Can you introduce Chrono Aviation and the firm’s history?

Chrono Aviation has been providing air charter services since 2012. In the beginning, my business partner Dany and I discussed starting an air charter company using the Pilatus PC-12. Within a year and a half, we added three more aircraft, and within seven years, we acquired Boeings! It is perhaps the fastest-growing airline in the history of Canada. Our expansion began with Wabush mines and Québec Northern Construction, then we moved into Nunavut to service even more mines and construction firms.

Our Boeing 737-200, equipped with a gravel runway, as well as Pilatus and Beechcraft 1900D aircraft, are available for ad-hoc charter, serving clients like Glencore, Canadian Royalties, Arcelor, and others. I can say that there is virtually no Québec mining firm we do not work with.

February 2022 marked the introduction of our first Boeing 737-800 cargo plane. We use the Boeing 737-800 cargo twice a week to transport food to Nunavut and service clients throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

How important is the Québec mining industry for your operation?

We have bases in Winnipeg, Montréal, and Québec City, so we are very versatile across the country. Although we serve a diverse range of clients, mining makes up a large portion of our business, and Québec mining is a particularly important part of it. We estimate that Québec mining accounts for about 15% of our business. No matter what the need is, we provide fly-ins, fly-outs, or cargo flights for mining companies throughout the country.

How has Chrono Aviation responded to the Covid-19 pandemic?

We have faced many challenges due to the pandemic. At the beginning of the outbreak, traffic was virtually shut down in the North. Additionally, we were building a large facility in St-Hubert at the time of the pandemic, which negatively affected our capital. We were also denied government assistance despite operating in the North and delivering 100,000 pounds of food weekly to Iqaluit (Nunavut).

With Québec operations being remote, how important is the aviation segment for mining firms?

Québec's road network offers more access to mining sites than in Nunavut. However, employees would be discouraged if they had to commute to the mine by road. Québec's aviation industry is therefore vital, allowing mines to use fly-in and fly-out services to support their operations and attract new talent. I believe that the aviation industry, particularly charter airlines, is of significant importance for mining. The mining industry needs to have companies like ours assist them when mining companies need to send 50 employees to Wabush for weekend shutdown work.

Whether it is just flights or logistics assistance, we do everything we can to make sure our clients receive the best service possible. Our team at Chrono is committed to working together with clients and advising them on cost-saving flying solutions they've never considered before.

What are going to be the key objectives for Chrono Aviation in the coming months?

In short, the Boeing 737-200 is getting old, and it will soon need to be replaced. It is necessary to replace the current aircraft with a more fuel efficient and reliable one to better serve the mining industry. In spite of the high capital expenditures in aviation, we are working on developing a solution that will allow for the acquisition of new aircraft. This is why 2023 will be a pivotal year for us. By focusing on our growth strategy, we hope to raise the necessary capital and attract new investors to enable us to obtain better aircraft.