Polar pilots

Eastern Arctic Flying

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This space is reserved for a link to your Arctic aviation adventure… if you’ve been here and have a site, let us know!

The EADS-CASA C-295 was one of the aircraft vying for the billion dollar contract to replace Canada’s aging fleet of

C-130 Hercules aircraft.  The company had an ambitious plan recommending the C-295 be located in Iqaluit to serve search needs in the Eastern Arctic.  EADS also tried to convince Canada to buy the A400M in place of Canada’s ageing C-130 Hercules. We’re getting the Hercs.

Presently, military SAR support in the Iqaluit area is provided by a great bunch of folks at the 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron from Greenwood, Nova Scotia, with planes and helicopters from Winnipeg, Gander and Trenton making appearances sometimes… Nunavut’s a big place!  This EADS-CASA C-295 was in Iqaluit June 3, 2005 giving local folks (including some Air Cadets in these pix) a chance to size it up.

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A group of Swedish Air Force JAS 39C Gripen interceptors stopped by coming and going to a military exercise in Nevada in the summer of 2008.  The Gripens are accompanied by three Hercules support planes.  Click to enlarge photo. For more on their trip, visit the Swedish Air Force website.

Memorable Visits 3

This DC-3 showed up one pleasant June morning in 2005.  Don’t know where it is from or where it was going… but the phrase “Drag ‘Em Oot” painted on the nose is intriguing.

Cold, wet weather greeted the Canadian Armed Forces for arctic sovereignty exercise Operation Nanook, August 14-17, 2007. This shot includes two Canadian Forces Twin Otters, and a pair of CH-146 Griffon helicopters parked at the military Forward Operating Location hangar in Iqaluit.  Also on board were a couple of CF-18s, an Aurora and a couple of Hercules transports.  Click here for the list of units of the Canadian Army, Navy, Air Force, Rangers, and Coast Guard.