Rise Air is a scheduled and

charter airline Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a ticket through a traditional airline). Regulation Charter – also called air taxi or ad hoc – flight ...

primarily serving the

Canadian province Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

. Its headquarters and main base are in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

. Rise Air, a

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

owned airline, was formed in 2021 by the merger of Transwest Airlines and

West Wind Aviation West Wind Aviation Limited Partnership was a Saskatchewan based airline. Now operating as Rise Air after merging with Trans West Air in 2021. Destinations Under its ExpressAir banner, West Wind formerly offered scheduled service between Reg ...

. Transwest Airlines, was formed by the merger La Ronge Aviation, and Athabaska Airways. The company offered not only scheduled passenger services, but fishing charters, surveying work, forest fire fighting, and medevac operations. Rise Air's equipment includes Twin Otters, King Air 200s, Beaver, ATR 42-320/500s, Beech 1900s and

Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a Swedish twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30–36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 differen ...

regional turboprop airliners. The company also operates La Ronge Water Aerodrome,

Stony Rapids Water Aerodrome Stony Rapids Water Aerodrome is located on the Fond du Lac River (Saskatchewan), Fond du Lac River, adjacent to Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan, Canada. See also * List of airports in Saskatchewan * Stony Rapids Airport References

...

, and Southend/Hans Ulricksen Field Aerodrome. Rise Air as of late has been significantly scaling back summer float operations, and has been threatening to ‘park’ their Saab 340A model for many years. The company has stated plans to become an authorized and licensed ATR service and manufacturing centre. Rise Air also has maintenance bases in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, La Ronge, and Stony Rapids. Transwest Air was bought by

on June 30, 2016. In January 2021, it was announced that West Wind Aviation would be merged with Transwest Air, and would be renamed ''Rise Air''.

History

Athabaska Airways was founded by Floyd Glass, who learned to fly in the late 1930s, then served as a military flying training instructor during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Postwar, he was the first general manager of the provincial

Crown corporation Crown corporation () is the term used in Canada for organizations that are structured like private companies, but are directly and wholly owned by the government. Crown corporations have a long-standing presence in the country, and have a sign ...

Saskatchewan Government Airways. He resigned from this post, flew briefly with

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

's Queen Charlotte Airways, then returned to Saskatchewan and in 1955 formed his own firm, Athabaska Airways, which later existed under the name "Transwest Air". Glass died in 1999. In June 2016,

put forward a letter of intent to purchase Transwest Air. The company became a subsidiary of West Wind Aviation on July 1, 2016. In January 2021, it was announced West Wind Aviation would be merged with Transwest Air and be renamed ''Rise Air''.

Passenger services

As of July 2023, Rise Air offers scheduled flights to and from:

Fleet

As of January 2025, Rise Air had 29 aircraft registered with

Transport Canada Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...

Current fleet

Former fleet

Transwest used to operate

British Aerospace British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft manufacturer, aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer that was formed in 1977. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. ...

BAe Jetstream 31 twin turboprop aircraft, the Beechcraft Model 99, the Beechcraft Baron, Beechcraft Travel Air, Cessna 441 Conquest II,

Mitsubishi MU-2 The Mitsubishi MU-2 is a Japanese high-wing, twin-engine turboprop aircraft with a Cabin pressurization, pressurized cabin manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It made its maiden flight in September 1963 and was produced until 1986. It ...

and the

Piper PA-31 The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of twin-engined low-wing tricycle gear utility aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for small cargo airline, cargo and regional airline, feeder airlines, and as a corporate aircraft. Production ran f ...

References

External links

* {{Subject bar , portal1=Canada , portal2=Companies , portal3=Aviation , auto=y , d=y Defunct airlines of Canada Airlines established in 2000 Airlines disestablished in 2021 Air Transport Association of Canada Companies based in Saskatchewan Companies established in 2000 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Regional airlines of Saskatchewan Canadian companies established in 2000 2000 establishments in Saskatchewan Seaplane operators 2000 establishments in Canada Air Canada