Rise Air, a First Nations owned airline, was formed in 2021 by the merger of Transwest Airlines and West Wind Aviation. Transwest Airlines, was formed by the merger La Ronge Aviation, and Athabaska Airways. The company offered not only scheduled passenger services, but fishing charters, surveying work, forest fire fighting, and medevac operations.[2]
Rise Air's equipment includes Twin Otters, King Air 200s, Beaver, ATR 42-320/500s, Beech 1900s and Saab 340 regional turboprop airliners. The company also operates La Ronge Water Aerodrome, Stony Rapids Water Aerodrome, and Southend/Hans Ulricksen Field Aerodrome. Rise Air as of late has been significantly scaling back summer float operations, and has been threatening to ‘park’ their Saab 340A model for many years. The company has stated plans to become an authorized and licensed ATR service and manufacturing centre. Rise Air also has maintenance bases in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, La Ronge, and Stony Rapids. Transwest Air was bought by West Wind Aviation on June 30, 2016.
In January 2021, it was announced that West Wind Aviation would be merged with Transwest Air, and would be renamed Rise Air.[6]
History
Athabaska Airways was founded by Floyd Glass, who learned to fly in the late 1930s, then served as a military flying training instructor during the Second World War. Postwar, he was the first general manager of the provincial Crown corporationSaskatchewan Government Airways. He resigned from this post, flew briefly with British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Airways, then returned to Saskatchewan and in 1955 formed his own firm, Athabaska Airways, which later existed under the name "Transwest Air". Glass died in 1999. In June 2016, West Wind Aviation put forward a letter of intent to purchase Transwest Air. The company became a subsidiary of West Wind Aviation on July 1, 2016.
In January 2021, it was announced West Wind Aviation would be merged with Transwest Air and be renamed Rise Air.[6]
Passenger services
As of July 2023, Rise Air offers scheduled flights to and from:[5]
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