Private company

West Wind Aviation

Logo: Josh Nagy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons³

Canadian airline

West Wind Aviation Limited Partnership was a Saskatchewan based airline, now operating as Rise Air following its merger with Trans West Air in 2021.² Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1983Founded¹

HeadquartersSaskatoon¹
Founded inSaskatoon¹
Websitewww.westwindaviation.ca

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West Wind Aviation Limited Partnership was a Saskatchewan based airline, now operating as Rise Air following its merger with Trans West Air in 2021.²

Corporate structure

West Wind Aviation sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

West Wind Aviation Saskatoon
- Transwest Air Subsidiary · Prince Albert

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

Products and brands

Destinations

Under its ExpressAir banner, West Wind formerly offered scheduled service between Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Service in northern Saskatchewan and Nunavut were provided under the Pronto Airways banner. In 2015 West Wind Aviation absorbed Osprey Wings which was established in 1979.

Its main commercial rival was Prince Albert-based Transwest Air which became a subsidiary of West Wind Aviation July 1, 2016, and all scheduled flights are operated by Transwest.

In January 2021, it was announced West Wind Aviation will be merged with Transwest Air and renamed Rise Air.

Fleet

As of February 2020, West Wind Aviation had the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada.

Read the full text

In addition the Transport Canada site lists a Cessna 414 and three Cessna 401s (one Cessna 401 and two Cessna 401B) with cancelled certificates.

Aviation services

West Wind operates fixed-base operations at the Saskatoon and Regina airports under Shell Canada's AeroCentre franchise. Under the International Air Services brand, West Wind provides airport terminal services to charter and international airlines at the Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg airports. In addition, under the Lancaster Fuel brand, the company provides aviation fuel to smaller airports and private operators in the province.

From Wikipedia’s article on West Wind Aviation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.⁴

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

Transwest Air

From Wikidata.¹

Controversies and legal

Accidents

West Wind Aviation Flight 280, an ATR42 aircraft crashed with 22 passengers and 3 crew on board at Fond-du-Lac, approximately 1 km from the airport, immediately after taking off from the airport, on December 13, 2017. The aircraft was destroyed but everyone on board initially survived, 1 passenger died of his injuries 12 days later.

Repercussions

On December 22, 2017, West Wind Aviation's air operator certificate was suspended by Transport Canada. Transport Canada cited the reason in a news release stating that the airline has deficiencies in its safety management system. Transport Canada also mentioned that the airline lost its Operator Certificate in the interest of public safety. "In the interest of public safety, Transport Canada suspended West Wind Aviation's Air Operator Certificate and will not allow the company to resume its commercial air service until it demonstrates compliance with aviation safety regulations".

Transport Canada reinstated West Wind's license to operate on May 8, 2018. Operations have since resumed.