Discovery Air ( DA ), founded in 2004, was a specialized aviation company that operated primarily in Canada.
55-666: In 2004, Discovery Air was created by David Taylor. It was incorporated by the Pacific & Western Bank of Canada , whose CEO and president was David Taylor. In December of the same year, Discovery Air acquired 50% of Hicks & Lawrence, later renamed "Discovery Air Fire Services", with the other 50% being acquired in 2005. In April 2006, Discovery Air completed an initial public offering of $ 3.85 million. Discovery Air then purchased Great Slave Helicopters (GSH) in June 2006, Air Tindi in December 2006,
110-507: A parachute drop zone . The gliders were treated as disposable, constructed from inexpensive materials such as wood, though a few were re-used. By the time of the Korean War , transport aircraft had become larger and more efficient so that even light tanks could be dropped by parachute, obsoleting gliders. Even after the development of powered aircraft, gliders continued to be used for aviation research . The NASA Paresev Rogallo flexible wing
165-456: A pilot , but some are unmanned and controlled either remotely or autonomously. Kites were used approximately 2,800 years ago in China, where kite building materials were available. Leaf kites may have been flown earlier in what is now Sulawesi , based on their interpretation of cave paintings on nearby Muna Island . By at least 549 AD paper kites were flying, as recorded that year, a paper kite
220-725: A Mk.6, and has been painted in the colours of the Golden Hawks . Hawk One, which tours Canada with the Snowbirds , has been flown on several occasions by astronaut Chris Hadfield . Pacific %26 Western Bank of Canada VersaBank is a Canadian chartered bank headquartered in London, Ontario . Formerly known as the Pacific & Western Bank of Canada , it was founded as a trust company in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , in 1980 and later moved its head offices to London, Ontario. On August 1, 2002, it
275-659: A Vickers Vimy in 1919 , followed months later by the U.S. Navy's NC-4 transatlantic flight ; culminating in May 1927 with Charles Lindbergh 's solo trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis spurring ever-longer flight attempts. Airplanes had a presence in the major battles of World War II. They were an essential component of military strategies, such as the German Blitzkrieg or the American and Japanese aircraft carrier campaigns of
330-480: A bankruptcy for a $ 149 million debt, Discovery Air was granted creditor protection under the federal Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act . The Clairvest Group, the largest creditor of Discovery Air ($ 72.7 million) offered to acquire Air Tindi, Great Slave Helicopters and Discovery Mining Services Ltd. In April 2018,the court processed a sale solicitation process concerning Air Tindi, Great Slave Helicopters and Discovery Mining Services Ltd. On 27 April 2018, Discovery Air
385-574: A customer base servicing companies and government entities in the business of mineral, base and precious metal exploration and production, wildlife services, forest fire suppression, oil and gas exploration, power line construction and maintenance, aerial surveys, seismic, air ambulance, scheduled charters and tourism. Founded in 1984, Great Slave Helicopters is a VFR and IFR helicopter operator in Canada with 64 helicopters in its fleet. It provided, alone and along with several First Nations and Inuit groups in
440-416: A glider) made out of paper or paperboard. Model glider aircraft are models of aircraft using lightweight materials such as polystyrene and balsa wood . Designs range from simple glider aircraft to accurate scale models , some of which can be very large. Glide bombs are bombs with aerodynamic surfaces to allow a gliding flight path rather than a ballistic one. This enables stand-off aircraft to attack
495-400: A glider. Gliders and sailplanes that are used for the sport of gliding have high aerodynamic efficiency. The highest lift-to-drag ratio is 70:1, though 50:1 is common. After take-off, further altitude can be gained through the skillful exploitation of rising air. Flights of thousands of kilometers at average speeds over 200 km/h have been achieved. One small-scale example of a glider
550-526: A limited propulsion system for takeoff, or to extend flight duration. As is the case with planes, gliders come in diverse forms with varied wings, aerodynamic efficiency, pilot location, and controls. Large gliders are most commonly born aloft by a tow-plane or by a winch . Military gliders have been used in combat to deliver troops and equipment, while specialized gliders have been used in atmospheric and aerodynamic research. Rocket-powered aircraft and spaceplanes have made unpowered landings similar to
605-543: A new interim chief executive officer. In January 2009, Discovery Air received a Can$ 34 million loan from the Government of the NWT , which had been repaid by 2012. In November 2009, Discovery Air announced appointment of financial officers. In October 2010, Discovery Air started operations at Discovery Air Technical Services. In 2011, Discovery Air announced the opening of a new business unit, Discovery Air Innovations, which signed
SECTION 10
#1732872938760660-461: A provisional deal with Hybrid Air Vehicles to purchase hybrid airships for use in Northern Canada . The deal, which the companies hoped to have finalised by 2012, and could have involved up to 45 airships at $ 40 million per craft, with the first being delivered in 2014. In 2011, Discovery Air Fire Services announced the launch of a new subsidiary, Discovery Aviation Academy. On 8 August 2012, it
715-510: A single-branch bank in Holdingford, Minnesota , from Stearns Financial Services for $ 13.5 million, thus entering the US market for the first time. Fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft , such as an airplane , which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift . Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a rotor mounted on
770-626: A spinning shaft generates lift), and ornithopters (in which the wings oscillate to generate lift). The wings of a fixed-wing aircraft are not necessarily rigid; kites, hang gliders , variable-sweep wing aircraft, and airplanes that use wing morphing are all classified as fixed wing. Gliding fixed-wing aircraft, including free-flying gliders and tethered kites , can use moving air to gain altitude. Powered fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes) that gain forward thrust from an engine include powered paragliders , powered hang gliders and ground effect vehicles . Most fixed-wing aircraft are operated by
825-635: A streamlined fuselage and long narrow wings incorporating a high aspect ratio . Single-seat and two-seat gliders are available. Initially, training was done by short "hops" in primary gliders , which have no cockpit and minimal instruments. Since shortly after World War II, training is done in two-seat dual control gliders, but high-performance two-seaters can make long flights. Originally skids were used for landing, later replaced by wheels, often retractable. Gliders known as motor gliders are designed for unpowered flight, but can deploy piston , rotary , jet or electric engines . Gliders are classified by
880-465: A successful passenger-carrying glider in 1853. In 1856, Frenchman Jean-Marie Le Bris made the first powered flight, had his glider L'Albatros artificiel towed by a horse along a beach. In 1884, American John J. Montgomery made controlled flights in a glider as a part of a series of gliders he built between 1883 and 1886. Other aviators who made similar flights at that time were Otto Lilienthal , Percy Pilcher , and protégés of Octave Chanute . In
935-452: A target from a distance. A kite is a tethered aircraft held aloft by wind that blows over its wing(s). High pressure below the wing deflects the airflow downwards. This deflection generates horizontal drag in the direction of the wind. The resultant force vector from the lift and drag force components is opposed by the tension of the tether . Kites are mostly flown for recreational purposes, but have many other uses. Early pioneers such as
990-532: Is a NWT-based company that provides remote exploration camps, expediting, logistics and staking services to primarily diamond and mineral exploration companies. Hawk One, officially Discovery Air Hawk One, is a Canadair Sabre owned by Vintage Wings of Canada that, in partnership with Discovery Air and the Department of National Defence has been refurbished. The aircraft, a Mk.5, was given an Orenda 14 engine and wings with leading-edge slats , making it closer to
1045-404: Is a lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider with no rigid body. The pilot is suspended in a harness below a hollow fabric wing whose shape is formed by its suspension lines. Air entering vents in the front of the wing and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside power the craft. Paragliding is most often a recreational activity. A paper plane is a toy aircraft (usually
1100-634: Is also a minority share holder), Sahtu Helicopters (49%, various land corporations have 51%), Superior Helicopters and Tlicho Helicopters. As per the Civil Aircraft Register, the Great Slave fleet consists of 64 helicopters. The Great Slave website also listed the Bell 407 that is not shown in the Transport Canada registration list. Numbers correct as of January 4, 2013: Air Tindi , founded in 1988,
1155-408: Is capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water. Seaplanes that can also operate from dry land are a subclass called amphibian aircraft . Seaplanes and amphibians divide into two categories: float planes and flying boats . Many forms of glider may include a small power plant. These include: A ground effect vehicle (GEV) flies close to the terrain, making use of the ground effect –
SECTION 20
#17328729387601210-526: Is sport and recreation. Gliders were developed in the 1920s for recreational purposes. As pilots began to understand how to use rising air, sailplane gliders were developed with a high lift-to-drag ratio . These allowed the craft to glide to the next source of " lift ", increasing their range. This gave rise to the popular sport of gliding . Early gliders were built mainly of wood and metal, later replaced by composite materials incorporating glass, carbon or aramid fibers. To minimize drag , these types have
1265-645: Is the paper airplane. An ordinary sheet of paper can be folded into an aerodynamic shape fairly easily; its low mass relative to its surface area reduces the required lift for flight, allowing it to glide some distance. Gliders and sailplanes share many design elements and aerodynamic principles with powered aircraft. For example, the Horten H.IV was a tailless flying wing glider, and the delta-winged Space Shuttle orbiter glided during its descent phase. Many gliders adopt similar control surfaces and instruments as airplanes. The main application of modern glider aircraft
1320-544: The FAI for competitions into glider competition classes mainly on the basis of wingspan and flaps. A class of ultralight sailplanes, including some known as microlift gliders and some known as airchairs, has been defined by the FAI based on weight. They are light enough to be transported easily, and can be flown without licensing in some countries. Ultralight gliders have performance similar to hang gliders , but offer some crash safety as
1375-521: The Wright Flyer III was capable of fully controllable, stable flight for substantial periods. In 1906, Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos Dumont designed, built and piloted an aircraft that set the first world record recognized by the Aéro-Club de France by flying the 14 bis 220 metres (720 ft) in less than 22 seconds. The flight was certified by the FAI. The Bleriot VIII design of 1908
1430-536: The federal and provincial governments of Canada. Discovery Air operated units provide fixed-wing and rotary-wing services, and logistics and remote operations management services. This included cargo and passenger air charter services throughout Canada, vital medivac air services in the north, and utility flying for mining exploration. The Northern Services segment consisted of three operating units: Great Slave Helicopters (GSHL or GSH), Air Tindi ("Tindi") and Discovery Mining Services (DMS). Together, these had
1485-455: The 1890s, Lawrence Hargrave conducted research on wing structures and developed a box kite that lifted the weight of a man. His designs were widely adopted. He also developed a type of rotary aircraft engine, but did not create a powered fixed-wing aircraft. Sir Hiram Maxim built a craft that weighed 3.5 tons, with a 110-foot (34-meter) wingspan powered by two 360-horsepower (270-kW) steam engines driving two propellers. In 1894, his machine
1540-462: The 18th and 19th centuries kites were used for scientific research. Around 400 BC in Greece , Archytas was reputed to have designed and built the first self-propelled flying device, shaped like a bird and propelled by a jet of what was probably steam, said to have flown some 200 m (660 ft). This machine may have been suspended during its flight. One of the earliest attempts with gliders
1595-713: The Northwest Territories and Nunavut , scheduled and chartered passenger and air cargo services to private sector companies and governments. Under the name Northlinx, Great Slave Helicopters had partnerships with Akaitcho Helicopters, Dehcho Regional Helicopters, Denendeh Helicopters, (49%, Evergreen Forestry Management has 51%), Gwich'in Helicopters, Havgun Helicopters, Hudson Bay Helicopters (100%), K'ahsho Got'ine Helicopters (majority First Nations owned), Kitikmeot Helicopters (49%, Bill and Jessie Lyall own 51% ) Kivallingmiut/Kivalliq Aviation (majority Inuit owned, Air Tindi
1650-527: The Pacific. Military gliders were developed and used in several campaigns, but were limited by the high casualty rate encountered. The Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze (Wagtail) rotor kite of 1942 was notable for its use by German U-boats . Before and during the war, British and German designers worked on jet engines . The first jet aircraft to fly, in 1939, was the German Heinkel He 178 . In 1943,
1705-562: The United States and Canada in 1919. The so-called Golden Age of Aviation occurred between the two World Wars, during which updated interpretations of earlier breakthroughs. Innovations include Hugo Junkers ' all-metal air frames in 1915 leading to multi-engine aircraft of up to 60+ meter wingspan sizes by the early 1930s, adoption of the mostly air-cooled radial engine as a practical aircraft power plant alongside V-12 liquid-cooled aviation engines, and longer and longer flights – as with
Discovery Air - Misplaced Pages Continue
1760-777: The Wheel Division Assets of Walsten Air Service (through its subsidiary Hicks and Lawrence) in March 2007, Top Aces (later renamed Discovery Air Defence Services ) in August 2007, and Discovery Mining Services in January 2008. In 2008, David Taylor stated, "When we were ousted from the board and management, the wonderful business that we had created was promptly destroyed by the incompetent new board and management creating significant hardship for Discovery Air's loyal employees and wiping-out shareholder value." In September 2008, Discovery Air Announced
1815-495: The bank completed a revision of its ownership structure that included a merger with its largest stockholder, PWC Capital, reported to be "the first merger between a Schedule 1 bank and a holding company operating under the Canadian Business Corporations Act". In 2018, the company launched the construction of a digital vault to store cryptocurrencies and other valuable digital assets. In 2022, VersaBank bought
1870-509: The company announced layoffs for its subsidiary Air Tindi. In 2016, Premier Aviation completed purchase of Discovery Air Technical Services. In 2017, Discovery Air completed the sale of Discovery Air Fire Services. In 2017, Discovery Air completed a privatization transaction. In December 2017, after Discovery Air Defence Services had a reorganized standalone financing plan laid out, two directors of Discovery Air left to become directors of Discovery Air Defence Services. Discovery Air Defence
1925-693: The first operational jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 262 , went into service with the German Luftwaffe . Later in the war the British Gloster Meteor entered service, but never saw action – top air speeds for that era went as high as 1,130 km/h (700 mph), with the early July 1944 unofficial record flight of the German Me 163B V18 rocket fighter prototype. In October 1947, the Bell X-1
1980-607: The following 27 aircraft registered with Transport Canada and listed with Air Tindi: Great Slave Helicopters acquired Northern Air Support on February 21, 2012, which is based in Kelowna, British Columbia with a base in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. As per the Civil Aircraft Register, the Northern Air Support fleet consists of 10 aircraft. Numbers correct as of January 4, 2013: Founded in 1991, Discovery Mining Services
2035-488: The in-house brokerage firms of the big six Canadian banks. Its lending portfolio consists of commercial and corporate lending, real estate and development financing, and an innovative, electronic receivable purchase program. In May 2016, the bank changed its name to VersaBank because Versa is the prefix for versatile and because Pacific & Western had little direct relevance given the Bank’s national and virtual focus. In 2017
2090-559: The interaction between the wings and the surface. Some GEVs are able to fly higher out of ground effect (OGE) when required – these are classed as powered fixed-wing aircraft. A glider is a heavier-than-air craft whose free flight does not require an engine. A sailplane is a fixed-wing glider designed for soaring – gaining height using updrafts of air and to fly for long periods. Gliders are mainly used for recreation but have found use for purposes such as aerodynamics research, warfare and spacecraft recovery. Motor gliders are equipped with
2145-693: The pilot can strap into an upright seat within a deform-able structure. Landing is usually on one or two wheels which distinguishes these craft from hang gliders. Most are built by individual designers and hobbyists. Military gliders were used during World War II for carrying troops ( glider infantry ) and heavy equipment to combat zones. The gliders were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by transport planes, e.g. C-47 Dakota , or by one-time bombers that had been relegated to secondary activities, e.g. Short Stirling . The advantage over paratroopers were that heavy equipment could be landed and that troops were quickly assembled rather than dispersed over
2200-414: The pilot is suspended in a harness suspended from the air frame , and exercises control by shifting body weight in opposition to a control frame. Hang gliders are typically made of an aluminum alloy or composite -framed fabric wing. Pilots can soar for hours, gain thousands of meters of altitude in thermal updrafts, perform aerobatics, and glide cross-country for hundreds of kilometers. A paraglider
2255-505: The use of aircraft as weapons and observation platforms. The earliest known aerial victory with a synchronized machine gun -armed fighter aircraft occurred in 1915, flown by German Luftstreitkräfte Lieutenant Kurt Wintgens . Fighter aces appeared; the greatest (by number of air victories) was Manfred von Richthofen . Alcock and Brown crossed the Atlantic non-stop for the first time in 1919. The first commercial flights traveled between
Discovery Air - Misplaced Pages Continue
2310-479: The world's first branchless, electronic bank. In 2002, it became a Schedule 1 bank. By 2013, the bank became Canada's tenth largest publicly traded bank when it began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange . The bank's deposits are raised digitally by way of a comprehensive broker network situated throughout Canada. In 2016, there were over 120 deposit broker firms raising its deposits, including many of
2365-568: The world. Some of the hundreds of versions found other purposes, like the AC-47 , a Vietnam War era gunship, which is still used in the Colombian Air Force . An airplane (aeroplane or plane) is a powered fixed-wing aircraft propelled by thrust from a jet engine or propeller . Planes come in many sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. Uses include recreation, transportation of goods and people, military, and research. A seaplane (hydroplane)
2420-527: Was a charter airline based in Yellowknife, NT. With their main base as the Yellowknife Airport , the company provided scheduled and on demand charter services throughout Northern and Western Canada . With 24 fixed-wing aircraft in their fleet, they are capable of transporting 46 passengers or 10,000 pounds of cargo. Tindi had the largest medivac fleet in Northern Canada . As of January 2016, Air Tindi had
2475-545: Was acquired by the Clearvest investment firm through a questionable deal where cleared debts in return for shares in DA Defence, but without going through the approval process which should include all debt covenants. This led to a shareholders' debacle that precipitated the company's imminent bankruptcy. A group of investors was created to block Clearvest's progress in buying out Discovery Air's assets. In March 2018, after declaring
2530-421: Was an early aircraft design that had the modern monoplane tractor configuration . It had movable tail surfaces controlling both yaw and pitch, a form of roll control supplied either by wing warping or by ailerons and controlled by its pilot with a joystick and rudder bar. It was an important predecessor of his later Bleriot XI Channel -crossing aircraft of the summer of 1909. World War I served initiated
2585-457: Was announced that Discovery Air had let the deal with Hybrid Air Vehicles lapse as they no longer wished to purchase the vehicles. In 2012, Great Slave Helicopters acquired Servicios Aéreos Helicopters in Chile, which became Helicopters.cl SpA after the sale, and Great Slave Helicopters acquired Northern Air Support. In 2013, Discovery Air acquired Advanced Training Systems International Inc. In 2012,
2640-441: Was by 11th-century monk Eilmer of Malmesbury , which failed. A 17th-century account states that 9th-century poet Abbas Ibn Firnas made a similar attempt, though no earlier sources record this event. In 1799, Sir George Cayley laid out the concept of the modern airplane as a fixed-wing machine with systems for lift, propulsion, and control. Cayley was building and flying models of fixed-wing aircraft as early as 1803, and built
2695-567: Was delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange . In September 2018, Great Slave Helicopters, after obtaining a creditor's protection from Ontario Superior Court of Justice, initiated a restructuration program to prepare for its sale. In November 2018, Great Slave Helicopters was sold to Great Slave Helicopters 2018 Ltd. (formerly known as 11088211 Canada Corp), owned by Pat Campling Jr, a former interim CEO of West Wind Aviation . Through its subsidiary companies, Discovery Air provided aviation and aviation related services for corporate customers, and for
2750-400: Was developed to investigate alternative methods of recovering spacecraft. Although this application was abandoned, publicity inspired hobbyists to adapt the flexible-wing airfoil for hang gliders. Initial research into many types of fixed-wing craft, including flying wings and lifting bodies was also carried out using unpowered prototypes. A hang glider is a glider aircraft in which
2805-570: Was granted a Schedule I Canadian chartered bank licence by the Canadian federal government, the first in approximately 18 years. The bank is publicly traded as VBNK on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and on the Nasdaq. In 1993, David Taylor and a group of investors acquired Pacific & Western Trust, a small trust company with six branches and a need for capital investment, and transformed it into
SECTION 50
#17328729387602860-558: Was in commercial service for more than 50 years, from 1958 to 2010. The Boeing 747 was the world's largest passenger aircraft from 1970 until it was surpassed by the Airbus A380 in 2005. The most successful aircraft is the Douglas DC-3 and its military version, the C-47 , a medium sized twin engine passenger or transport aircraft that has been in service since 1936 and is still used throughout
2915-535: Was tested with overhead rails to prevent it from rising. The test showed that it had enough lift to take off. The craft was uncontrollable, and Maxim abandoned work on it. The Wright brothers ' flights in 1903 with their Flyer I are recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics , as "the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight". By 1905,
2970-635: Was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound, flown by Chuck Yeager . In 1948–49, aircraft transported supplies during the Berlin Blockade . New aircraft types, such as the B-52 , were produced during the Cold War . The first jet airliner , the de Havilland Comet , was introduced in 1952, followed by the Soviet Tupolev Tu-104 in 1956. The Boeing 707 , the first widely successful commercial jet,
3025-446: Was used as a message for a rescue mission. Ancient and medieval Chinese sources report kites used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. Kite stories were brought to Europe by Marco Polo towards the end of the 13th century, and kites were brought back by sailors from Japan and Malaysia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Although initially regarded as curiosities, by
#759240