Northern Thunderbird Air Inc. serves customers in some of the most remote locations in the world with experienced pilots and a hands-on management team.

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For the small British Columbia, Canada-based niche airline Northern Thunderbird Air Inc., its biggest strength can sometimes present substantial challenges. The airline is widely recognized for its success in serving customers in some of the most remote locations in the world, General Manager Bill Hesse says. Although this is no easy task, Northern Thunderbird’s talented pilots and hands-on management team overcome the inherent challenges of the job.

Northern Thunderbird Air was founded in 1971, and quickly grew to become one of British Columbia’s largest airlines. Although the company primarily serves mining operations throughout the Pacific Northwest, it also draws on the expertise of sister company Central Mountain Air (CMA).

CMA concentrates its efforts on scheduled services to medium and large cities throughout British Columbia and Alberta, Hesse adds. Together, the companies can provide a variety of services, including air cargo and air ambulance operations.

A Rich History
Although the company officially opened its doors as Northern Thunderbird in 1971, its roots date back to 1959. The company as it stands today was formed as a merger between two of British Columbia’s airlines: Northern Mountain and Thunderbird, the company explains.

“Thunderbird started in the early ’60s when it acquired the Bush operations of Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) in Prince George,” Northern Thunderbird says. “Thunderbird operated Cessnas, Beavers and Otters on floats and skis servicing northern villages and logging camps.”

In the early 1970s, Thunderbird was subcontracted by PWA to serve smaller communities in British Columbia. “The need for a hangar on Prince George Airport to fulfill this contract was the catalyst for the merger talks that resulted in the formation of Northern Thunderbird Air in 1971,” the company states.

Throughout the years since its inception, the company has “ebbed and flowed with the times,” Northern Thunderbird says.

“The early ’80s saw the company with 18 aircraft, three bases, 21 scheduled points and numerous employees, while the late ’90s saw the company with one aircraft, one base, two scheduled points and five employees. In the ever-changing world of aviation, Northern Thunderbird Air has proven its ability to adapt to new challenges, whether they are economical, technical or a customer’s unique requirement.”

Northern Thunderbird says it is proud of its history, but even more excited for the challenges the future will bring. “We have grown carefully but orderly to 12 aircraft, four bases, 10 scheduled points and 60 employees,” the company explains.

“We are strategically positioned throughout British Columbia and offer a wide variety of aircraft services,” it continues. “Most importantly, we have a very strong team of dedicated professionals who are exceptional in their experience and customer service.”

The Straight and Narrow
Company pilots specialize in flying under unpredictable weather conditions, and are often faced with traversing gravel-surfaced, smaller-than-average airstrips using medium-sized aircraft. Where the average airstrip runs approximately 4,000 feet long, these gravel airstrips can be as small as 3,000 feet, Hesse explains.

The potential risks involved in serving customers in these areas often turns competing airlines away, but Northern Thunderbird has built its success on providing these services safely, by thinking outside of the box, he adds.

“Our focus on operating as a niche air carrier separates us from other companies,” Hesse says. “Rather than trying to move away from that market like many others are doing, we are trying to expand our business in the gravel market.”

Well-Maintained Aircraft
The company operates a comprehensive maintenance program to protect its fleet of 12 aircraft.
“It might be a difficult market to serve, but we try to develop a culture that takes on these challenges successfully,” Hesse explains.

“Our maintenance program is excellent, which is especially important in the summer, when airstrips can be soft and have more loose materials on them. The gravel market is not dangerous necessarily, but everyone just needs to be careful and know what they’re dealing with.”

Hiring the Best
Pilots employed by Northern Thunderbird must have more than a solid resume and experience. They must be willing and driven to serve this niche market, Hesse says. “We’re very careful about the pilots we hire,” Hesse explains. “We rely less on what looks good on paper. What we try to get a handle on is their life experience, maturity and whether he or she has a desire to serve this type of market.”

Although the industry as a whole has seen a shortage of pilots in the past several years, Northern Thunderbird has not felt the burden by remaining a small firm. “This is the key,” Hesse asserts. “We don’t require 100 pilots to get our work done. Until recently, we had a group of only about 20 pilots.”

Today, the company employs more than 30 pilots, and can grow to 40 during busier times. Employees are motivated to help the firm achieve success. “There is a strong core group of employees here, and they all contribute significantly to our success,” Hesse asserts.

“The best part is that they’re all can-do people who have no problem picking up a broom or answering a phone if they need to. They are the biggest reason we’ve found success today.”
More than anything else, Northern Thunderbird employees have a passion for the business, Hesse says.    

“The majority of the people around here love coming to work every day,” he asserts. “It’s a joy to work here, and when we talk to pilots who have left the company for larger airlines, they often say that this is the best flying they have ever done. That is the feedback I like to hear.”

Slow Growth is Key
According to Hesse, maintaining controlled growth is the key to success in the future. Although it has overcome many challenges throughout the years,  its success “has been a combination of luck, good management, good timing and, certainly, our ability to seize opportunities as they come,” Hesse says.

“We’ve been fortunate to be able to grow slowly,” he adds. “We have been in a pretty bad recession up here, so we were able to make mistakes on a much smaller scale. We’ve gotten to the point today, where business is going well, and we have a very seasoned group of managers who understand what to do when times are difficult."