Evergreen International Aviation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation services |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | Delford M. Smith |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and closure |
| Headquarters | McMinnville, Oregon , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (168 countries) |
Key people | Delford M. Smith (founder) |
| Products | Commercial helicopter operations, cargo airline services (including Boeing 747 freighters), aerial firefighting |
Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. was a worldwide aviation services firm headquartered in McMinnville, Oregon, USA. Established in 1960, Evergreen gained recognition mainly for its commercial helicopter operations within the agriculture and forestry sectors.
Its airline branch, Evergreen International Airlines, conducted operations across 168 countries globally, eventually concentrating on an all-cargo fleet of Boeing 747 freighters. The helicopter segment, Evergreen Helicopters, was divested to Erickson Air-Crane for $250 million in 2013. Confronted with bankruptcy and tax inquiries, Evergreen terminated all aviation activities in 2013 and fully shut down by 2014.
History
Delford M. Smith established the company initially as Evergreen Helicopters in 1960.[1] Smith was a pioneer in utilizing helicopters commercially for applications such as fertilizer and herbicide spraying, seed dispersal, and firefighting. He invented the "PaceSpreader," a helicopter-based spray system that allowed for precise and rapid application of granular materials.[1]
By 1972, Evergreen had broadened its scope to include heavy-lift helicopters, acquiring Sikorsky S-61 models and adding the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane in 1973, which could hoist loads up to 20,000 pounds.
In 1974, Smith purchased assets from Johnson Flying Service, a supplemental air carrier operating two Lockheed L-188 Electra aircraft along with an operating certificate authorizing airline services.[1] Following approval from the Civil Aeronautics Board in 1975, Evergreen International Airlines was formally established on April 16 as a subsidiary of Evergreen Helicopters.[2] The airline expanded internationally through subsidiaries and operated Boeing 747 cargo and tanker aircraft worldwide. Its specialized 747-200 model known as the "Evergreen Supertanker" had the capacity to release 20,000 gallons of water over wildfires—approximately ten times more than traditional firefighting air tankers such as the Lockheed P-3 Orion.[3]
Scheduled passenger airline operations
The airline division provided scheduled passenger flights utilizing Douglas DC-8 jets and Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprops, connecting cities including Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), Seattle (SEA), and Spokane (GEG) as of 1978. Additionally, Evergreen operated a commuter airline named Evergreen Airspur in southern California during 1985, employing de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL turboprop aircraft.
U.S. government work
Evergreen was involved with the US Civil Reserve Air Fleet and the International Peace Operations Association, offering services such as wildfire suppression for the U.S. Forest Service, troop transport during the Gulf War in 1991, and helicopter assistance for oil rig firefighting efforts following the conflict.
CIA front
Throughout its existence, Evergreen served as a front for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA):
Wherever global hotspots emerged, Evergreen’s helicopters and airplanes frequently appeared nearby. The close association between the company’s equipment and political covert activities led to widespread speculation that it was owned by or operated on behalf of the CIA. Numerous senior executives maintained direct connections or prior employment with the agency.
Smith denied explicit involvement but remarked in 1988, “We don't know when we’ve ever worked for them [the CIA], but if we did we’re proud of it. We believe in patriotism...”
During the 1970s, Evergreen acquired assets linked to CIA operations, including Montana’s Johnson Flying Service and the agency’s aviation "skunk works" facility at Pinal Airpark near Marana, Arizona. Under Evergreen’s management, this site managed specialized aircraft modifications such as constructing the oversized Boeing Dreamlifters—747 variants designed to carry Boeing 787 composite fuselage sections—and maintaining NASA’s Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, used for ferrying the Space Shuttle. In 2011, Evergreen sold Pinal Airpark to Relativity Capital.
Officially, Evergreen provided "aviation services" to the CIA, including transporting the Shah of Iran from Egypt to Panama and subsequently from Panama to the United States in 1980.
Disposition of Evergreen Helicopters
In March 2013, Evergreen Helicopters was acquired by Erickson Air-Crane for $250 million. This transaction enabled Evergreen International Aviation to secure the funds necessary to sustain its operations. Smith commented, "The divestiture of EHI furnishes us with essential capital to settle outstanding debt and provides liquidity to maintain our airline and other business segments." Completion of the agreement was contingent upon Erickson Air-Crane obtaining appropriate financing.
Closure
On 8 November 2013, Evergreen International Airlines, a branch of Evergreen International Aviation, declared it would halt all operations as of 29 November 2013.
Evergreen's fleet had supported United Nations peacekeeping missions across 30 nations, carried out insect eradication campaigns in Africa, performed anti-drug spraying in Mexico and South America, aided in constructing the Trans-Alaska pipeline, and served the worldwide offshore energy industry. Smith highlighted that the company operated in 168 countries, delivering both helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft services globally.
By January 2014, Evergreen filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and commenced asset liquidation, including selling its McMinnville headquarters. At the time of Smith’s passing on 7 November 2014, the Evergreen Aviation conglomerate had largely been dismantled, closed, or was subject to bankruptcy and tax inquiries.
Fleet at cessation of aviation activities in 2013
| Aircraft | In Service | Stored | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 747-100F | 1 | 10 | 1 Converted into Evergreen Supertanker |
| Boeing 747-200F | 0 | 9 | |
| Boeing 747-400F | 4 | 0 |
Former fixed-wing aircraft
Throughout its history, Evergreen operated a variety of jets and turboprops such as:
- Beechcraft King Air – BE-90 and BE-200C Super King Air variants
- Beechcraft 1900D
- Boeing B-17 – adapted for firefighting tanker roles
- Boeing 727-100
- CASA 212
- de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Douglas DC-8 – including models DC-8-52, Super DC-8-63, and Super DC-8-73F
- Douglas DC-9-15 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30
- Gulfstream IV
- Learjet 35A
- Lockheed L-188 Electra
- Lockheed P-2 Neptune – converted for aerial firefighting
Former helicopter models
The helicopter segment maintained an extensive range of rotorcraft including:
- Aerospatiale Alouette III (SA 316B)
- Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama
- Aerospatiale SA 330 Puma
- AgustaWestland AW139
- Bell 206 JetRanger (B206B-3 JetRanger III) and Bell 206 LongRanger (B206L-3 & B206L-4)
- Bell 205, Bell 212, Bell 214ST, and Bell 412 EP
- Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma (AS332L1) and Eurocopter AS350 AStar (AS350B2/B3)
- Hiller UH-12E, Hughes 500D, and MBB BO 105
- Sikorsky S-61R, Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, Sikorsky S-76 C++, and Sikorsky S-92
See also
- Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
- Intermountain Airlines
- Pinal Airpark
- List of defunct airlines of the United States
External links
- Companies based in Oregon
- Airline holding companies of the United States
- Private military contractors
- McMinnville, Oregon
- Privately held companies based in Oregon
- 1960 establishments in Oregon
- 2014 disestablishments in Oregon
- Airlines disestablished in 2014
- Airlines established in 1960
- Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2014
- American companies established in 1960
- American companies disestablished in 2014
- Holding companies established in 1960
- Holding companies disestablished in 2014
- Transportation in Yamhill County, Oregon