Herman Peterson (1913 - 2004)
Herman Peterson was born in La Tuque, Quebec. Peterson bought his first plane, a crashed one, in the early 1920s for $250. In 1942, he worked for George Simmons’ Northern Airways in Carcross.1) He got his pilot’s license in 1937, and later earned his commercial pilot licence as he worked as a welder near Toronto, Ontario. He married his wife Doris in 1939.2)
In 1942, he worked for George Simmons’ Northern Airways in Carcross.3) He flew a CF-BDZ and a Waco-AQC-6.4) His first assignment was moving equipment and ammunition from three B-26 bombers that had crashed in Million Dollar Valley. He delivered supplies for the CANOL project and hauled passengers and mail from Carcross to Telegraph Creek, Tulsequah and Iskut.5)
Peterson and his family moved to Atlin in 1950 and he started the communities’ first air service - Peterson's Flying Service.6) He had a Fairchild 71, CF-AWY.7) His first contract was flying the mail from Atlin to Telegraph Creek. He spent more than 25 years delivering mail, supplies and people throughout the north.8) His company changed names in 1961 to Coast Range Airways, when George Simmons became a partner in the business. The company received a mail contract in 1961/62 and Peterson flew regularly. The business was sold in 1967 to Trans North Turbo Air.9)
Peterson retired in 1967 but acquired planes for fishing trips and built his own Smith Special biplane called “Suzy.” The Atlin Airport named the Peterson Field in his honour. Herman Peterson and Percy DeWolfe were inducted into the Yukon Hall of Transportation in June 2003 as Pioneer of the Year. Moe Grant spoke of how Peterson saved his life when Grant was flying solo between Carcross and Atlin.10) At age 82, Peterson owned a scratch-built Smith Mini-plane, a single-seat biplane, and a Luscombe.11) After Herman’s death, Doris moved back to Quebec and she died in 2013 at the age of 102.12)