Morningstar Air Express
Morningstar Air Express Inc. is a cargo airline based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It operates a contract all-cargo service from Halifax to Vancouver for FedEx Express within Canada, as well as all-cargo charter services. Its main base is Edmonton International Airport.
History
The airline was founded in Edmonton in 1970 as Brooker Wheaton Aviation Ltd. In January, 1992 the company became Morningstar Air Express. It is owned by Donald Wheaton, Kim Ward, and Bill McGoey.It was founded in Edmonton in 1970 by two Edmonton businessmen, Don Wheaton, Sr. and Bev Brooker. The company enjoyed rapid growth due to the "oil boom" economy of Alberta during the 1970s. During this period, the company expanded into a Cessna sales, service and parts centre, a fuel dealership and a full service fixed-base operator centre. Company flying activities initially involved cabin class piston and turboprop twins. In the late 1970s, the company added a Learjet 36 and a Hawker Siddeley HS.125 to its fleet.
In the early 1980s, the company divested of its piston fleet, continued to expand its turboprop and corporate jet fleet and went into aircraft leasing business. Also, during this period, Don Wheaton, Sr. became the sole shareholder of Brooker Wheaton Aviation Ltd. During the mid-1980s, the company began flying for various courier companies. Brooker Aviation Ltd. expanded in this market in subsequent years with the addition of Fairchild Metroliners and Cessna 208 Caravans. In July 1990, the company acquired a contract to initially operate two Boeing 727s nationwide for FedEx Express Canada. November 1991 saw the addition of the Fokker F-27 aircraft for the FedEx Express Canada contract. Brooker Wheaton Aviation's expertise grew substantially in the early 1990s when the Max Ward family purchased half of the company after selling Wardair. At that time the name was changed to Morningstar Express when Don Wheaton Jr. and Kim Ward joined forces. In January 2013, Bill McGoey purchased 25% of the company. The company has expanded to 17 all-cargo aircraft flying coast-to-coast in scheduled daily cargo service.
Destinations
Morningstar Air Express Inc. operates a contract all-cargo service for FedEx Express between the following cities.Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, and Halifax.
Fleet
As of September 2019, Morningstar Air Express has the following 17 aircraft registered with Transport Canada. However, according to the company they have 16 aircraft.| Aircraft | No. of aircraft | Variants | Notes |
| ATR 72 | 1 | ATR 72–202 | |
| Boeing 757 | 8 | 757-200SF | |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 9 | 208B Grand Caravan | Morningstar Air Express only lists eight |
Accidents and incidents
- On 25 September 2013 a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed in Hudson Bay about north of Fort Severn, Ontario while operating a training flight from Sault Ste. Marie Airport in Ontario near the US border. Part of the aircraft's underbelly cargo pod was recovered from the sea but the pilot, who was the only occupant, was never found.