Piaggio P.136L-2 Super Gull, CF-DAC, was Canadian-registered between 1972 and 1977 to Dominion Aircraft Ind. of Calgary and Golden West Aviation of Vancouver. It was owned by Larry Matanski who in the early 1970s developed the twin-engine Dominion Skytrader 800 STOL utility aircraft. The Skytrader was designed in Vancouver and Seattle and built in Renton, WA where if first flew as N800ST on April 21, 1975. During this period, CF-DAC often visited Vancouver and Seattle. It was registered N40041 between 1960-1972. To N1149Z in 1977. Often spotted in Florida in 1976-90. Cancelled in May 2013.

Sea-Air-Pac Ltd. (logo and titles on rear fuselage) was founded in the early 1970s to transport fresh seafood (e.g. herring roe) from fishing boats on the BC coast to Tofino and on to customers in Japan. Norseman IV CF-PAA was joined by Norseman VI, CF-SAP, from Washington State but the business soon failed. CF-SAP was flown to Fort Langley Airport where it sat derelict for many years in the 1970s & 1980s. Later to Nunasi-Central Airlines, Nueltin Lake Air Service, Lynn Lake Lodge & Kississing Lake Lodge. Cancelled in May 2014. Built in 1943 for USAAF as 43-5240 then to N74681. Had four US owners before return to Canada.

CF-STX flew in Iran (ex-EP-AGA) and Iceland (TF-LOA) before sold to Jack Anderson of North Coast Air Service. First Twin Pioneer in Canada arrived from Prestwick, Scotland on Feb 28, 1966 after overhaul. One of its first jobs was hauling fuel for Okanagan Helicopters from CYPR to the Stikine River in June 1966. Sold to John Rolls of Territorial Airways, Ross River, YT in Oct-Sep 1973. On May 17, 1974 was hauling helicopter fuel to Wind River Strip, 110 m NW of Mayo when hit a soft spot on landing and nosed down, damaging the fuselage as seen in this photo. Ferried to Ross River and retired at Terr Air heliport in town.

Delivered to the US Navy in June 1943 as JRF-5, Bu No. 34071. Retired to NAS Litchfield Park, AZ and registered N9547C in 1957. To Coastal Aero, Houston, TX as N27Q (1957-1964). To Gordon Gulbertson, CA in 1963. Imported to Canada by Northern Mountain Airlines in March 1964 and upgraded by McKinnon at Sandy, OR in May 1964. To Midwest Airlines, Winnipeg 1969-1972. To West Coast Air Services (WCA) in Nov. 1972. The G-21A was on a scheduled flight from Tofino to Vancouver on Sep 9, 1974 when it crashed in Nitinat Canyon, Mount Cooper, about 10 m north of Lake Cowichan in poor weather. 9 killed.

Conair Aviation Douglas A-26, C-GHLI was photographed at the fuel pumps at Abbotsford Airport on April 4, 1976 during pilot training to the start of the wildfire season. This A-26 carried the USAAF serial 44-34423 and flew in the Korean War. It remained in USAF inventory until 1958. Sold to Stahmann Farms, Las Cruces, NM as N9594Z and owned 1958-1972. Sold to Victor Newman in TX in 1972 and to Conair in 1974 for airtanker conversion and use. Damaged by fire at Williams Lake, BC on July 1, 1984 and to scrap yard. To Aero Nostalgia 1990. Rebuilt & Preserved at Fairchild AFB, WA.

This Aerospatiale AS355F TwinStar, N221EH, was seen at the Energy Heliport in January 1985. The heliport was located in a field beside one of the main roads linking downtown Houma with Houma Terrebonne Airport ( 401 Glynn Ave, Houma, LA 70361). There were a lot of independent helicopter operators serving offshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico before the oil price collapse of 1985-1986 reduced offshore drilling and helicopter work. Energy operated AS350 AStars, AS355 Twin Stars and a 500D in early 1985. This 355F was registered N5793F, N221EH, N220, C-FBCH, N355RS & RA-07296

Two NAMC YS-11s in Far West titles (N102MP and N109MP) were seen at KCIC on Jan. 7, 1985. The startup regional airline leased three YS-11s, but only operated from Fresno from Sep 24, 1984-Dec 31, 1984 before shutting down and YS-11s returned in Jan 1985. First flight as JA8639 on Nov 12, 1964. Operated by TAW Toa Airways (1965-1970), Korean Air (HL5219; leased 1970-?), Philippine Airlines (RP-C1414; 1974-1984). To Mid Pacific Air as N102MP in July 1984. To Aerosierra De Durango as XA-RPC. To Gala Air Service as N602GL in 1999. To Robinson Air Crane in MIA in 2004. Scrapped in 2006.

This USCG Sikorsky HH-52A, 1450, wears the overall red colour scheme applied to aircraft assigned to USCG polar operations aboard ice breakers. In January 1985, the Polar operations unit was HQ at US CGAS Mobile, AB. Photographed returning from a training flight. The first new HH-65 Dolphin helicopters being assembled by Aerospatiale Helicopter Corp in Grande Prairie, TX were also being flight tested at Mobile in January 1985. No. 1450 seems to be one of the first HH-52As retired since it was reported as loaned to the Pima Air Museum, AZ by the National Naval Aviation Museum in March 1986.

Aero Spacelines 377MG Mini Guppy, N422AU, at Chico Airport, CA in Jan. 1985. Boeing 377 delivered new to Pan Amercian World Airlines in Sep. 1949 as N1073V. Retired in 1960. To Boeing and then Aero Spacelines. Converted to Mini Guppy c1963-1967. First flight May 24, 1967. To American Jet Industries as N1037V and in Oct 1977 to N422AJ. To Aero Union July 1981. To Erikson Air Crane in late 1980s to transport S-64E/F Skycrane helicopters. To Tillamook Air Museum at KTMK in mid-1990s. Displayed outside Airship Hangar B (Jack Erickson moved his private collection from KTMK to Madras, OR in 2013)

This Turbo Goose was owned by the Halliburton Co. when at KNEW in Jan. 1985. G-21A, msn 1013, sold to J.P. Bickell and McIntyre-Porcupine Mines in Toronto as CF-BKE in 1938. Gift to RCAF in Sep. 1939 as No. 926. Flew in BC with No. 13 (OT), 120 (BR) & 122 (K) Sqns. (1940-1943). To RCAF Photo Flt and No. 167 (Comm) Sqn. (1943-45). To Charles H. Babb in Jan 1945 as NC18175. To Halliburton in Jun 1954. Cvt by McKinnon in Sandy, OR to G-21E Turbo Goose, msn 1211 with P&WC PT6A-27s in May 1970. Sold Nov 1992 to Air Power. To Stallion Aircraft/John Rogers 1995. Crashed KBPA, Jun 13, 1995. 2 killed.

Delivered to the US Navy in 1943 as 37716, it was declared surplus in Seattle in May 1946 and sold as N67586. Upgraded by McKinnon-Hickman from Ranger to Lycoming G-480 engines in 1955 to become a Super Widgeon. Nine owners in AK, CA, MT, OR & WA. Purchased by United Engineering / T.M. Thomson & Assoc. of CYYJ, BC in Oct. 1972 and registered CF-EHI in May 1973. The company were consulting engineers and foresters working for the government and industry. To Alaska in May 1980 as N3767Z. Rebuilt after an accident in July 1983. Reregister N480AK by Timothy Martin of Anchorage in November 2009.

This Bristol 175 Britannia was first flown at Filton on Apr. 29, 1958 and delivered BOAC as G-AOVM in June 1958. Retired in Mar. 1964. To British Eagle Int'l Airlines and converted into a 312F freighter in 1967. To Air Spain in Mar. 1969 as EC-BSY. To UK MoD in Nov. 1971 for use by the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment as XX367. Retired in 1984, to Katale Aero Transport as 9Q-CHY then to BCF. World's last operational Britannia when retired in July 1991(?) Canadian Pacific A/L flew six Britannias from YVR in 1958-1966. Was very very rare to see a Britannia at YVR after 1966!

DHC-3 C-FUJM was first seen at YVR in the summer 1978 and had West Coast Air titles by late August. Delivered to the US Army in 1956 as 55-3302. To Europe. Deployed by USAF C-124 to Congo in July 1960 to help rescue US citizens during civil war. To the United Nations Air Transport Force in the Congo as No. 402. Later in Yemen with UN in 1963. To US as N12655, then to Ben Ginter Construction in BC as CF-UJM in 1965. Op. by Trans-Mountain A/S when it crashed on Sep 24, 1971 at Forbidden Plateau on flight from Campbell River to Helen Mackenzie Lake. Stored for about 7 years before repaired.

This 1998 AS350B-2 operated in Australia as VH-EES and in New Zealand as ZK-HWD before imported to Canada in July 2000 by Vancouver Island Helicopters as C-GGNU. It was later flown by Kokanee Helicopters (2005-2011) and Coldstream Helicopters (2011-2014) before joining the fleet of Blackcomb Helicopters in August 2014. It was seen picking up a business group at the heliport beside the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain, about 5,300 ft above the resort town of Whistler, BC.

The AS350B3 was first registered to Eurocopter Canada in Fort Erie, ON as C-FDGA in December 2009 and sold to Blackcomb Helicopters in January 2010. It was photographed picking up a business group at the lodge near the top of Blackcomb Mountain (elevation 2,436 m, 7,992 ft) overlooking the resort town of Whistler, BC.

This Blackcomb Helicopters/Aviation Airbus AS350B3 was was first registered to Eurocopter Canada Limited in Fort Erie, Ontario in March 2022 as C-GRNP and immediately re-registered C-GZBA. It was sold to Blackcomb Helicopters in November 2012 and photographed almost two years later picking up a business group from the heliport next to the lodge at the top of Blackcomb Mountain overlooking the resort town of Whistler, BC.

This EC130B-4 was one of five helicopters that picked up a group of business executives from the heliport next to the Rendezvous Lodge at the top of the Blackcomb Mountain ski hill above the resort town of Whistler, BC. It was built in France in 2007, flew with Herzog Aviation in the US as N117PM and then exported to New Zealand where it flew with Acernus Aero and Wanaka Helicopters as ZK-HAC. It was imported to British Columbia in 2012 by Seabreeze Jet Charters in Vancouver (owned by Deeley Harley Davidson). To Omega Air in 2013 and to Blackcomb Helicopters in 2015.

This early serial number Bell 407 (msn 53031) was built by Bell in Mirabel, Quebec for Fletcher Challenge Canada, a large forest company in Vancouver, BC and delivered in June 1996. When Fletcher Challenge closed its flight department in June 1997, the pilots bought the 407 and Bell 206B C-GBFH to establish Omega Air Corporation, which merged with Blackcomb Helicopters in March 2009. Photographed departing the heliport beside the Rendezvous Lodge near the top of Blackcomb Mountain, about 5,300 ft. above the resort town of Whistler, BC.

The Flying Fireman was formed in Victoria (by Alex Davidson and Bill Harrison) to operate two PBY-5s water bombers out of Prince George (CF-NTL and N609FF) in 1965 and 1966. By 1973, BC was fully committed to land-based retardant air tankers but continued to use PBYs on a casual basis, and Flying Fireman found work elsewhere in Canada and the US. This PBY-5 served with the US Navy as BuNo 46522 and became N5585V. Imported to Canada in 1972 and operated as tanker #7 and #777. January 1990 to Erickson Group Ltd in Oregon as N2172N. To Erickson Aircraft Collection in 2012 and Avenger LLC in 2016.

This Grumman Mallard was delivered new to Copano Oil Co, Victoria, TX in June 1950 as N2983. It was registered to nine different companies in the US before imported by West Coast Air Services in Feb. 1974 as C-GIRL and mainly flew passengers to the pulp and paper town of Ocean Falls, 257 nm NW of YVR. West Coast Air was part of the Air BC merger in 1980, and C-GIRL flew out on the northern BC coast before its sale to the US in Aug 1984 as N2983. Operated by Virgin Is. Seaplane Shuttle as N2983 and N652SS (1985-89). To Caribbean Airline Service. Retired late 1990s in San Juan, PR.