Lamb Air
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| Founded | 1934 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 1935 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | 1981 | ||||||
| Operating bases | The Pas, Churchill, Thompson | ||||||
| Hubs | Gillam, Norway House, Wabowden, Rankin Inlet | ||||||
| Destinations | Canada, Greenland, United States | ||||||
| Company slogan | Don't Ask Us Where We Fly, Tell Us Where You Want To Go | ||||||
| Headquarters | The Pas, Manitoba | ||||||
| Key people | Tom Lamb (founder) | ||||||
| Website | www.lambair.com | ||||||
Lamb Air Ltd. was an airline that began operations in 1934 in The Pas, Manitoba, Canada and went out of business in 1981.
Tom Lamb was the son of Thomas Henry Peacock (THP) Lamb, who had emigrated from England in the late 19th century. THP Lamb turned from school teacher to fur trader and in 1900, started Lamb's Store in Moose Lake, Manitoba. Tom and his brothers and sisters grew up in northern Manitoba and worked for their father.
Tom Lamb left school before finishing grade 3. Later in life, he would make the comment, while giving his acceptance speech when receiving his honorary Doctorate of law from the University of Manitoba, "If I had only gotten to grade 4". At the age of 10, Tom, who had his own team of horses and sleigh, was competing with grown men in the fish hauling business. He would have to use fish boxes to step up on to be able to load his sleigh.
One of the Lamb family's businesses was "logistics and transportation". Fish, lumber, trees, fur and supplies needed to be hauled by any and all means. Dog teams, horses, boats, trucks and tractors were used. In the 1930s there was a transportation revolution happening. The aircraft was making its way into northern Canada. The first time Tom Lamb saw an aircraft he realized its potential. In 1930, Tom bought his first aircraft - a Stinson SR8. In 1930, Tom Lamb travelled to Winnipeg to learn to fly. To keep costs to a minimum, he lived in a tent behind the Winnipeg Flying Club. When he returned to The Pas and checked himself out on the Stinson.
In 1935, Tom incorporated Lamb Airways Limited. The airline had some name changes throughout the years and Tom became one of the best known Manitobans, if not Canadians, in the world. His adventures have been documented in books, a television documentary and even a song.
Lambair grew by public demand, as there was no other means of transportation for fish to market at the time except horse-drawn sleighs. Airplanes shortened the time to market and ensured higher quality fish to the large North American market. While transportation of fish, fur, trappers and fisherman were its primary business, the largest expansion of Lambair was during the construction of the mid-Canada line during the 1950s. The airline served all of Canada and parts of the United States and Greenland during its years in service. Lambair continued to haul fish, but its primary cargo was people - Inuit families from Resolute, Northwest territories to the far Arctic island hunting camps; equipment - oil drilling rigs to Sable Island from Halifax and food supplies. Medical evacuations and emergency mercy flights also accounted for a substantial amount of the company's traffic from the far north.
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Wikipedia