Conair Group

The company was started by a consortium led by Les Kerr consisting of: Leslie George "Les" Kerr, K. Barry Marsden, Herman Joseph "Slim" Knights, Ronald "Ron" F. Connelly of Whitehorse, Yukon, and John De Voin (a silent partner). Les Kerr had worked for Skyway Air Services for seventeen years and put together the five man group to take control of the fire control and aerial agricultural interests of Skyway. In the transaction, they took 35 employees and 19 single engine aircraft. This took place after the owner for Skyway (Art Seller), had suffered a stroke and wanted to eliminate some of his workload.

Skyway Air Services was started shortly after the close of WW2. They were pioneers in the development and operation of aerial firefighting, agricultural and pest control spraying. After the interests were sold, Skyway continued to operate as a flying school and charter business out of Langley, British Columbia.

In 1978 Conair acquired a subsidiary; Frontier Helicopters based at Watson Lake, Yukon. This rotary division was renamed Conair Helicopters in 1999. Conair also went into the Air Cargo business in 1980 by starting a company named Swiftair Cargo. They filed for license in early July 1979, and flew for the first time on September 15, 1980, using two Douglas DC-8 aircraft flying in opposite directions across Canada. Swiftair Cargo went into receivership by May 1982.

By 1984 Conair had the world's largest private fleet of Air Tankers including 50 fixed wing aircraft and 15 helicopters and by the early 1990s has grown to over 90 aircraft. Conair Aviation Ltd. later became Conair Group Inc., and they continue to be based out of Abbotsford, British Columbia.

As of May 2025, according to Transport Canada (TC), the Conair Group fleet numbers 74 aircraft.

In addition Conair show at least one Canadair CL-215, operated by Aero-Flite, that has been retrofitted and converted into a CL-415EAF with turboprop engines.

The Dash 8 were originally two used Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s, acquired from Scandinavian Airlines System, that were modified by the Conair Group's former division Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, British Columbia. These aircraft are set up for dual roles and were modified for the Sécurité Civile to act both as fire-fighting water bombers in fire season and as civilian or cargo transport aircraft in the off season. This aircraft is designated the Q400-MR (Multi Role). The aircraft can be reconfigured into the passenger, cargo or aerial fire control role in under three hours and can drop 10,000 L (2,200 imp gal; 2,600 US gal)in the tanker role. In recent years 14 Dash 8 Q400’s were purchased from Flybe and also converted into tankers.

In January 2021, Conair announced that it had purchased 11 Q400s from defunct British airline Flybe for conversion into Q400AT and Q400MR configurations.

Accidents and incidents

August 2, 1974 – Tanker 441, a Douglas DC-6B with registration CF-PWA, stalled and crashed while turning to avoid rising terrain whilst firefighting near Ashcroft, British Columbia, killing all three crew members on board.[2]

August 7, 1974 – Tanker 23, a Douglas A-26 Invader with registration CF-FBV, lost control and crashed into Mount Bowman, whilst firefighting near Clinton, British Columbia, killing the sole pilot on board.[3]

August 12, 1974 – Tanker 24, a Douglas A-26 Invader with registration CF-DFC, crashed into Stoyoma Mountain whilst on a ferrying flight in low visibility, killing the sole pilot on board. [4]

July 31, 2010 – Tanker 448, a Convair CV-580 with registration C-FKFY, collided with trees, entered a stall-spin, and crashed while fighting a wildfire near Lytton, British Columbia, killing both crew members on board.

May 22, 2015 – Tanker 692, a float-equipped Air Tractor AT-802 with registration C-FDHV, encountered a fire whirl and crashed whilst firefighting near Cold Lake, Alberta, killing the pilot on board.