Morningstar Air Express

Morningstar Air Express
IATA ICAO Callsign
- MAL MORNINGSTAR
Founded 1970
Hubs Toronto
Secondary hubs Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver
Focus cities Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton, Québec
Fleet size 16
Headquarters Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Key people Bill McGoey (President)
Website http://www.maei.ca/

Morningstar Air Express Inc. is a cargo airline based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It operates a contract all-cargo service from Halifax to Vancouver for FedEx Express within Canada, as well as all-cargo charter services. Its main base is Edmonton International Airport.[1]

History

The airline was founded in Edmonton in 1970 as Brooker Wheaton Aviation Ltd. In January, 1992 the Company became Morningstar Air Express. It is owned by Donald Wheaton (37.5%), Kim Ward (37.5%), and Bill McGoey (25%).[1]

It was founded in Edmonton in 1970 by two Edmonton businessmen, Mr. Don Wheaton, Sr. and Dr. Bev Brooker. The Company enjoyed rapid growth due to the "oil boom" economy of Alberta during the 1970s. During this period, the Company expanded into a Cessna sales, service and parts center, a fuel dealership and a full service "FBO" center. Company flying activities initially involved cabin class piston and turboprop twins. In the late 1970s, the Company added a Lear 36 and a Hawker Siddely HS-125 to its fleet.

In the early 1980s, the Company divested of its piston fleet, continued to expand its turboprop and corporate jet fleet and went into aircraft leasing business. Also, during this period, Mr. Don Wheaton, Sr. became the sole shareholder of Brooker Wheaton Aviation Ltd. During the mid-1980s, the Company began flying for various courier companies. Brooker Aviation Ltd. expanded in this market in subsequent years with the addition of Fairchild Metroliners and Cessna 208 Caravans. In July 1990, the Company acquired a contract to initially operate two Boeing 727s nationwide for FedEx Express Canada. November 1991 saw the addition of the Fokker F-27 aircraft for the FedEx Express Canada contract. Brooker Wheaton Aviation’s expertise grew substantially in the early 1990s when the Max Ward family purchased half of the company after selling Wardair. At that time the name was changed to Morningstar Express when Don Wheaton Jr. and Kim Ward joined forces. In January 2013, Bill McGoey (President) purchased 25% of the Company. The company has expanded to 14 all-cargo aircraft flying coast-to-coast in scheduled daily cargo service.

Destinations

Morningstar Air Express Inc. operates a contract all-cargo service for FedEx Express between the following cities. Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, and Halifax.

Fleet

A Morningstar Boeing 757-200 freighter at Vancouver International Airport, leased from FedEx Express.

As of November 2017, the Morningstar Air Express fleet includes the following fleet, all owned by, and operating for, FedEx Express:[2]

Accidents and incidents

  • On 25 September 2013 a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed in Hudson Bay about 110 nautical miles (200 km; 130 mi) north of Fort Severn, Ontario while operating a training flight from Sault Ste. Marie Airport in Ontario near the US border. Part of the aircraft's underbelly cargo pod was recovered from the sea but the pilot, who was the only occupant, was never found.[3][4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-10. p. 52.
  2. ↑ "About Morningstar". Morningstar Air Express Inc. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. ↑ Kelly, Brian (24 October 2013). "New clues in mystery plane crash". Sault Star. Sun Media Community Newspapers. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Accident description for Cessna 208B Grand Caravan C-FEXV at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 24 June 2017.
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