Lamb Air

Lamb Air Ltd.
Company type	Private
Industry	Airline
Founded	1934 in The Pas, Manitoba, Canada
Founder	Tom Lamb
Defunct	1981
Headquarters	The Pas, Canada
Area served	Northern Manitoba, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut), parts of Canada, United States, and Greenland
Key people	Tom Lamb (founder), Greg Lamb, Donald Lamb, Dennis Lamb, Jack Lamb, Doug Lamb, Connie Lamb
Products	Passenger and freight air transport services

Lamb Air Ltd. was a Canadian airline established in 1934 in The Pas, Manitoba and discontinued its services in 1981.

History

Tom Lamb, the son of Thomas Henry Peacock (THP) Lamb—an English immigrant who founded Lamb's Store in Moose Lake, Manitoba in 1900—spent his youth engaged in fur trading and transportation enterprises across northern Manitoba. Although he left formal education before completing third grade, Tom exhibited notable entrepreneurial talent early on, competing in fish transportation by the age of ten using a team of horses he managed himself.

The Lamb family’s transport ventures included moving fish, lumber, furs, and supplies using dog sleds, horses, boats, trucks, and tractors. During the 1930s, Tom recognized aviation’s potential to revolutionize northern transport and acquired his first airplane—a Stinson SR8—in 1930 after training as a pilot under modest conditions in Winnipeg.

In 1935, he officially formed Lamb Airways Limited. Over the years, the airline experienced several rebrandings and grew to gain recognition both regionally and nationally. Tom Lamb’s pioneering role in northern Canadian aviation has been featured in various books, documentaries, and musical works.

Operations

Driven by increasing public demand, Lambair expanded its services by replacing traditional horse-drawn sleighs as the main method for transporting fish to markets. This shift greatly shortened delivery durations and enhanced product freshness for the North American market. Initially concentrating on carrying fish, furs, trappers, and fishermen, the airline saw its most significant expansion during the 1950s with the construction of the Mid-Canada Line. Its operations extended across Canada, parts of the United States, and Greenland. The airline’s primary freight transitioned from fish to passengers—Inuit families traveling from Resolute to Arctic hunting grounds—as well as equipment like oil drilling rigs shipped from Halifax to Sable Island and vital food supplies. Emergency medical flights and evacuations also became important revenue streams within northern routes.

As development progressed in northern regions, Lambair established operational bases at Wabowden, Thompson, Churchill, Norway House, Gillam, and The Pas to serve northern Manitoba and the Northwest Territories (now Nunavut). The company maintained its own repair shops located at Churchill, Thompson, and The Pas; it constructed a new headquarters building there in 1965.

Recognized as Canada’s longest-operating airline under original family ownership, Lambair was overseen after founder Tom Lamb’s passing in 1969 by his six sons—all qualified pilot-engineers: Greg, Donald, Dennis, Jack, Doug, and Connie. By 1979, their fleet consisted of Bristol Freighters, Curtis Commandos C-46s, Fairchild F-27s, Twin Otters, Otters, Beavers, Cessna 180s, Bell G4A helicopters, BN Islanders, Aztecs, and DC-3s. Aircraft were acquired internationally from countries including Norway, England, and Afghanistan. This varied fleet enabled Lambair to efficiently manage northern transportation demands. In 1973 President Donald Lamb explained that combining heavy cargo planes with short takeoff-and-landing aircraft alongside fast IFR twin-engine planes allowed them to secure contracts from governments as well as oil and mining companies while maintaining passenger services. Helicopter operations supported exploration efforts as well as hydroelectric and forestry projects.

Covering all of Canada plus select areas of the U.S. and Greenland, Lambair provided essential air service to remote northern communities with a customer-centric motto: "Don't ask us where we fly; tell us where you want to go."

In 1965 the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) produced a television episode titled "The Flying Lambs" for their series Telescope.

On May 22, 1969 Tom Lamb was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Manitoba despite having less than three years of elementary education.

Jack Lamb recounted his life experiences in the publication My Life in the North.

In 2007 four surviving Lamb brothers received accolades from the Government of Nunavut at a banquet held in Rankin Inlet recognizing their contributions to northern Canadian development.

On July 11, 2008 Tom Lamb was voted the #2 Greatest Manitoban by readers of The Winnipeg Free Press.

On May 30, 2009 Thomas Lamb was inducted posthumously into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame; his son Greg accepted the honor on his behalf in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Aircraft operated

The Lamb Air fleet consisted of the following aircraft types:

Stinson SR-8
C-46 Commando
De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
Beech 18
Various models of Cessna aircraft
Fairchild-manufactured Fokker F27
Noorduyn Norseman
Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander
Bristol Freighter
DC-3
Piper Aztec

Helicopter models included:

Aérospatiale Gazelle
Aérospatiale Alouette II
Bell Helicopter

External links

History

Operations

Aircraft operated

See also

External links