From front Hawkair gets second plane, hires more staff airport has just recorded a $200,000 profit credited in large part to the Hawkair factor. “We think we’re going to be able to do the same thing for Smithers,” Men- zies said. “I’m sure people would rather fly out of their own airport than drive four hours.” Hawkair is now on a hiring spree to prepare for expansion. It now employs 40 people -—34 in Terrace with a few each in Prince Rupert and Vancouver. Menzies said up to a dozen staff could be added in Smithers, including five more pilots. The reserva- tions office in Terrace will also hire at least two more people. Hawkair continues to seek investors and other fi- nancing to help eventually buy their planes, rather than lease them. Owning the planes, ra- ther than spending money on lease payments,.would dramatically improve Hawkair’s bottom line, Menzies said. “We are profitable,” he said. “We're running on a razor-thin margin, but we are profitable,” Hawkair can’t run at a loss, he noted. “We're not Air Canada. We can’t lose $100 mil- lion a quarter and laugh about it.” _ ‘The second plane will arrive from Newfoundland, where it was operated by Air Atlantic. As with Haw- kair’s first plane, it’s being leased from IMP Group of Halifax. Dave Menzies The homegrown airline took flight almost a year ago when the three Haw- kair partners — Menzies, Rod Hayward and Paul Hawkins — shifted gears from running a cargo air- line to carrying people. They staked the compa- “A year ago we were just about broke. We didn't know if any of this was going to work. We didn’t know if anyone was going to show up and get onthe plane.” ny and most of their perso- nal assets on the idea, Menzies said. _ None of them was cer- tain their venture would _ prove viable, that the pub- lic would embrace it and they wouldn’t be squashed by the corporate might of the Air Canada monopoly. “A yeat ago we were just about broke,” Menzies recalls. “We didn’t know if any of this was going to work. We didn’t know if anyone was going to show up and get on the plane. We just didn’t know,” People did show up. Hawkair now carries 2,500 to 2,800 people a month out of Terrace, That’s around a third of the local market share. “We had put everything we could possibly muster into this,” he said. “If people didn’t turn up and use the service it wouldn't have lasted a week.” Hawkair has had a colourful history. It got its start flying in and out of northern B.C. mines with the world’s anly surviving Bristol Freighters, giant propeller- driven cargo planes thal date from the 1950s. When engines acted up in one of their cargo planes, Anglican priests were brought in to bless the engines and drizzle them with holy water. But the decline of mining in, B.C. in the 1990s forced the company to seek new markets. That meant flying unus- ual jobs — such as when they transported a panting and kicking herd of agita- ted reindeer from the Aleutian Islands to Red Deer, Alberta. The merger last year of Canadian Airlines and Air Canada created a new op- portunity. Ottawa approved the merger but put in place tules designed to prevent the big carrier from using its might to drive new startup airlines out of busi- ness. High school reno may block after school use RECREATIONAL. sports feams and ..comminily ‘proups that-.use Caledonia Senior Secondary School on evenings and weekends for games and meetings may have to make alter- nate plans this fall. The school is the site of a $2.2 million heating and ventilation system upgrade expected to start in Sep- tember or early October. “There will be impacts on user groups,” Coast Mountains School District maintenance superinten- dent. Roherl-Gijjfillan:said,., ;; Work will take place outside of school hours to avoid disrupting students but the many community groups that use the 30- year-old schaol may be in- convenienced. “We're going to have to look closely at user groups and when we’re going to be able to allow them to use the school,” he said. Bids on the upgrade closed Friday. Once the Time: (BEGINNER BELLY’ DANCE CLASSES i® Learn the basics of belly dance. i I Eight week course, one night weekly. Instructor: Nancy Lamming Start Date: Monday September 17 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Location: Terrace Arena Banquet Room Last class Monday, November 19 **MUST PRE-REGISTER** For more information, or to register, please calt Nancy at (250) 635-2403 SS tender is awarded, the contractor's work schedule will be determined. Only then will the scale of the impact on user groups be known. Gilfillan said work will take place between 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. and on weekends. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - A9 HOUSE OF COMMONS 1 ; d | MacKay’s Funeral Service Ltd. An y Bu rton Serving Terrace, Kitimat, Smithers & Prince Rupert Member of parliament Monuments Concerned personal for Skeena Bronze Plaques service in the Northwest Terrace Crematorium since 1946 [A sexes Constituency Office Terrace, B.C. V8G 156 Phone: {250) 635-1401 Fax: (250) 635-4109 Toll Free: 1-800-661-2208 E-mail: andy@andyburton.co Website: www.andyburton.ca 4626 Davis Street Terrace, B.C, V8G 1X7 Phone 635-2444 © Fax 635-635-2160 24 hour pager ———— “These appliances are darn heavy” Now everybody knows that Maytag appliances are truly one of the best brands in _ the business. Now the wise guys in management want to let everybody know about the great sale prices now on Maytag appliances, Great for the customer, sure, Great for the store sales, we'll grant them that. But they forgot about us, the poor guys that have to move these appliances into the homes, which incidentally also involves moving the old ones out of the way as part of the Totem Service they (we, actually) deliver, Check these prices out. Maytag built-in dishwashers sale priced from $469, deluxe 19 cu. ft. refrigerators only $799, gas ranges from $699, washer & dryer pairs priced from $1148, plus portable dishwashers, cook-tops and wall ovens all on sale. Plus with your good credit, you wont have to pay for your maytag appliance for 90 days.*o4c So guess who is going to be lugging all these appliances that are going to sell with prices like these? I think you know, we sure do. The only good things is that they are Maytag appliances, knowing we wont be back for a long, long time to replace it. So I'm sure we'll be seeing some of you real soon with a brand new Maytag appliance. Actually with prices like these I'm sure we'll be seeing quite a few of you, ‘til then. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO THE LITTLE GUYS SIDE The Delivery Team from Totem Furniture & Appliances ‘Con nect with Transit Now there’ s more service for shoppers and students! | College half. hour service during morning & afternoon rush hour times Thornhill = — two new weekday trips and one new Saturday trip. ‘Saturday service every hour on most routes. and expand your travel options New low floor buses for easier access - no more steps! Pick up your new Rider's Guide today! Terrace Regional Transit... your transit connection! «él BC Transit | City of Terrace Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine | Transitinfo 635°2666 www. busonline.ca 1906 Government of Canada Exhibit _-Skeena Valley Fall Fair Thornhill Community Centre 3091 Century Street Terrace | _ September tand2 Saturday, Noon — 8:00 p.m. - - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Come talk to us at the Fair! We're making it easier for you to get information about government services you need. While you're at the Skeena Valley Fall Fair, stop by the Government of Canada Exhibit and talk to one of our information officers. Learn about the hundreds of services available to Canadians. Cana