Sunwest Aviation
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing | |||||||
| File:C-GSLX Beechcraft Be.1900 (7675533910).jpg | |||||||
| |||||||
| AOC # | Canada: 5404[2] United States: UNWF287F[3] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Calgary International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Edmonton International Airport, Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Avro Club Membership | ||||||
| Fleet size | 24[4] | ||||||
| Parent company | Sunwest Aviation Ltd. | ||||||
| Headquarters | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||||||
| Website | https://www.sunwestaviation.ca/ | ||||||
.jpg){kind=link}
Sunwest Aviation is a Canadian aviation services company specializing in aircraft management and charter operations across Canada, with fixed-base operator (FBO) services at the Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
History
[edit | edit source]Sunwest Aviation was established in 1986 as Sunwest Home Aviation and adopted its current name in 2006.[5]
On 1 October 2014, Sunwest took over the operations of Alta Flights.[6]
Sunwest also operates a medical evacuation program, known at Halo Medevac, transporting patients locally and internationally following a medical emergency.[7] Along with Cenovus Energy they operated the now closed Axe Lake Aerodrome.[8]
On 15 December 2018, Sunwest Aviation entered the fixed-base operator (FBO) business and became the official Shell AeroCentre in Calgary. In addition to being the newest FBO in Calgary, Sunwest continues to provide aircraft charter, and aircraft management for aircraft owners.
Sunwest Aviation later expanded its eastern Canadian presence through the acquisition of Jet-Share Canada in February of 2025[9], extending its aircraft management and charter operations to the Toronto market.
The company provides air ambulance, Sunwest AeroMedical, and medical repatriation services in addition to participating in HOPE (Human Organ Procurement and Exchange Program) by providing aero-medical services that allow for the time sensitive transportation of lifesaving organs.[10]
Fleet
[edit | edit source]The airline has a fleet of 30 aircraft, including 15 jets.[4]
Current fleet
[edit | edit source]
As of 16 December 2025[update], Transport Canada lists the following aircraft as being in the Sunwest Fleet:[4]
| Aircraft | No. of aircraft |
Variants | Notes[11] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft 1900 | 5 | 1900D | Turboprop, 18 / 19 passengers | |
| Beechcraft Super King Air | 2 | 1 - Super King Air 200 1 - Super King Air 300 |
Turboprop, 9 passengers in the 200 and 8 in the 300 which is listed by Sunwest as a B350 | |
| Bombardier Challenger 300 | 4 | Challenger 300 Challenger 3500 |
Jet, 8 passengers | |
| Bombardier Challenger 600 series | 2 | CL-604 | Jet, 11 / 12 passengers and listed at Sunwest as CL-604 and CL-605 | |
| Cessna Citation Excel | 1 | 560XL | Jet, not listed at Sunwest | |
| de Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 3 | 1 - DHC-8-202 1 - DHC-8-314 1 - DHC-8-315 |
Turboprop, 37, 52 or 56 passengers | |
| Gulfstream G150 | 2 | G150 | Jet, 7 passengers | |
| Gulfstream G650 | 1 | G650ER | Jet, 15 passengers | |
| Learjet 45 | 3 | Jet, 8 passengers | ||
| Piper PA-31 Navajo | 1 | PA-31-350 Chieftain | Turboprop, not listed at Sunwest | |
| Total | 24 | |||
Historical fleet
[edit | edit source]Over the years Sunwest has flown over 300 aircraft. In addition to other aircraft of the types listed above Sunwest has previously flown the following:[12]
- Beechcraft King Air
- Beechcraft Model 18 (Beech 3NM)
- Boeing B75N1
- British Aerospace 125
- Cessna 208 Caravan
- Cessna 425
- Cessna 441 Conquest II
- Cessna Citation II (Cessna 550)
- Cessna Citation V (Cessna 560)
- Gulfstream G550 (Gulfstream GV-SP)
- Dassault Falcon 7X
- Hawker 800 (Raytheon Hawker 800XP)
- Learjet 35
- Learjet 55
Certifications and awards
[edit | edit source]Sunwest Aviation holds multiple industry-recognized safety and quality accreditations. The company is a Transport Canada-approved aircraft operator, demonstrating compliance with national regulatory standards for commercial aviation operations. It also maintains a platinum rating from ARGUS International, a provider of global due-diligence assessments for charter operators,[13] and has achieved IS-BAO Stage 3 certification under the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, reflecting the highest level of safety management practices.[14][failed verification]
Sunwest's aeromedical division has been accredited by the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI) for both regional and long-range fixed wing air ambulance operations with an adult critical care endorsement.[15]
In fixed-base operator (FBO) services, Sunwest has been repeatedly recognized in industry surveys. After launching its FBO business line in 2018 as the official Shell AeroCentre at Calgary International Airport, the company was awarded the Rising Star Award by Wings in 2019. It was later voted Western Canada’s Top FBO in the Wings magazine FBO survey in 2021 and 2022[16], and has continued to be ranked among Western Canada’s best FBOs into 2025[17].
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Transport Canada (8 September 2019), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 27 November 2025 to 0901Z 22 January 2026.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]
Lua error in mw.title.lua at line 392: bad argument #2 to 'title.new' (unrecognized namespace name 'Portal').