter in the winter but has had to go as far as the Caribbean to find contracts.

Wolverine Air, in contrast, has an established air taxi business and came with six light aircraft including four single engine planes that seat between three to six people

and two twin engine planes that can hold between seven to nine passengers.

"The air taxi business is busy year round while the tourism business is seasonal," said Harvey.

The couple has kept Wolverine Air's crew of four full time pilots and one to two seasonal pilots. Harvey plans to do fill-in flights as needed.

Harvey and Martel said after approximately two years they will analyze the business to see if it can be improved by the addition of more planes or staff.

Almost a month into the ownership Harvey said there's still a lot of work to do but with the help of the pilots and administrators he and Martel are easily sliding into the driver's, or better suited, pilot's seat.

Having a long history in the region has facilitated the transition, he said.

The couple moved to Fort Simpson in 1987 and Harvey flew for Simpson Air, first as a line pilot and then as the chief pilot, from

June 1988 to 1994. The couple

started South Nahanni Airways in 1995.

People know us and how we run our business so we don't have to build up relationships like someone from outside the region would, said Harvey.

"Flying is what we do," he said.

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