Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Tli Cho Air has purchased a de Havilland Dash 7 Combi aircraft.

This de Havilland Dash 7 Combi C-FWZV, shown just before landing, is now owned by Tli Cho Air, a partnership between the Tlicho Investment Corp. and minority partner Air Tindi, which conducts all flight operations for the joint-venture. - photo courtesy of Tli Cho Air

The four-engine aircraft is the first purchased by the charter air service provider, which is majority owned by the Tlicho Government's financial arm Tlicho Investment Corp., and minority owned by Discovery Air Inc. subsidiary Air Tindi.

"We have been partners in the aviation business with Air Tindi for many years," Tlicho Investment Corp. chairman Alex Nitsiza said. "And now we have taken the next logical step of building equity with the help of our partners at Air Tindi."

Air Tindi conducts all flight operations for the joint-venture, and the Dash 7 Combi has already been integrated into the Yellowknife-based company's fleet, conducting contracted work with multinational mining companies and undertaking government charter flights.

"We feel very privileged to advance this partnership to well beyond just providing an air service, now creating investment, wealth and employment for many of the Tlicho beneficiaries," said Discovery Air group president of Northern business services Adam Bembridge. "This will bring a new level of pride into the Tlicho communities."

The $5-million short take-off and landing aircraft can operate from ice and gravel airstrips as short as 2,500 feet in length, cruise to a speed of 240 miles per hour, and can carry both passengers and freight at the same time -- with a capacity of 46 passengers and 10,000 pounds of cargo, or several combinations of the two.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.