George William Grant McConachie

George William Grant McConachie was born in Hamilton, Ontario, on April 24, 1909, and grew up in the Calder area of Edmonton, Alberta, where he was educated. He worked at part-time jobs with Canadian National Railways, and left the University of Alberta in his freshman year to take flying lessons from 'Moss' Burbidge.  He qualified for his Private Pilot's Licence in 1929, a Commercial Pilot's Licence in 1930, and acquired a used aircraft the following year.

His first contract was to fly fish from northern lakes during the winter months. He barnstormed prairie communities during the remainder of that year, for a total of 650 flying hours. Despite financial setbacks and physical hazards, including a bankruptcy and a near-fatal crash, he co-founded Independent Airways at Edmonton. A pattern of air services began to emerge throughout northern British Columbia and into the Yukon Territory with his founding of United Air Transport in 1933. When the name was later changed to Yukon Southern Air Transport, McConachie took command and pioneered the first scheduled airmail and passenger service between Edmonton and Whitehorse, Yukon, in 1939. This achievement, which he forged into a dependable service despite the near insurmountable obstacles of weather, inhospitable terrain and mechanical difficulties, earned him the Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy for 1945. McConachie, like many of the bush pilots of the north, completed numerous emergency flights which resulted in the saving of lives.

When government officials began planning the Northwest Staging Route, they looked for the shortest, safest route to follow. McConachie was using a route surveyed in 1935 by 'Dan' McLean from Edmonton to the Alaska border. The route, which began in Edmonton and went on to Whitehorse, Yukon, through Grande Prairie, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, and Watson Lake, was found to be the best way to reach Alaska. By using information from McLean's surveys, both the Alaska Highway and the Canol Pipeline Project were brought to an earlier, successful conclusion than otherwise would have been possible. From the late 1930's through World War II, McConachie's home airport, the Edmonton Industrial Airport, became the busiest airport in North America as American aircraft flew from there north to Alaska.

Canadian Pacific Railways (CPR) bought a number of small airlines in 1941, including Mackenzie Air Service, owned by Leigh Brintnell, and McConachie's Yukon Southern Transport. McConachie was named Assistant to the President of the CPR at that time. When Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA) was formed in 1942 he was appointed General Manager of the Western Lines. In 1942 'Punch' Dickins was hired as Vice-President and General Manager of CPA, with the responsibility of amalgamating the eleven small scattered airlines into one cohesive air transportation network serving western Canada.

In 1947 McConachie, at the age of 38, was named President of CPA, and his daring initiatives resulted in the uniting of Canada and Asia by long-range aircraft. By 1949 he had inaugurated scheduled air passenger service from Vancouver, British Columbia, over the 8,400 mile (13,500 km) route to Sydney, Australia, and the 6,500 miles (10,460 km) from Vancouver to Tokyo, Japan, and Hong Kong. This was a multi-million dollar gamble on the future of air transportation, and it achieved his goal of a successful Canadian great-circle route by air to the Orient.

McConachie was a dynamic, persuasive and effective executive, and by the end of 1957 he had directed the launching of seven more international routes, including the capital cities of Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Holland, Portugal, and Spain.

Still unsatisfied with Canada's role in international air service, he pressed for competitive air operations on the nation's flyways, and a more equitable deal for Canada on the trans-border routes to the United States. The result of his concerted drive was a major overhaul of the air pact existing between the two countries, to this nation's benefit. As well, the government altered its National Air Policy to allow a measure of competition within Canada. In recognition of his great crusade for private enterprise on air routes, he was honoured by Sales Executives International in 1963, as Canadian Businessman of the Year. He died in Long Beach, California, on June 29, 1965.

Grant McConachie championed flights over polar routes as the shortest and most economical way to go. The most spectacular of these ventures was CPA's great-circle route over the arctic Ocean from Amsterdam to Vancouver, non-stop. The inaugural east-west flight was captained by Bob Randall.

George William Grant McConachie was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974 at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.