Austin Airways was a passenger airline and freight carrier based in Timmins, Ontario, and one of the oldest in Canada.
Code Information
ICAO Code: IATA Code: AAW Call Sign:
History
Established as Capreol and Austin Air Services was one of Canada's oldest airlines, starting operations in 1934. The home base was Timmins and it operated many duties in addition to passenger and freight services. Over the years, scheduled services served over 40 cities, including one destination in the United States. In 1973 it merged with White River Air Services but continued to operate as Austin Airways.
In June 1987 it merged with Air Ontario Ltd (formerly Great Lakes Airlines (Canada), formed in 1958) to form Air Ontario Inc. In turn Air Ontario became part of Air Canada Jazz in 2001.
The April 26, 1987 Air Ontario/Austin Airways joint system timetable listed Air Canada Connector code share flights operated by both airlines on behalf of Air Canada with Austin Airways operating 14-passenger Beechcraft 99, 7-passenger Cessna 402, 19-passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, 37-passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 and 40 to 43-passenger Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft at this time. The HS 748 turboprop was the largest aircraft operated by Austin Airways.
Historical Fleet
Over its long history, Austin Airways operated the following aircraft:
Beech 99 (turboprop) Cessna Citation (business jet) Cessna 402 Consolidated PBY Canso (amphibian aircraft) de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (STOL capable turboprop) Douglas DC-3 (includes C-47 model) Hawker Siddeley HS 748 (turboprop)
Destinations
The following destinations were served by Austin Airways during its existence. Most of the destinations served by the airline were isolated and remote airports in northern Ontario and Quebec provinces as well as in the Northwest Territories (NWT) (now Nunavut) in Canada in addition to several larger airports across Ontario. Minneapolis/St. Paul in the U.S. was the only non-Canadian destination served by the airline during its existence.
Ontario Province
Attawapiskat, Ontario
Bear Lake, Ontario
Bearskin Lake, Ontario
Big Trout Lake, Ontario
Cochrane, Ontario
Fort Albany, Ontario
Fort Hope, Ontario
Fort Severn, Ontario - most northerly destination
Geraldton, Ontario
Kapuskasing, Ontario
Kasabonika Lake, Ontario
Kashechewan First Nation, Ontario
Kenora, Ontario
Lansdowne House, Ontario
Manitouwadge, Ontario
Marathon, Ontario
Moosonee, Ontario
Nakina, Ontario
Pickle Lake, Ontario
Pikangikum, Ontario
Red Lake, Ontario
Round Lake, Ontario
Sachigo Lake, Ontario
Sandy Lake, Ontario
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Sudbury, Ontario
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Timmins, Ontario - location of company headquarters
Toronto, Ontario
Trenton, Ontario
Webequie First Nation, Ontario
Winisk, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario - most southerly destination
Quebec Province
Akulivik, Quebec
Eastmain, Quebec
Fort George (now Chisasibi, Quebec) Fort Rupert, Quebec Great Whale (now Kuujjuarapik, Quebec) Inukjuak, Quebec Ivujivik, Quebec Povungnituk, Quebec Rupert House (now Waskaganish, Quebec) Sugluk (now Salluit, Quebec)
Nunavut
Formerly part of the Northwest Territories
Cape Dorset
Sanikiluaq
U.S. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota - only U.S. destination