Wasaya Airways
Wasaya Airways LP is a 49% First Nations owned domestic airline with its headquarters in Thunder Bay, Northern Ontario, Canada. Its main hubs are the Thunder Bay International Airport and the Sioux Lookout Airport, however, it also offers a charter and cargo service from a base in Red Lake Airport and Pickle Lake Airport. In 2003, Wasaya Airways bought the rights to serve remote First Nations communities from Bearskin Airlines. The airline also supplies food, clothing, hardware and other various supplies to 25 remote communities in Ontario.
Established in 1989, the name "Wasaya" comes from the Oji-Cree language, which means "it is bright" in English, in reference to the brightness of the rising Sun. The airline has grown over the years starting off as a floatplane operation to now a charter and scheduled passenger service airline. Its inflight magazine Sagatay is published in conjunction with Wawatay Native Communications Society. In October 2010, the company purchased a De Havilland Canada Dash 8 to bolster its fleet.
Destinations
Scheduled services
Wasaya Airways serves the following destinations in Ontario:- Bearskin Lake First Nation, owner community
- Deer Lake First Nation
- Eabametoong First Nation
- Fort Severn First Nation, owner community
- Kasabonika Lake First Nation, owner community
- Keewaywin First Nation, owner community
- Kingfisher First Nation, owner community
- Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation , owner community
- Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation, owner community
- Neskantaga First Nation
- Nibinamik First Nation,, owner community
- North Caribou Lake First Nation
- North Spirit Lake First Nation
- Pickle Lake, hub
- Pikangikum First Nation, owner community
- Poplar Hill First Nation
- Red Lake, hub
- Sachigo Lake First Nation
- Sandy Lake First Nation, owner community
- Sioux Lookout, hub
- Thunder Bay, hub
- Wapekeka First Nation, owner community
- Webequie First Nation
- Wunnumin Lake First Nation, owner community
Fleet
| Aircraft | No. of aircraft Wasaya | No. of aircraft TC | Variants | Notes |
| Beechcraft 1900 | n/a | 6 | 1900D | Seats up to 18, used for scheduled and charter service |
| Cessna 208 | 3 | 2 | 208B Grand Caravan | Seats up to 9, used for scheduled, charters, fuel and freight services |
| Hawker Siddeley HS 748 | 1+ | 3 | Series 2A | No passengers, used for freight and bulk fuel only with up to |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 3 | 4 | DHC-8-102 | Seats up to 37 on scheduled and charter service or up to freight or fuel |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 1 | 1 | DHC-8-314 | Seats up to 50 on Newmmont Goldcorp Scheduled flights. Operated as a 604 operation. |
| Pilatus PC-12 | 2+ | 3 | PC-12/45 | Seats up to 9, used for scheduled, charters and freight services |
The Transport Canada website shows a Beechcraft 1900, a Cessna 208, and a Pilatus PC-12, all with cancelled registration certificates.
Accidents and incidents
- On 11 September 2003, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan of Wasaya Airways Flight 125 crashed near Summer Beaver killing all 8 persons on board. The flight originated in Pickle Lake and was scheduled to land at Summer Beaver Airport, but the airplane crashed and burned northwest of the runway. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada was unable to determine the cause.
- 12 June 2012 - A Wasaya Airways Hawker Siddeley HS 748 caught fire while unloading JET A-1 jet fuel at Sandy Lake Airport in Northwestern Ontario. No injuries were reported. Aircraft burned to the ground, only the left wing and nacelle survived.
- 11 December 2015 - Wasaya Airways Flight 127, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, while en route from Pickle Lake Airport to Angling Lake/Wapekeka Airport crashed approximately north northeast of Pickle Lake Airport. The pilot was the sole occupant and was killed in the crash. The probable cause for the accident was flying in known or forecast icing conditions although the aircraft was prohibited from doing that, and a high take-off weight that increased the severity of degraded performance when the flight encountered icing conditions.