Commencement of New Flight Dispatch Department

WHITEHORSE, YT – 8 June 2020 - Air North, Yukon’s Airline becomes first Canadian airline to have entire flight operations offices located north of 60°.

With their opening of a Type A Operations Control Dispatch Centre in the coming weeks, Air North, Yukon’s Airline will become the first major Canadian airline whose entire flight operations offices are located in northern Canada.  

The new flight dispatch office will provide the opportunity to route aircraft more efficiently by increasing the number of approved flight paths available. The various route options will allow pilots and dispatchers to take advantage of different winds to operate faster flights with less turbulence, while helping to conserve fuel.

Since the start of Boeing 737 jet service in 2002, Air North’s flight dispatch services have been contracted to a company based in Calgary, Alberta. By bringing this service in-house, Air North will add six highly-skilled jobs to the Yukon labour market, with many dispatchers transferring from different positions within the company. Air North has also developed a flight dispatch training program, as the company hopes to continue to provide career development opportunities for employees and Yukoners.  

“The opening of Air North’s Flight Dispatch Centre is not only a significant accomplishment for the company, but for the north overall,” says Chad Wilson, Chief Dispatcher for Air North, and project lead on getting the program off the ground. “Flight dispatchers’ primary focus is flight safety – from filing flight plans to monitoring weather and continuously tracking the progress of all flights, they play an integral role in flight operations. To be able to provide this skilled service and training program is really a first here in the Yukon. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”

Air North’s Flight Dispatch Centre is set to commence operations 15 June 2020.