Northern Thunderbird Air was formed in 1971 from two of northern British Columbia's Airlines – Northern Mountain and Thunderbird.
Northern Mountain began operations at Fort St. James in 1959 and by 1971 was one of the larger Airlines in British Columbia. With a mixed fleet of Cessnas, Beavers, Beech 18's, Grumman Goose and Helicopters, Northern Mountain had spread its wings over most of the North, including Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories. By spinning off its airplane division to merge with Thunderbird in 1971, Northern Mountain concentrated its efforts on helicopters only until the year 2000.
Thunderbird started in the early sixties when it acquired the Bush Operations of Pacific Western Airlines in Prince George. From its base at Tabor Lake, Thunderbird operated Cessnas, Beavers and Otters on floats and skis servicing the new town of Mackenzie and the northern villages and logging camps of Williston Lake. In the early seventies, Thunderbird secured a subcontract from Pacific Western Airlines to service the smaller BC communities to feed that traffic into PWA's jet aircraft at Prince George, Kamloops and Kelowna. The need for a hangar on the Prince George Airport to fulfill this contract was the catalyst for the merger talks that resulted in the formation of Northern Thunderbird Air in 1971.
Since then, Northern Thunderbird Air has adapted with the times and economic cycles with a fleet of 18 aircraft, three bases, 21 scheduled points and over 100 employees at its busiest. Through its history and in the dynamic world of aviation, Northern Thunderbird Air has proven its ability to adapt to new challenges, whether economical, technical or a customer's unique requirement.
We look back upon our long history with pride but also look forward to our bright future. We have grown strategically and organically to 4 aircraft, two bases, two satellite offices and a healthy staff complement. We are strategically positioned throughout British Columbia and offer a wide variety of aircraft services. Through our partnership with our sister airline and ownership group, we can service all our client's needs ranging from a small private charter, workforce movements, medevac transportation, cargo, and scheduled flights. Most importantly, we have a solid team of dedicated professionals who are exceptional in their experience and unparalleled in their customer service commitment. As we embark on our next chapter, it would be our privilege to serve you and have you be a part of our loyal clientele and our long future. Contact us to discuss further.