Stanley Matthew Deluce

Stanley Matthew Deluce was born on July 20, 1923 in Chapleau, Ontario. He enlisted in the RCAF in 1941, trained at Camp Borden and was posted to Eastern Air Command No. 126 Squadron. From 1943-1945 he was assigned to Maritime patrol on the Canadian east coast, flying Hawker Hurricanes escorting ships through the Northumberland Strait to Newfoundland. By war's end he was a full Flight Officer.

After the war, Deluce returned to Chapleau and worked as an engineer with Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1947 he earned a commercial pilot's licence with float endorsement, and bought a Fleet Canuck aircraft in 1948. He could now unite his love of flying with his love for hunting and fishing and make a living at the same time.

Stan Deluce RCAF portrait, 1943

A family-run business was born in 1951 with the purchase of a Stinson and the incorporation of White River Air Services. The Deluces' now operated a commercial air service from a base at White River, Ontario. Deluce added a Cessna 180 to their operation, and seeing its potential as a bush plane, he opened a Cessna dealership which he ran for 25 years. From its humble beginning with a single aircraft transporting tourists into remote areas, Deluce's company expanded steadily to a fleet of 25 aircraft, including Cessnas, Beavers and Otters, by the late 1960s.

In I960 Deluce purchased both Sault Airways and Kapuskasing Air Services and began the first scheduled air service between Kapuskasing and Timmins. Next, he bought Georgian Bay Airways which was based in Moose Factory and South Porcupine.

From 1961-1975, Deluce operated the first Contract Weather Reporting Station in Ontario at White River for the Federal Government, which was followed by a second station at Chapleau. which he operated from 1962-1975.

In 1971 WRAS was the first company to be awarded the norOntair contract with the Ontario Government to provide scheduled service to Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste Marie and Earlton. They used de Havilland Twin Otters, which are well known for their short take-off and landing capabilities, perfect for uniting the smaller communities of Ontario's north. To service their growing fleet they built a maintenance facility at Timmins. At peak times they owned 12 Twin Otters, operating the largest 'Twin' operation in Canada.

Deluce is widely admired for his entrepreneurial spirit. His business acumen was demonstrated in 1974 when WRAS and the Deluce family purchased Austin Airways, Canada's oldest airline, from Jack Austin, who was a friend and a business associate. Deluce became President of the company.

Family loading plane tied up on lake, 1951

Stan on float, hand on propellor

Both airlines were operating mixed fleets of over 40 single and twin engine aircraft, with float, land and amphibious capabilities. I In 1975, with the purchase of its first turbine powered, 50-seat capacity Hawker-Siddeley 748, the company moved from a large 'bush' operation to become one of the fastest growing commuter carriers on the continent. The company bought 18 HS 748s, making it the largest fleet of this type in the western hemisphere, a significant contribution to the development of a regional airline concept.

Continuing to expand, in 1976 Deluce purchased Superior Airways in Thunder Bay, Severn Enterprises in northwestern Ontario, followed by Ontario Central Airlines at Pickle Lake, and Hooker Air Services Ltd. in Gimli, Manitoba. A large hangar facility was built at Pickle Lake to support their new operations.

Deluce's new airlines were now doing both charter and scheduled operations all over North America and had leased aircraft to Maersk Airlines in Denmark, supplying both pilots and engineers. In addition, they began to operate as far afield as France, Tunisia and Nepal.

In partnership with Avalon Aviation, they operated water bombers for fire suppression in Canada, Chile and Norway. During this time the Austin operation was extended to serve all Ontario, Northern Quebec, Baffin Island and the Eastern Arctic, with charter flights ranging as far as Greenland.

Deluce's companies made enormous contributions to many northern aboriginal communities. Provision of air services to the Cree along the Quebec coast of James Bay, in some of the most hostile of flying environments, led to a partnership with them in Air Creebec. The company provided training and job opportunities for native youths as pilots, dispatchers and engineers. Deluce served as Vice President of this company for several years. His example and mentorship helped make this company a success.

In 1979, with a contract to serve the Ontario Ministry of Health, Austin Airways developed the first jet aircraft medivac operation in northern Ontario. The Austin service circa was expanded to provide service to Toronto, moving the safe and reliable air transport system from remote areas into high density areas as well. Under Deluce's direction, 36 de Havilland Dash-8 aircraft were added, the largest single commercial order that deHavilland had ever received, stimulating the growth of that company as well.

In 1980, 50% ownership was acquired in both Air Ontario and Air Manitoba. Deluce became Chairman of the Board of Air Ontario.

In 1985 a 25% interest in Air Ontario was sold to Pacific Western Airlines. In 1986, 75% of Austin Airways and Air Ontario was sold to Air Canada. At the same time, Air Canada bought PWA's share of Air Ontario. At the request of Air Canada, Deluce remained as Chairman of the combined company for two more years.

It is important to note that Deluce started White River Air Services with his wife, Angela, and over time all of their nine children worked alongside them in the companies they operated with all seven sons holding Commercial Licences.

Deluce served as a Director for the Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) for two terms and was a member of the Civil Aviation Tribunal from 1986-1989. He was made an Honorary Life Member of the Air Transport Association in 1988, and was named by the Rusty Blakey Heritage Aviation Group as an outstanding Aviation Pioneer in 1993. He lived in London, Ontario where he died on January 27, 2010.

Stan Deluce demonstrated the highest standards of personal and business integrity and was widely known and respected as a man whose word could be trusted implicitly. He established a legacy in which a sense of family and commitment to aviation is now carried on with the recent start-up of Porter Airlines in Toronto by his son Robert.

Stanley Matthew Deluce was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame at ceremonies held in Ottawa on June 6, 2007 at a ceremony held in Ottawa, Ontario.

Stan with wife and children, with commemoration plaque