Brent Reaney
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 01/05) - Air Tindi is now providing charter jet services across the North.

The company recently purchased its first jet, a Cessna Citation II formerly owned by NWI Jet.

The "several million dollar" plane arrived last week.

Based in Vancouver and Edmonton, NWI used to provide jet service through a small Yellowknife base.

"It's just a business decision," said NWI President John Robertson. "One airplane and one base is really not that efficient."

NWI will continue to fly southern customers North should the need arise, Robertson said. Air Tindi feels the demand for Northern charter flights is strong.

"We took on this aircraft to fill the need," said Travis Arychuk, executive marketing sales director for Air Tindi.

It can accommodate up to eight people and can land on gravel runways.

A flight to Edmonton, which would take two hours and fifteen minutes in a King Air, takes only about one hour and forty minutes in the Cessna Citation II.

The executive aircraft has plush seating and tables to allow for a working flight.

"It's very quiet in there, too," said pilot Brett Harris.

Being able to fly at 43,000 feet, the plane can avoid inclement weather that affects the ride on smaller prop planes.