Ed Zaruk's Archives

Thanks to Fraser Jansen this is the only known footage of CF-KIA.  During the winter of 1957/58 Barney Lamm bought OCA’s first Beech 18, CF-KIA.  If Ontario Central Airlines was ever to break out of the bush, it needed to offer scheduled arrivals and departures along its east west routes.  Don Watson determined that this was the year to do it.

 
Calling Chief Pilot, Cormie MacArthur, into his office, he laid out the schedule: leave Kenora in the morning, fly west to Winnipeg then return.  Next fly Fort Frances, Atikokan, Fort William and return that same day.  Starting a scheduled air service in the dead of winter had it challenges.  Summer operations were planned out of Kenora airport, but for the remaining winter months, they flew from the winter base at Lakeside using the old brown CPAL building as a terminal.  Cormie flew the sked himself at first, but realized the need to train others.  Fraser Jansen was first, followed by, Ken Cheeseman.

Barney terminated this scheduled service in the late summer, and Don, taking the experience he’d gained operating OCA for nine years, went on to become President of Pacific Western Airlines.