Pacific Western Airlines
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Pacific Western Airlines (IATA: PW, ICAO: PWA, and Callsign: Pacific Western) was an airline that operated throughout western Canada and around the world from the 1950s through the 1980s.
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[edit] History
The airline went through several iterations, originally consisting of small float planes in the 1950s, evolving to include a varied fleet of Convair 640s and Douglas DC-4s into the 1960s. PWA had a major impact in the Arctic and was instrumental in providing service to many isolated communities. The airline also operated several Boeing 707 aircraft that served in both a passenger and cargo capacity. Along with a number of Lockheed L-100 (the civilian version of the C-130), PWA became a major player in the world air cargo business. The airline expanded to include a variety of aircraft, including Boeing 737-200s, Boeing 727s, and two Boeing 767-200 aircraft.
In the early 1980s, the fleet was pared down to only 737-200 aircraft and became one of the first innovative airlines on the west coast of Canada, servicing communities throughout western Canada and across the country.
In 1987, PWA Corp, the parent corporation of Pacific Western Airlines, purchased Canadian Pacific (CP) Airlines in its entirety, to form Canadian Airlines International. Wardair, another Canadian airline, was later purchased by PWA, resulting in only two major airlines in Canada: Canadian Airlines International and Air Canada. PWA and later Canadian Airlines were based in Calgary. In 2001, Air Canada merged with Canadian Airlines.
[edit] Incidents and accidents
Pacific Western Airlines Flight 501 was a regularly scheduled flight that flew between Calgary, Alberta and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The aircraft caught fire during takeoff on March 22, 1984. No one was killed, with only five people seriously injured and 22 with minor injuries. The plane burnt to the ground as fire crews attempted to stop the fire.
11 February 1978; Pacific Western Airlines 737-200; Cranbrook Airport, Canada: The aircraft crashed after thrust reversers did not fully stow following a rejected landing that was executed in order to avoid a snowplow. The crash killed four of the crew members and 38 of the 44 passengers.
