Proud Wings Pt1: Canadian A320s

Canadian Airlines International came into being on March 2, 1987: an amalgamation of Canadian Pacific, Nordair, Eastern Provincial and Quebecair with the aggressive and successful Pacific Western. The latter was the buyer and it seemed that finally a second force airline in Canada would have a chance at success after CP Air had been hamstrung competing against Air Canada throughout the regulation years. It was however not to be.

Canadian Airlines Airbus A320 C-FLSF Aeroclassics 1:400 Scale Model Airliner

The 1989 purchase of a crippled Wardair was financed largely by debt the airline could ill afford and the major economic recession in the wake of the first Gulf War had a crippling effect. Canadian had inherited a relatively elderly fleet built mainly around the Boeing 737-200 (which had been operated by all 5 of the original constituent airlines) and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. The 737-200 fleet was so large that in fact the few series 300s operated were returned to lessors in favour of the older model. Indeed Canadian would operate over 70 737-200s, at one time or another, and never successfully found the funds to replace the type.

Canadian's 1990s Chevron scheme

In the long haul fleet a small number of Boeing 747-400s and larger numbers of 767-300ERs gradually supplemented and eventually replaced the DC-10s, but for domestic and cross-border operations Canadian had its eye on Airbuses' new A320. Eleven aircraft were leased between early 1991 and mid-1992 from Guiness Peat Aviation (GPA) and ILFC in a rough 2:1 ratio. GPA itself would meet its own Waterloo in 1992/93 and many of its aviation assets including the GPA leased Canadian A320s would end up being owned by GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The majority part of GPA's business would eventually become AerCap.

Canadian's A320 fleet

The A320s were used by Canadian to compete against the better financed Air Canada, which itself had a substantial fleet of A319s/A320s and was making greater headway replacing its DC-9s and 727s than Canadian could manage replacing its 737-200s. The A320s were especially useful for funnelling traffic to Canadian's Vancouver hub for onward transport on the airline's Pacific network - its primary money maker. The 1991 recession forced Canadian to cancel at least one of its 747-400 orders and also put pay to receiving many more A320s. One of the ILFC leased aircraft, C-FLSF, was returned to the lessor in 1993 but a further pair were leased from GPA in early 1994.

C-FDCA still wearing the Chevron scheme in February 2001

Canadian lurched through the 1990s never making a profit but surviving through government assistance, investment by American Airlines and employee concessions. The end for the airline loomed again in 1996 but a major restructuring brought it more time in which it expanded its international route network. This had some success and after years of stagnation some 'new' aircraft were leased - mainly 767s but also in May 1999 a single A320. This aircraft was again C-FLSF - the same aircraft that had flown with Canadian in 1992. In the meantime she'd operated with Monarch Airlines (as G-MONY) and in the Winter months switched over to Canada 3000 (as C-GVNY).

Unfortunately Canadian Airlines International could never catch a break and the airline's Asian strategy was destroyed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. By the end of 1998 Canadian was once again in a desperate condition but was determined to make a fight of it. On January 13, 1999 the airline showed a new face to the world when a 747-400 was unveiled wearing the Canada Goose themed Proud Wings scheme.

There were initial fears that because the goose did not have an eye it would be percieved by Asian customers as flying blind and the airline went to some pains to point out that the bird insignias of Singapore and Japan Air Lines also were eyeless. In the end the Proud Wings scheme was very well received and gave a boost to employees and customers in the airline's darkest hours.

The livery was designed by the famous Landor associates to 'better emphasise [Canadian's] core values of confidence, friendliness, professionalism and customer care.' It has gone down as one of the great airline liveries, but given Canadian's state it was only ever applied to a small portion of the fleet. As far as I can tell below are the aircraft that received the new colours. They included only 3 of the A320s. C-FLSF being a late fleet addition received the new scheme.

Aircraft that wore the Proud Wings livery

C-FLSF at Ottawa in April 2001

Despite the new livery this time there was no way out for the beleagured airline. A fractious fight between American Airlines and Air Canada over ownership was won by the latter and on December 23, 1999 Canadian officially became a subsidiary of its great rival. The Proud Wings scheme was dropped and Air Canada began to quickly transfer Canadian's fleet into a transitional scheme featuring the Air Canada livery with Canadian titles. Canadian operated through most of 2000 and was fully integrated by October. Only one of the A320s (C-FLSU) wore the transitional scheme and the Proud Wings continued to be visible well into 2001.

Most of Canadian's A320s would subsequently serve with the low cost Air Canada Tango division and then rejoined the mainline fleet when it was wound up in 2004.

The transitional scheme on C-FLSU

C-FLSF was returned to ILFC in July 2006 and has had a varied career since. She has served with EirJet (EI-DOZ), Mandala Airlines (PK-RMA), Strategic Airlines / Air Australia (VH-YQB), SmartLynx (YL-LCJ) and CAA Compagnie Africaine d-Aviation (9Q-CPB). Retired from service this frame now serves as a ground trainer at Nantong Institute of Technology in China. Of the other Canadian A320s 4 still operate with Air Canada mainline and 4 are now with the Air Canada Jetz division.

The Proud Wings are now a memory but despite the crisis Canadian Airlines went out looking good.

Canadian Airlines Airbus A320-211 C-FLSF Aeroclassics 1:400 Scale Model Airliner

References

1993. Madore & Shaw. THE CANADIAN AIRLINE INDUSTRY: ITS STRUCTURE, PERFORMANCE AND PROSPECTS. Parliament of Canada
1996, December. Canadian Airlines struggles to stay aloft. Historica Canada
1999, January. Proud Wings Airline design by Landor. Design Week
Piggot, P. Aviation Pioneers of Canada 7-Book Bundle: Brace for Impact / Air Canada.