Inuvik (Feb 13/04) - While these days it waits on standby to shuttle emergency patients, nobody except former Panama leader Manuel Noriega knows what infamous cargo Inuvik's medevac plane used to carry.

Unlike Noriega, now languishing inside an American prison for drug trafficking and racketeering, the Beech Super King Air 200 -- once one of Noriega's private planes -- still enjoys its freedom.

It's now flying the friendly skies to and from medical facilities in Western Canada.

Under Noriega's care, the plane cruised the often not-so-friendly skies above the battle-grounds of drug wars raging in South America and American-backed proxy wars being fought in Central America. In both conflicts, it has been reported that Noriega was a player.

Though opinion is split on the true reason for the 1989 American invasion that removed Noriega from power, it is generally accepted that the man rolled with the heavyweights in both the American intelligence community and the world's largest cocaine producers, the Medellin Cartel.

Kenn Borek Air President Steve Penikett, who spent eight years in the region overseeing the operation of several planes the company had stationed in Panama, was there during America's combat operation to oust Noriega.

"Immediately after the invasion, everything had holes in it," he said, recalling the U.S. Marines' liberal use of ammunition.

The plane was purchased from Panamanian officials a short time later, said Penikett.

"I guess that after Noriega got shuffled off to Miami, (officials) wanted to get rid of anything that had his brush on it," he said of how Kenn Borek came to own the plane.

Outfitted for its new role the Beech Super King Air 200 probably looks different from its days with Noriega.

Ironically, when not in service, the craft sits inside the RCMP Hanger at Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport.

"It's interesting that the plane has this history," said medevac co-pilot Denver Beauchamp. "Especially wondering who has flown in it."

Adding more fuel to the speculation about the plane's story, Beauchamp offered the following bit of lore.

"I was told that the plane was kept under camouflage to be used as his getaway plane," he said.

While this may be true, what is known is that Manuel Noriega never made it to the plane when the U.S. Marines came knocking.