Ookpik Aviation

Ookpik Aviation is a charter airline based around the Baker Lake region in Nunavut, Canada, founded in 2012 and still operating in January 2020.
History
Ookpik was founded in 2009 by Boris Kotelewetz in Nunavut, Canada. It started as a charter flight service that transports passengers throughout the Baker Lake region and still are currently. During summer 2011 Ookpik Aviation had many contracts for not only transportation for example they had contracts to service an exploration camp at Amer Lake, flying from Baker Lake, on which a Super Otter was used. A look at the type of flights involved shows the work carried out by the Otter:- 7 June, three passengers, camp gear and groceries; 11 June drill gear and groceries; 13 June five flights between 11:30am and 11pm with drill and camp gear; 15 June drill gear, backhaul three passengers, luggage, camp tools and snow machine; 16 June four flights with drill gear; 18 June two flights with drill gear, backhaul skidoo; 21 June two flights, communications gear and supplies; 9 July drill rods, backhaul 22 buckets of samples and ten boxes of incinerator ash; 15 July groceries, backhaul samples, incinerator ash and a passenger; 1 August three flights with drill parts. So in 2011 they had very diverse kind of transports for customers. The next time an otter would be transporting equipment or cargo would of have been in October 2016 when it was carrying fuel drums and various equipment. On 31 July 2013 Ookpik helped in a missing person case when 2 men from America wound up missing in Dubawnt Lake. Ookpik gathered local spotters and their own aircraft to help find those two missing men.
Since 2012 Ookpik has had only 2 aircraft a Texas Turbines Super Otter and a Bell 206 Long Ranger. The Super Otter has a maximum horsepower of 1000, and has a Honeywell turbine engine fitted in to be more quieter and more efficient. It also burns less fuel than the previous Pratt and Whitney engine, it also climbs and out performs more than any other configuration for the DHC3. The Ookpik Super Otter has proved to be very successful, with the ability to take-off and land on only of barren tundra, climbing to in less than 5 minutes, cruise at , burning . Ookpik Aviation also has a Bell helicopter with low fuel consumption of , maximum speed of , range of and endurance of 3 hours 30 minutes, carrying up to 6 passengers or underslung cargo.
Incidents and accidents
; 21 March 2010: The Super Otter arrived at Angillak Lake, Nunavut and while preparing to unload a cargo of plywood at the bay. The pilot accidentally released the ratchet strap and the load shifted, causing him to lose his footing and fall out of the cargo door of the aircraft. While he was falling his hand became trapped between a piece of plywood and the port wall of the aircraft, seriously injuring his hand (He is ok today). The pilot was attended by the assistant loader and was able to fly the aircraft back to Baker Lake for emergency medical treatment.
;18 August 2010: The Super Otter was departing Baker Lake with two crew and two passengers, the aircraft encountered severe wind shear and experienced a roll upset to the right. Immediate counter control inputs recovered the aircraft to normal. The rest of the flight was completed successfully. During the return flight the pilot noticed a right turning tendency and upon landing in Baker Lake maintenance found damage to the outboard right hand aileron from striking the gravel runway on take off. The Otter was grounded for repairs, which required replacement of the outboard aileron. Winds at the time of take off had been , with gusts to .
Suspension
In Febraury 13 2018, Ookpik Aviation had its liscence suspended by Paul Fitzgerald temporarily for operating small domestic planes. However the various licences were reinstated effective February 28, 2018.

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