In northern Alberta there is occasional air transport
connecting Peace River and Fort Smith, N.W.T. At the
same time this route also serves the centres of Carcajou,
Fort Vermilion, and Keg River.

Air transport companies maintain passenger, mail, and
express schedules to all airfields and seaplane bases described
above. Large modern aeroplanes, making several flights
each week, are used on the air routes from Vancouver and
Edmonton to Whitehorse and Fairbanks, and also on the
Edmonton to Yellowknife route. On some of the other
toutes schedules vary from summer to winter and with the
amount of trafic, but weekly, semimonthly, or monthly
service is usually available to the various fields. On these
latter, less frequented lines, single-engined planes equipped
with floats or skis are still used. In addition to the flights
for which schedules may be obtained from the commercial
companies, charter trips can be provided to any airfield,
seaplane base, lake, or river on which pontoon or ski
equipped aircraft can land.

‘As a result of this network of airfields, served by a
variety of planes, a rapid transportation system has been
built up through the length and breadth of the whole of
northwestern Canada. During war time this service was
limited only by the equipment available. Not only have
existing airfields now been enlarged and new airfields built,
but communication facilities, either telephone, telegraph, or
radio, and weather reporting stations and services have
been extended throughout the whole region.

CONCLUSIONS

Northwestern Canada, with its innumerable lakes and
rivers, great distances between settlements, and slow water
transportation during a shert ice-free season, is peculiarly
suited to the use of aeroplanes. It is doubtful if few other
parts of the world have developed air service to as great
an extent in opening up the exploration and resources of
the country. In northern Canada aeroplanes are used as a
common vehicle of all-season transport and not as a com
petitive means of luxury travel. High speed, although an
advantage, is not essentially the prime factor in the develop-
ment of northern air transport, for guaranteed, reasonably
fast schedules with a low-cost Operating unit are also
important.

The use of the aeroplane played a leading part in the
development of the Northwest during the past decade.
Except for the historic fur trade which was well developed,
the Northwest was only beginning to open up when war
in Europe was declared in 1939. As the manpower require-
ments of the fighting forces and war industries became
urgent, miners, trappers, traders, and others left the region,
forcing many of the mines and other industries to close
temporarily or to curtail operations greatly. With the
cessation of hostilities the resumption of active development
can now be expected principally in prospecting, mining,
and tourist interest. The airfields of the Northwest will

3681—9

undoubtedly play an important réle in the future develop-
ment of these industries. The present network of air routes
now serves vast areas that were previously almost inac-
cessible. If new resources are found, which can compete
economically with those closer to present markets, it will
not be a difficult matter to build a few new airfields to link
these resources with the present routes.

During the war years much of the preliminary work was
done and plans were evolved for larger development as soon
as labour and materials again became available. The written
publicity that this region has received through the building
of the Alaska Military Highway, the Canol Project, the
Northwest Staging Route, and other war-time projects,
in addition to the oral publicity of the thousands who have
worked on these war activities, has created a popular urge
to visit this last pioneer region. Much of the traffic will
be carried by air as soon as facilities will permit. In addition
to the present aircraft and landing fields and seaplane bases,
facilities must now be expanded to include modern accom-
modation for the public, and refuelling and repair facilities
for privately-owned aeroplanes.

The commercial aviation organizations now serving the
Canadian Northwest will have to expand their present
facilities to meet the increasing demand, and as materials
become available, provide modern aircraft equipped to
carry various types of freight and passenger trafic. Unlike
railroads and highways, airways can be provided, expanded,
or contracted, more easily as demand dictates. It is assumed
that Canadian enterprise will be alert to the possibilities
of development in the field of local air transport.

Although northern Canada has been publicized as “the
crossroads of the world” for future air routes, much of the
area offers very little freight and few passengers for through
trafic. The Northwest Staging Route saves time and
distance for direct flights from eastern Canada and United
States to eastern Asia, but many commercial flights are
interested in local traffic along the way. The Pacific Coast
route from Seattle to Anchorage and Nome and the Aleutians
is now being used once more by Pan-American Airways,
assisted by additional aids to navigation and airports built
during the war. Advances in the techniques of high altitude
flying, radar navigation, and Operations in cold regions,
have all increased the eficiency and safety of long-distance
flights, and have overcome some of the natural hazards of
flying in the Pacific Northwest.

Regardless of which route ultimately carries the bulk
of international air traffic to Asia, the presence of the inland
route through northwestern Canada will be important to
the local development and administration of the region.
Although the “transit” character of long-distance flights
will not greatly aid the Northwest directly, the facilities
at the airfields will have to be kept on a high

serve this traffic, and will be available for loc
flying.

standard to

al Canadian
Since smaller Canadian companies will be more

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