Propair

History

In 1954, Émilien Pronovost purchased a bush aviation company, La Sarre Air Service, which was headquartered in Nord-du-Québec and operated in a territory that enjoyed a wealth of natural resources but few if any roads. A true pioneer of regional air transport, Émilien Pronovost grew his company by carrying workers, scientists and various prospectors attracted to the region. Over time, he was able to strengthen the company’s position due to an influx of passengers destined for hunting and fishing camps. Successively supported by his daughters Lise and Claude, then his sons Jean and Louis, Émilien Pronovost played a key role in the development of Québec’s largest construction site at the time, the Baie James Hydroelectric Project. After another ten years of growth, Jean and Louis purchased the company in 1981.

They also bought the company Air Fecteau, and amalgamated the two businesses to create Propair. With a fleet of around 40 aircraft, Propair was the largest bush aviation company in Eastern Canada, serving nearly the entire Québec territory. Once the region’s major projects were completed, and with the signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement and its impact on hunting and fishing jaunts, Propair found itself with a larger fleet than needed to meet the demands of its traditional market. In addition, new roads had been built over time, greatly facilitating ground access to the territory. In order to adjust to this new reality, Propair disposed of its bush aviation assets and acquired aircraft designed for business air charters and air taxi, namely turboprop aircraft with pressurized cabins, better adapted to the fast-growing market it had chosen to target.

On 18 June 1998 a company Fairchild-Swearingen Metro II was involved in a crash that killed all eleven people on board. Propair Flight 420 departed Montréal International Airport - Dorval, Quebec, at about 0701 eastern daylight time en route to the Peterborough Airport, Ontario with nine passengers and two pilots. At 12 minutes after take-off, at 12,500 ft (3,810 m) above sea level, the crew radioed air traffic control indicating a hydraulic problem and requested a return to Dorval. At about 0719, while descending through 8,600 ft (2,621 m) ASL, the crew told ATC that the left engine was on fire and had been shut down. At about 0720 hours, the crew decided to proceed to Montréal-Mirabel International Airport instead and at 0723, the crew informed ATC that the fire was out. While on final for Runway 24 at Mirabel, the crew advised ATC that the left engine was once again on fire. On short final the left wing failed and all on board were killed when the aircraft impacted the ground.

Services

Today, Propair mainly does air taxi and medevac flights in most part of Quebec, Ontario and north east United-States. Propair also offers support services (fuel, maintenance and cargo handling) at Rouyn-Noranda Airport and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

Fleet

The Propair fleet includes the following aircraft types (as of August 2016 ):