George William Grant McConachie (1909 – 1956)
	
Grant McConachie was born in Hamilton, Ontario and grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. He worked at several jobs, including locomotive fireman, to finance flying lessons.((Bruce McAllister and Peter Corley-Smith, //Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.// Boulder, Colorado: Roundup Press, 2001: 32-33, 38.)) In 1931, Grant was flying in the rugged Mackenzie-Athabasca and Yukon districts. That fall he formed the Independent Airways with his uncle, Harry McConachie, and Princess Geletzine as shareholders. They operated two Fokkers and a Moth.((Philip Godsell, //Pilots of the Purple Twilight: The Story of Canada's Early Bush Flyers.// Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1955: 207-209.))
	
In 1933, Grant joined with R. B. Phillips to form United Air Transport. They had three Fokkers.((Bruce McAllister and Peter Corley-Smith, //Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.// Boulder, Colorado: Roundup Press, 2001: 32-33, 38.)) Alternative air routes to the Yukon were being considered by the Canadian Civil Aviation authorities as early as 1925. The route that included Watson Lake and Whitehorse was surveyed in 1933 by order of the Hon. C. D. Howe and the choice was confirmed in 1936 by J. A. Wilson, head of the Civil Aviation Branch, after he flew over it. They then looked to Grant McConachie who had the pioneer air service on the route. McConachie and Ted Field surveyed the overland air route in 1934 at the government's request.((Philip Godsell, //Pilots of the Purple Twilight: The Story of Canada's Early Bush Flyers.// Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1955: 207-209.)) 

A Ford 6-ATS-Special Trimotor CF-BEP airplane was acquired by Grant McConachie from the RCAF in March 1937 and on July 5th, 1937 McConachie pioneered a new air service between Edmonton and Whitehorse. The route was extended to Dawson City in the following month. McConachie reorganized United Air Transport as Yukon Southern Air, incorporated on 16 January 1938, and he continued to develop the trunk line routes between Vancouver and Edmonton and the Yukon.((Bruce McAllister and Peter Corley-Smith, //Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.// Boulder, Colorado: Roundup Press, 2001: 32-33, 38.)) By 1937, they were still flying in all seasons and without landing fields - just pontoons.((Philip Godsell, //Pilots of the Purple Twilight: The Story of Canada's Early Bush Flyers.// Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1955: 207-209.)) McConachie constructed war airstrips at Fort St. John and Fort Nelson during 1938.((D. M. Bain, //Canadian Pacific Air Lines: Its History and Aircraft.// Calgary: Kishorn Publications, 1987: 14 photo caption, 15-17.)) 
	
McConachie met Jack Baker when he landed at Fort Liard in 1938. He hired Baker to set up a radio station at Watson Lake to enable McConachie’s flight to Whitehorse.((Bruce McAllister and Peter Corley-Smith, //Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.// Boulder, Colorado: Roundup Press, 2001: 32-33, 38.)) He hired “Tiny” Johnson and Jack Baker to build a runway at Watson Lake. Johnson was an amiable giant – 6’6” and 300 pounds – and could do amazing things with an axe. He could unload the drums of aviation gas by himself.((Heath Twichell, //Northwest Epic: The buildings of the Alaska Highway.// New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1992: 38-40.)) McConachie also had men at Fort Nelson making a simple landing strip. In both cases the Canadian government stepped in in 1940 to improve the facilities. This was the beginning of the Northwest Staging Route.((Bruce McAllister and Peter Corley-Smith, //Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.// Boulder, Colorado: Roundup Press, 2001: 32-33, 38.)) 
	
McConachie was the first to inaugurate radio-compass flying in northern Canada and he established radio-compass stations between Edmonton and Whitehorse for navigation purposes. These were used until Transport Canada established radio ranges along the route. By 1939, he was operating a weekly service from Vancouver to Whitehorse connecting through the Yukon and Alaska.((Philip Godsell, //Pilots of the Purple Twilight: The Story of Canada's Early Bush Flyers.// Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1955: 207-209.)) In 1939, the company became the first Canadian bush airline to operate a twin-engine all-metal plane in the Barkley-Grow. They were also the first to use two-way radios. In 1939, they got the weekly mail contract between Vancouver and Fort St. John.  In 1940, they purchased two Lockheed Lodestars and got a second weekly mail contract. About this time, Canada and the US agreed to construct a series of airports along Yukon Southern's western routes. These improvements allowed Yukon Southern to become an "all wheels" airline and night flights were possible.((D. M. Bain, //Canadian Pacific Air Lines: Its History and Aircraft.// Calgary: Kishorn Publications, 1987: 14 photo caption, 15-17.)) 

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the majority of Canada's airline companies were in financial trouble. Yukon Southern operated without competition on its six licensed routes but consistently operated at a loss. In 1938, the company lost $70,000 and this was reduced to $40,000 in 1939 and $20,000 in 1940, but the company could not get into the black. McConachie let it be known that the company could be acquired. Canadian Pacific (CP) bought it for $1,057,000 of which $181,000 was liability. Canadian Pacific was the largest company and, with the support of the Canadian government, went about acquiring the smaller companies. Between October 1940 and August 1941, CP took over Mackenzie Air Services, Yukon Southern Air Transport, Ginger Coote Airways, and Starratt Airways & Transportation. In the latter part of 1941, Canadian Pacific acquired Prairie Airways and Wings and by mid-December acquired Canadian Airways, Arrow Airways, Dominion Skyways and Quebec Airways.  Much of the purchase price went to pay off outstanding liabilities.((D. M. Bain, //Canadian Pacific Air Lines: Its History and Aircraft.// Calgary: Kishorn Publications, 1987: 14 photo caption, 15-17.))

Canadian Pacific Air Lines, Ltd. started operation on July 1, 1942 with ten subsidiaries operating a total of 48 licensed routes. Grant McConachie was chosen as assistant to the Vice President of the airline, W. M. Neal. McConachie was to operate the air services in the west. At the time of acquisition, Yukon Southern Air was already operating as a trunk airline and owned thirteen planes including an American Pilgrim 100B, a Boeing 247D, and a Curtis Wright D-3 Kingbird. McConachie joined CP with his staff intact and in 1947 became president of the airline. He held this position until his untimely death in 1965.((D. M. Bain, //Canadian Pacific Air Lines: Its History and Aircraft.// Calgary: Kishorn Publications, 1987: 14 photo caption, 15-17; Ronald A. Keith, //Bush Pilot with a Briefcase: The Incredible Story of Aviation Pioneer Grant McConachie.// Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd., 1972.))