Eastern Provincial Airways

Eastern Provincial Airways
Company type	Airline
Industry	Aviation
Founded	1949
Founder	Eric Blackwood
Defunct	1986
Fate	Merged with CP Air to create Canadian Pacific Air Lines
Headquarters	St. John's, Newfoundland (initially), later Gander, then Halifax, Canada
Area served	Atlantic and eastern Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario; also charter flights to Florida and Caribbean
Key people	Eric Blackwood (founder)
Products	Passenger and cargo air transportation

Eastern Provincial Airways (EPA) served the Atlantic and eastern Canada regions, reaching its height in the 1970s with Boeing 737-200 jets linking communities now primarily served by small commuter turboprop planes. Originating from Maritime Central Airways (MCA) in 1961, the airline eventually merged with CP Air to create Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1986.

History

EPA commenced its operations in 1949 from St. John's, Newfoundland, following the acquisition and restructuring of Newfoundland Aero Sales and Services. Initial activities encompassed ambulance flights, mail delivery, cargo transport, charters, and patrol missions, gradually transforming into a contemporary airline over twenty years. The company was established by Eric Blackwood, a former Royal Canadian Air Force pilot and bush flyer, supported financially by St. John's entrepreneur C.A. Crosbie. The airline’s first aircraft was a Noorduyn Norseman.

The fleet expanded in 1953 with the addition of a PBY Canso amphibious plane, boosting charter operations and including government contracts for water-bombing. By 1954, EPA shifted its headquarters to the international aviation center of Gander, operating alongside major airlines such as Pan American and BOAC. Utilizing larger planes like the Douglas DC-3 and Lockheed Model 10 Electra, EPA initiated scheduled passenger routes connecting St. John's, Gander, and Deer Lake between 1955 and 1956. The airline also fulfilled international contracts, notably providing support to Greenland Air with PBY Cansos and de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter aircraft from 1958 through 1965.

1960s

Scheduled passenger flights to Wabush and Twin Falls in Labrador began in 1960 using leased Curtiss C-46 aircraft. In 1962, EPA acquired its first Handley Page Dart Herald turboprops. Notably among Canadian carriers operating the Herald—an aircraft type never adopted by U.S. airlines—EPA expanded its regional presence. The 1963 acquisition of Maritime Central led to the formation of Eastern Provincial Airways (1963) Limited, strengthening its position against government-run Trans Canada Airlines (later Air Canada). By 1968, EPA’s scheduled services featured 40-seat Heralds, 24-seat Douglas DC-3s, and 46-seat Carvairs—a modified Douglas DC-4 convertible for passenger or cargo use. The fleet also included smaller models such as Beechcraft Barons, de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers and Turbo Beavers, plus DHC-3 Otters for charter operations.

During the decade, EPA maintained a varied fleet of 36 aircraft encompassing four Herald turboprops, six PBY Cansos, two Curtiss C-46s, two Sikorsky S-55 helicopters, one DC-4, and five DC-3s. Internationally, the airline expanded with contracts in India and Pakistan and became the first Canadian carrier to operate cargo charters into Eastern European countries within the Soviet bloc.

1970s

By the early 1970s, EPA initiated a modernization strategy. Its bush flying segment was spun off under senior management as Labrador Airways (present-day Air Labrador). Throughout the decade, EPA standardized on Boeing 737-200 jets, acquiring seven units from Boeing. The airline adopted a distinctive livery characterized by white fuselages with silver undersides, an orange stripe along the cabin windows, and an orange gander emblem on the tail.

Although EPA aimed for an exclusively jet-powered fleet, turboprop aircraft remained in service through the mid-1970s. The Heralds continued serving routes to Iles-de-la-Madeleine and New Brunswick until their sale in 1974; some regional services were then operated by Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops replacing Heralds. Passenger traffic increased significantly between 1969 and 1973 as jet routes extended to Saint John, Fredericton, and Stephenville. While EPA obtained a U.S. Foreign Air Carrier Permit, it did not commence proposed flights from Sydney to Boston or Halifax to Portland and Bangor; instead, it launched charter operations to Florida and Caribbean destinations starting in 1974.

Attempts to introduce de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 turboprops through a subsidiary were denied federal approval twice during the mid-1970s; Dash 7 aircraft only entered Atlantic Canadian markets following deregulation in the mid-1980s via other carriers such as Air Atlantic.

In 1975, EPA experienced its first financial loss since adopting jets due to excess capacity. To mitigate this issue, it leased Boeing 737 aircraft temporarily to Wien Air Alaska, Aloha Airlines, and Aer Lingus. The remaining DC-3s operated on selected routes until replaced by HS 748s between 1975 and 1976; retiring these piston-engine planes marked their exit from EPA’s fleet.

1980s

During 1981 and 1982, EPA expanded its fleet by acquiring three additional Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft from Austin Airways, Ghana Airways, and COPA Airlines of Panama. These planes were utilized to operate feeder routes originating from Moncton, New Brunswick, Charlottetown, Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. In 1982, EPA founded Air Maritime as a fully owned subsidiary specifically to manage the HS 748 operations.

EPA shifted its headquarters from Gander to Halifax, establishing Halifax as a central operational hub. By coordinating flight schedules with CP Air in 1983, Halifax became the principal transfer point for travelers connecting from western Canada to the Maritimes and Newfoundland. At this stage, EPA's network covered Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, extending westward to include Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto.

In the early 1980s, EPA refreshed its corporate image by replacing the orange color scheme with a prominent navy blue "EPA" logo on an entirely white fuselage, paired with a white gander emblem on a blue tail fin. Interior cabin decor moved away from the floral patterns typical of the 1970s toward more muted beige seating accented with blue and red triangular designs.

The deregulation of Canadian aviation in the 1980s significantly impacted carriers including EPA. By 1984, EPA had entered into a strategic partnership with CP Air based in Vancouver. Since CP Air did not operate routes east of Montréal, EPA’s Atlantic services complemented CP Air’s network effectively, with Toronto and Montréal serving as key connecting hubs.

Shortly thereafter, CP Air acquired EPA, completing a full merger by 1986. The merged airline revived the Canadian Pacific Air Lines brand featuring a modern livery in blue, white, and red. This company later evolved into Canadian Airlines International before ultimately being acquired by Air Canada.

Air Maritime

Air Maritime was an airline in Canada functioning from 1982 until 1984 as a subsidiary of Eastern Provincial Airways. It operated four Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft on routes between Halifax, Nova Scotia, and destinations in Maine. Without its own operational staff apart from management, Air Maritime employed personnel contracted through EPA to conduct its flights.

Fleet

Throughout its operational history, Eastern Provincial utilized the following aircraft types:

Jet aircraft

Boeing 737-200

Turboprop aircraft

de Havilland Canada DHC-2T Turbo Beaver (a turboprop-modified version of the DHC-2 Beaver)
Handley Page Dart Herald
Hawker Siddeley HS 748

Piston aircraft

Beechcraft Baron
Consolidated PBY Catalina (also known as PBY Canso) - Amphibian aircraft
Curtiss C-46
de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-4 (including variants such as the Aviation Traders Carvair)
Lockheed Model 10 Electra
Sikorsky S-55 - Helicopter

Destinations in 1982

As of April 5, 1982, Eastern Provincial’s scheduled passenger services primarily operated Boeing 737-200 jets alongside select Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops. The destinations served included:

Destinations in 1970

As of September 1, 1970, Eastern Provincial's fleet, comprising Boeing 737-200 jets, Handley Page Dart Herald turboprop aircraft, and Douglas DC-3 propeller planes, serviced the following locations:

Accidents and incidents

On October 1, 1957, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina experienced engine failure and crashed while returning to Goose Bay after delivering diesel fuel to the Bell Canada Tropospheric scatter station at Sona Lake.
On May 12, 1962, a Consolidated PBY Catalina amphibious aircraft (registration CF-IHA) sank in Godthab harbour resulting in the loss of 15 passengers.
On March 17, 1965, Flight 102 en route from Halifax to Sydney crashed near Upper Musquodoboit in Nova Scotia; all eight individuals on board perished. The Handley Page Herald's fuselage had fractured lengthwise mid-flight due to structural corrosion.

External links