Grumman G-21A Goose N88821 was imported to Canada in 1973 and sold by Viking Air at Victoria Airport (YYJ) after overhaul to Alert Bay Air Services in January 1974. The company served the mid-British Columbia coast from a waterfront base in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island located a few miles off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Acquired by Jim Pattison Industries in the early 1980s during the creation of AirBC and primarily operated by sister company Trans-Provincial Airlines until it ground looped on landing at Sandspit Airport in Feb. 1991. The wreck was acquired by the Tongass Historical Society in Ketchikan (AK) in 1992 as N88821 and was still under restoration for static display with them by 2022.

In September 1968, this former Qantas DHC-3 Otter, CF-XRI, was ferried across the Pacific from Australia to join the fleet of Airwest Airlines in Vancouver, BC. For most of the 1970s, this was the only DHC-3 Otter operating daily scheduled flights into Vancouver Harbour with its distinct engine sound distinguishing it from the more common Cessna 180/185s, DHC-2 Beaver and DHC-6 Twin Otters. AirWest was one of several coastal airlines acquired by the Jim Pattison Group to form AirBC in the early 1980s. C-FXRI now flies as a Vazar DHC-3 Turbo Otter powered by a PT6A turboprop with Osprey Wings.

Delivered new from Sikorsky to the French Armee de l'Air in 1956, this S-58 was purchased surplus by Sikorsky in the early 1970s and converted to a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T twin turbine S-58ET registered N1144U. It flew with Heli-Swiss between April 1972 and July 1983 (including on lease to Heli Union and Heliservice). It was imported to the US by Air Associates as N39790 and sold to Aris Helicopter's as N58AH still wearing the Heli-Swiss colour scheme in July 1984. It was registered to B&B Helos Llc in April 2009, but operates as Aris Helicopters, a Division of Heli Flite, Inc.

Petroleum Helicopters operated Aerospatiale SA330J Pumas between the late 1970s and 1988 servicing offshore drilling rigs in the USA. N3601U was photographed at PHI's Morgan City heliport on the shore of Lake Palourde, which was known as the world's largest heliport when PHI opened it in 1969. After flying in Ecuador as HC-BPD in the late 1980s, PHI sold it to Air Zermatt where it became HB-XUB in June 1989. It was written off on Sep. 11, 1989 when it crashed after both engines failed while lifting an external load near Blauherd. PHI lost four of its Pumas in fatal accidents in 1978-1988.

The first of six prototype Bell-Boeing YV-22A tilt rotors was photographed at the Bell Flight Test Center at Arlington Municipal Airport, Texas on February 6, 1990. This was the first V-22 to hover almost a year earlier at Arlington on March 19, 1989 and the first to fly in fixed-wing mode on Sept. 14, 1989. It's seen here being pushed back into the text flight hangar after ground testing.

The opening of the HAI Heli-Expo 1990 Convention included the spectacular landing of prototype Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor, N702NA, in the parking lot of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in downtown Dallas. N702NA made its first fight (hover) on May 3, 1977 at the Bell Flight Test Centre at (KGKY) Arlington Municipal Airport, TX. Both XV-15s prototypes spent their early years at NASA Ames (KNUQ), then N702NA returned to Bell in Texas in Oct. 1981 for further test. On Aug. 22, 1992, it crashed at Arlington without serious pilot injuries. The cockpit was salvaged and became a simulator.

The first of six prototype Bell-Boeing YV-22A tilt rotors seen at the Bell Flight Test Center at Arlington Municipal Airport, TX on February 6, 1990. This was the first V-22 to hover on March 19, 1989 and the first to fly in fixed-wing mode on Sept. 14, 1989. Note the tuffs on the nacelle to track air flow. Behind the aircraft to the left and right are elevated test stands where the V-22 ground ran with the nacelles and rotors in vertical or horizontal flight mode. The fuselage of 163911 was reported at MCAS New River and later the Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory NC in 2016. Current status?

The opening of the HAI Heli-Expo 1990 Convention also included a landing by the prototype McDonnell-Douglas MD530N, N530NT, in the front parking lot of the Dallas Convention center. The NOTAR ("no tail rotor") system was first flown on a Hughes OH-6A (65-12917) on Dec. 17, 1981. After modifications, a second version flew on March 12, 1986. N530NT was the third NOTAR to fly (msn 160003D, ex-N8324F) on Dec. 29, 1989 - two months before Heli-Expo 1990 - but the hot-and-high 530N version never entered production. This 530N was later broken up.

The opening of the HAI Heli-Expo 1990 Convention included the spectacular landing of prototype Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor, N702NA, in the parking lot of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in downtown Dallas. N702NA made its first fight (hover) on May 3, 1977 at the Bell Flight Test Centre at (KGKY) Arlington Municipal Airport, TX. Both XV-15s prototypes spent their early years at NASA Ames (KNUQ), then N702NA returned to Bell in Texas in Oct. 1981 for further test. On Aug. 22, 1992, it crashed at Arlington without serious pilot injuries. The cockpit was salvaged and became a simulator.

NASA gave Bell the "go ahead" to develop two VX-15 tilt rotor research aircraft in Sep. 1973. On May 3, 1977, the prototype, N702NA, made its first fight (hover) at the Bell Flight Test Centre at Arlington Municipal Airport (KGKY) after extensive ground tests. Both XV-15s prototypes spent their early years at NASA Ames (KNUQ), but after the 1981 Paris Air Show, N702NA returned to Bell in Texas for further testing. It is seen in Feb. 1990 at at Arlington with the prototype V-22 Osprey. On Aug. 22, 1992, N702NA crashed at Arlington. The cockpit of the wreck was salvaged and became a simulator.

Cessna 172M, C-GAMB, was imported to Canada in 1974 and operated by Yukon Airways Ltd. from about May 1977 to March 1992. In 1984, Yukon Airways was primarily a helicopter charter company flying a Hughes 500D, C-GKNP, from its Dease Lake Airport base, with this Cessna 172 used for maintenance support. Since 1992, C-GAMB been registered to seven different entities and was registered to Great River Aviation Ltd. in Whitehorse, Yukon in November 2022 when this image was posted to AirHistory.

This Piper PA-23, C-GHJT of Pacific Pilot Upgrading "landed wheels up on a sand area when the engine lost power" at the southeast end of Vancouver International Airport on August 31, 1975. The aircraft was imported to Canada in 1974 and cancelled from the Canadian registered Sep. 1987 after the company went out of business. The registration C-GHJT has been subsequently allocated to five different Sikorsky S-76s and one Bell 206L-1 LongRanger operated by Helijet International. Today, Helijet's main base at YVR is just north of where this PA-23 crash occurred in August 1975.

Tyee Airways Ltd. acquired this Cessna 180 seaplane CF-UFD, new from Vancouver Cessna dealer Staron Flights Ltd. on March 17, 1966 and operated it through November 1977 when it was sold to K.D. Brodacki in Edmonton, Alberta. It was photographed at the Tyee dock at the Bayshore Inn at the foot of Cardero Street in Vancouver. Tyee Airways was owned by Al Campbell and based in Porpoise Bay in Sechelt, BC, which is about 50 km northwest of Vancouver on the Sunshine Coast. Tyee utilized the public seaplane dock in Sechelt and had a maintenance base on East Sechelt Road. Exported to USA, April 1982.

Pacific Western Airlines Convair 640, CF-PWY, photographed from the original observation deck unloading passengers in the rain at Vancouver International Airport in September 1973. Many decades would pass before 'jet bridges' were introduced at YVR for turboprop services. PWA repainted this aircraft a few years later in a blue and white colour scheme. After PWA it was operated by Aero Trades Western Ltd., Worldways Canada (1982-1983), Air Niagara (1983-1994) and then leased back and forth between Time Air and North Canada Air at least three times between 1987 to 1993, then retired.

Harrison Airways acquired two Convair 440s from Scandinavia in the mid-1970s. The first, CF-HAF (msn 432), was painted in the airline's blue and white colour scheme. The second, C-GBHA arrived at YVR in Stellair colours with the Canadian registration crudely applied on the rear fuselage with tape. This 440 never entered service with Harrison Airways before bankruptcy. Sold to Aero Dyne Corp of Renton, Washington as N440AD and later flown by Airways Int'l. and Trans Texas Air Freight. Sold to Peru in 1988 and to Bolivia in 1992 as CP-2256. It crashed on Sep. 14, 1993 near Colquemarca, Peru.

The Government of Alberta's new Beech King Air 200, C-GFSB, visited Vancouver Airport on January 17, 1976. The aircraft was first registered in Canada on September 17, 1975. After 22 years of government service, Alberta sold the aircraft to Pentastar Transportation of Spruce Grove, Alberta in November 1997. It was resold to Fast Air Ltd. in May 1998 and flew with this Winnipeg-based charter company until September 2004.

Helicopters Without Borders (HWB) is a Vancouver based non-profit organization that delivers health, wellness, and critical support to remote communities and population struck by disaster across British Columbia. It was established by Danny Sitnam, the founder of Helijet International and associates on January 12, 2021 during Covid-19. This S-76C++ is the second S-76 to carry a HWB colour scheme. It is leased from Eagle Copters in Calgary, AB, which acquired several S-76C++ from the Bristow Group, including this aircraft, in November 2020. This aircraft was previously N80907 and later N871AL.

Airbus EC135T2+, N165WC, on board billionaire Dennis Washington's private yacht Attessa IV moored at Lonsdale Quay on the North Vancouver, BC waterfront, next to the Washington Company's Seaspan Shipyards. This aircraft was acquired in 2014 and replaced a similarly registered Airbus EC130. This EC135 was previously registered N912RP.

This Blackcomb Helicopters Airbus 355N, C-FHPG, previously operated in Spain as EC-IBN before it was imported to Canada by Heliproducts Industries Ltd. of Pitt Meadows, BC (CYPK) in July 2014. It joined the Blackcomb fleet in December 2014.

Airbus EC135T2+, N161WC, landing at Palm Springs International Airport (KPSP) to refuel. This is one of two EC135s operated by the Washington Companies owned by billionaire Dennis Washington of Missoula, Montana. The other helicopter is usually based on board Washington's private yacht Attessa IV which is based next to the company's Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, British Columbia. The helicopter was previously registered D-HECR and N167AE.