First Air plans fleet expansion

This First Air 737-200C, built to carry both passengers and cargo, crashed into a hillside near the Resolute Bay airport on Aug. 20. A new 737 jet will start flying for First Air this month. (FILE PHOTO)

Nearly a month after the Aug. 20 crash of a First Air 737-200C in Resolute Bay, First Air has announced it plans to expand its fleet with several new aircraft before the end of 2011.

An update from Scott Bateman, president and chief executive officer of the Makivik Corp.-owned airline, circulated last week, said First Air’s new 737 jet will enter into service later this month.

A second 737 jet will be delivered in November.

Also later this month, a new ATR72 aircraft will enter service.

A second ATR72 aircraft is positioning to Europe for a large cargo door modification. and is projected to enter service in February 2012, Bateman said.

“During the past three weeks we have been focused on supporting the families of flight 6560 passengers and crew,” Bateman siad.

Bateman said he visited the three survivors of the crash to convey First Air’s “deepest regrets.”

“This continues to be an incredibly sad time for us as a company, and for everyone affected by this tragedy,” he said.

As of last week — which also brought a substantial snowfall to Resolute Bay, 95 per cent of the debris has been removed and potential environmental hazards are contained, he said.

The final stage of site remediation will be concluded in spring of 2012, he said.

Although the Transportation Safety Board has not yet released a report on the Aug. 20 crash on its investigation which may take up to a year, Bateman said First Air would keep its communities, customers and suppliers informed as new information emerges.

“In the meantime, First Air is working hard to deliver seamless operations of our regular flight schedule to ensure our customers and cargo move across our network as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible,” he said in the English and Inuktitut email.