Rikkus67 From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 999 posts, RR: 2 Posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1243 times:
Hi All,
I am doing some research into Time Air, which was based out of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. This was my hometown airline growing up, which eventually became one of Canada's largest regional airlines, prior to being swallowed up by Canadi>n.
I am trying to find pictures / route maps, especially of their Twin Otter and Shorts 330 (more than what can be found in photos here). I am also looking for stories and memories of the airline.
NASBWI From Bahamas, joined Feb 2005, 774 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1231 times:
I don't have any info about the airline, but I remember seeing a picture of in a picture book of a DHC-7 banking in an aerial pic in Time Air's colors. It said Time Air on the lower fuselage, and color scheme was white with a red tail and gold cheatline.
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 6862 posts, RR: 50 Reply 2, posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1217 times:
Hope he won't mind, but get in touch with Viscount724, he's usually got lots of great info on these topics.
I remember seeing their Dash 7s in YLW back in the early 80s. Never got to fly on one or during their pre CP days. But after CP, I was a regualr cusotmer on their Dash 8s and F28s out of YLW.
Rikkus67 From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 999 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1115 times:
Quoting NASBWI (Reply 1): remember seeing a picture of in a picture book of a DHC-7
Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 2): I was a regualr customer on their Dash 8s and F28s out of YLW.
I was always saddened by the loss of the Time Air name, although officially (on paper) Canadi>n Regional was "Time Air dba". The city took a blow when Canadi>n Regional moved its offices to YYC, with many employees shuttling back & forth every day as a concession.
One of my first flights was on Time Air's Twin Otter from Lethbridge (YQL) to Calgary (YYC). I was about 7 at the time. I was on the single seat side of the plane, with my sister behind me, and my parents across the aisle. Cheese & cracker snack pack, and a drink was served in the just under 1 hour flight. I was then blown away when we boarded a Western Airlines 727-200, and flew back over Lethbridge within 10 or 15 minutes (back when the pilots gave a LOT more landmark information).
I also flew the Dash 7, Dash 8-100 & -300, and later the F28 after it had been rebranded. I did get a chance to sit in the fuselage mock-up that Shorts had sent to Lethbridge (obviously for a bigger promotional tour after its stop in YQL). It was set up at "AG-Expo", a Springtime Agricultural show that still exists today.... there were livestock and tractors flanking the Time Air display! LOL
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 10712 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1011 times:
Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 2): Hope he won't mind, but get in touch with Viscount724, he's usually got lots of great info on these topics.
I remember seeing their Dash 7s in YLW back in the early 80s. Never got to fly on one or during their pre CP days. But after CP, I was a regualr cusotmer on their Dash 8s and F28s out of YLW.
I spent my first 3 years with CP Air in YYC between 1969 and 1972 when Time Air was in their very early days, operating Cessna 402s and Twin Otters only. In addition to Lethbridge-YYC they also operated YYC-Red Deer (YQF). They dropped Red Deer when they sold the small aircraft. I think that was the only scheduled air service Red Deer has ever had.
Found a few Time Air photos that may not be in A.Net.
Short 360 at YVR November 1985 (with landing CP Air 747-200 in background). Time Air was the first operator of the earlier twin-tailed Short 330 on which the 360 was based.
Short 360 at YVR 1987.
Publicity shots of Dash 8-100 and -300 over the southern Alberta Rockies (no date). Photos taken from a Piper Navajo.
Sunking737 From United States, joined Feb 2005, 1152 posts, RR: 8 Reply 5, posted (4 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1010 times:
Time Air used to serve MSP during the summer doing fishing trips with a F-28. They would land on a dirt strip somewhere up in Canada. The cockpit and cabin where a mess to clean. We had to vac all the dirt up and mop out the cockpit. It was a pain but it was cool working a small jet like the F-28.
The 360's tail logo finally looked in proportion compared to every other incarnation of it in the Time Air fleet. Speaking of the Shorts 330, I have somewhere a picture of a 330 that is in pre-delivery Time Air livery taking off at Le Bourget. Time Air was also the launch customer for the Dash 8-300.
My fondest memory of Time Air was when I designed out of the blue, a new logo for them prior to the introduction of the Dash8-100. I sent it to Richard Barton (IIRC), whom replied that I should come in and discuss if I was interested in the airline industry, or graphic design. I blew an open door invitation, for a sure thing of management at Burger King.... I laugh now....
I am wondering if the archives at the Galt Museum in Lethbridge may have some pictures of the Twin Otter?
NASBWI From Bahamas, joined Feb 2005, 774 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (4 months 3 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 875 times:
Well, after doing a quick search here on airliners.net, I managed to find a couple of DHC-7 pics pre-CP merger. This is the scheme I saw in that book (I think the book was all about DHC-6's, 7's and 8's). There were also some pics on here of the CV-580 and -640, all pre-merger. Cheers!
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 6862 posts, RR: 50 Reply 8, posted (4 months 3 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 862 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 4): I think that was the only scheduled air service Red Deer has ever had.
Regional 1 served YVR via YLW a couple of years ago with Dash 8s. Don't think Lethbridge has had any service from YLW since the days of Time Air's Dash 7s though, could be mistaken on that of course.
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 4): Found a few Time Air photos that may not be in A.Net.
That first shot with the Shorts360 and the CPAir 747 on final in the back is gorgeous! Ah, to build a time machine
YLWbased From Hong Kong SAR, PRC, joined Jan 2006, 540 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (4 months 3 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 835 times:
Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 8): Regional 1 served YVR via YLW a couple of years ago with Dash 8s. Don't think Lethbridge has had any service from YLW since the days of Time Air's Dash 7s though, could be mistaken on that of course.
Regional 1 served both Red Deer and Lethbridge from YLW back in 2004-2005.
YLWbased
Kelowna - Aviation Gateway of the Central Okanagan
Rikkus67 From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 999 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (4 months 2 weeks 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 622 times:
The most interesting scheme the Dash 7's ever wore were a combined Time Air / PWA colourscheme, when Time Air first became more fomally tied to PWA (this was before "Canadi>n" had been formed). The four colours of Time Air's Red and Gold, with the Light & Dark Blue PWA stripes, had to be one of the ugliest hybrid schemes ever to adorn an aircraft!
On the other hand, the classic "SkyDash" scheme of the original Dash 7's were always a favorite, although the standard tail logo was deleted from that scheme. When I first saw it, I thought Time Air had changed their name! I have a full two page centrefold spread of C-GTAD flying over Southern Alberta burried in one of my older aviation books.
I also have a picture of the single Fokker F-27 that Time Air used on their Northern Routes out of Edmonton. This particular example was in the fleet way before the Norcan Air buyout/merger.
What baffles me is the lack of pictures of Time Air's smaller aircraft, both from the early days, and from later takeovers and mergers. Other than a nose picture of the Twin Otter, I haven't had any luck!
A full day at the Museum archives is in order, I guess! My folks will be glad I am coming down from YYC to YQL...
Fallingeese From Canada, joined Apr 2001, 2096 posts, RR: 26 Reply 12, posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 485 times:
My memories of Time Air are rather faint but I still do remember some of the smaller details. Particularly the F-28 in the silver paint scheme - i am surprised a photo of that has not appeared here yet.
I will have to go through some of the old PWA photos I have in the house to see if I can find any old Time Air stuff amongst them.
9252fly From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 900 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 437 times:
Quoting Fallingeese (Reply 12): Particularly the F-28 in the silver paint scheme
It was fondly called the Silver Bullet by many employees. It was not painted silver,rather it was polished aluminum and looked really sharp in that AA style from days gone by. Think they eventually painted it and it likely sits in YXE with 20 or more other F28's that will never grace the skies again.
Rikkus67 From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 999 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (4 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 356 times:
The "Silver Bullet" was a newly acquired F-28 from US Air. It was an easy paintsheme conversion from US Air, by stripping off the cheatlines, polishing the fuselage, and adding the Canadi>n tail logo. If you look closely at the fuselage where the Time Air name is applied, you can see where they buffed out the old titles.
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