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Air Tindi

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Air Tindi
An Air Tindi DHC-7 Dash 7 on approach into Yellowknife, NT (CYZF)
IATA ICAO Call sign
8T TIN[1] TINDI[1]
Founded1988
AOC #3169[2]
HubsYellowknife Airport
Fort Simpson Airport
Fleet size26 (TC),[3] 16 (AT)[4]
Destinations7[5]
HeadquartersYellowknife, Northwest Territories
Key peopleChris Reynolds (president)
Employeesapprox. 250
Websitehttp://www.airtindi.com

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.[6] 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 DHC-6 Twin Otter operating in winter
Air Tindi DHC-7 Dash 7 at Vancouver International Airport
View of three Air Tindi DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplanes in Yellowknife

Air Tindi was established by two families, Alex Arychuk and his wife Sheila, and his brother Peter Arychuk and his wife Teri.[7] 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.[6] 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.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10][11] 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.[12] Air Tindi also provides medivac services for the entirety of Northwest Territories.[13]

In December 2024 Northwestern Air announced it would be shutting down its scheduled flights. Air Tindi argreed take over its routes and announced it would acquire two Dash 8s to cover the Yellowknife-Fort Smith-Fort Chipewyan-Edmonton route.[14]

Destinations

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Air Tindi operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations (as of June 2024):[5]

Fleet

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As of June 2024, Air Tindi had the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada and listed with Air Tindi:[3][4]

Air Tindi fleet
Aircraft No. of aircraft
(TC list)		 No. of aircraft
(AT list)		 Variants Notes
Beechcraft Super King Air 5 3 4 - Model 200, 200GT
1 - Model B300		 Air Tindi lists 3 King Air 250 (200GT, 200CGT)[13]
Cessna 208 1 1 208 Caravan 7 passengers[15]
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter 1 1 DHC-3-T Turbo-Otter Up to 9 passengers depending on cargo and available on skis and floats[16]
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 7 6 Series 300 Up to 17 passengers[17]
Dash 7 10 5 4 - DHC-7-102
6 - DHC-7-103		 Combi aircraft (freight and passenger configuration) & 46 passengers (in all passenger configuration)[18]
Total 24 16

Accidents and incidents

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  • 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 21 nautical miles (39 km; 24 mi) 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.[22]
  • On 1 November 2021, a Tindi Twin Otter, C-GNPS, en route from Yellowknife to Fort Simpson Airport ran out of fuel, and was forced to make a landing on muskeg 14 km (8.7 mi) from Fort Providence Airport. All five occupants, consisting of three passengers and two pilots, survived the landing and were rescued four hours after. The investigation found that the captain incorrectly assumed that the plane was refuelled in Yellowknife due to a fuel slip from three days prior being observed on the door, and was interrupted during the "Before Start" checklist, resulting in the fuel quantity check to be missed.[23]
  • On 27 December, 2023, a Tindi Twin Otter, C-GMAS, was conducting a flight from Margaret Lake, Northwest Territories, to Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories, in support of winter road construction with two crew members and eight passengers on board. On approach to Lac de Gras, the aircraft collided with terrain. Two people sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft was significantly damaged. Search and rescue technicians from Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton (JRCC) and the Royal Canadian Air Force parachuted into the area to provide medical and survival support overnight. In addition, emergency personnel from the Diavik Diamond Mine were deployed and arrived on scene the evening of the accident. All personnel were recovered from the site the following day and received appropriate medical attention. As of 11 June 2024, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. 4 May 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2024. Air Tindi: TIN, TINDI
  2. ^ Transport Canada (18 July 2024), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
  3. ^ a b "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Air Tindi". Transport Canada. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Air Tindi Fleet". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Flight Schedules". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 27 March 2007. p. 67.
  7. ^ Locke, Darren (2011). "One on One: Alex Arychuk". Wings. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  8. ^ Discovery Air Inc. Closes Private Placement Offering and Acquisition of Air Tindi Ltd.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ Danylchuk, Jack (July 2009). "Things Fall Apart: Discovery Air". Up Here Business. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010.
  10. ^ George, Jane (6 September 2011). "Adlair fights GN decision on Kitikmeot medevac contract". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012.
  11. ^ George, Jane (3 October 2011). "Facing an uncertain future, Adlair puts up brave front". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
  12. ^ George, Jane. "Adlair Aviation Ltd. loses medevac contract appeal". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  13. ^ a b "King Air 250". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  14. ^ Williams, Ollie (23 December 2024). "Air Tindi sets out how Fort Smith flights will look from mid-January". Cabin Radio. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Cessna Caravan". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Turbo Otter". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  17. ^ "DHC-6 Twin Otter". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Dash 7 Combi". www.airtindi.com. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  19. ^ "N.W.T. plane crash kills 2 people". CBC News. 4 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Two dead in small plane crash in Northwest Territories, two others survive". Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  21. ^ "Controlled Flight into Terrain Air Tindi Ltd". Transportation Safety Board. 20 March 2013.
  22. ^ "Air transportation safety investigation report A19W0015". 27 April 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Fuel Starvation Air Tindi Ltd". Transportation Safety Board. 24 November 2022.
  24. ^ Government of Canada, Transportation Safety Board of Canada (6 February 2024). "Air transportation safety investigation A23W0158 - Transportation Safety Board of Canada". www.tsb.gc.ca. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
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