Air Tindi


Air Tindi is an airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled and on demand charter services. Its main base is Yellowknife Airport and the airline was previously owned by the Arychuk family. The name Tindi means "the big lake" or "Great Slave Lake" in the local native Tłı̨chǫ Yatiì language.

History

Air Tindi was established by two families, Alex Arychuk and his wife Sheila, and his brother Peter Arychuk and his wife Teri. It began operations on 1 November 1988, with four float/ski aircraft. In 1990, it purchased its first de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL capable turboprop with the help of the Rae-Edzo Development Corporation, allowing the airline to expand and provide more services to the growing mining exploration industry. In 1991, Air Tindi merged with Latham Island Airways and acquired a further four aircraft in the process. By mid-1992, Air Tindi was operating four Twin Otters on floats. In 1993, its first large aircraft was purchased, a DHC-4 Caribou for re-supply work with the mining industry. A DHC-7 Dash 7 STOL capable turboprop was acquired in 1996.
On 19 December 2006, Air Tindi was sold to Discovery Air, a publicly traded holding company based in London, Ontario. The founders originally maintained their positions with Air Tindi, but various corporate disagreements led to Alex Arychuk leaving as president, and departing the Discovery Air board.
In August 2011, the Government of Nunavut announced that it had awarded a contract to Air Tindi and its partner Aqsaqniq, owned by Dennis Lyall, to provide medivac services to the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. The previous holder of the contract, Adlair Aviation, appealed to the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti and a decision was expected by 11 October 2011. The decision to dismiss the appeal was made 29 October 2011 and the news released 31 October. Adlair was given an extension on their contract until the end of November 2011. Air Tindi also provides medivac services for the entirety of Northwest Territories.
In December 2024, Northwestern Air announced it would be shutting down its scheduled flights. Air Tindi agreed to take over its routes and announced it would acquire two Dash 8s to cover the Yellowknife-Fort Smith-Fort Chipewyan-Edmonton route.

Destinations

Air Tindi operates services to the following domestic scheduled destinations:
Province/territoryCityAirportNotes
AlbertaEdmontonEdmonton International AirportSouthern gateway
AlbertaFort ChipewyanFort Chipewyan Airport
Northwest TerritoriesFort SimpsonFort Simpson Airport
Northwest TerritoriesFort SmithFort Smith Airport
Northwest TerritoriesGamètiGamètì/Rae Lakes Airport
Northwest TerritoriesHay RiverHay River/Merlyn Carter Airport
Northwest TerritoriesWhatìWhatì AirportSuspended 12 October 2025
Northwest TerritoriesWekweètìWekweètì Airport
Northwest TerritoriesYellowknifeYellowknife Airport

Fleet

, Air Tindi had the following aircraft registered with Transport Canada:

Accidents and incidents

  • On 4 October 2011, an Air Tindi owned Cessna Caravan en route from Yellowknife Airport to Lutselk'e Airport crashed about west of the community. There were, including the pilot, four people on the aircraft and two were reported killed. The condition of the two survivors was not disclosed, but they had been sent to Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.
  • On 30 January 2019, a Tindi King Air 200, C-GTUC, was en route from Yellowknife to Whatì Airport in instrument meteorological conditions, and crashed about east southeast of the community of Whatì. The two crew, who were the sole occupants, were killed. The investigation determined that both attitude indicators had failed, one prior to departure and one in-flight.
  • In December 2023, an Air Tindi De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter made a controlled flight into terrain while on approach to Lac de Gras. All two pilots and eight passengers survived with minor injuries, except two of the passengers who sustained major injuries. The aircraft suffered extensive damage.