For the Love of Flying: The Story of Laurentian Air Services

by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

This book tells the story of Laurentian Air Services and its subsidiaries, Air Schefferville, Delay River Outfitters and more. Drawing on interviews with Laurentian's owners, pilots and ground crew, Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail explores this innovative company's colorful 60-year history from its founding in Ottawa in 1936 with Waco biplanes through the 1990s when it operated twin-engine turboprops. This book is filled with lively flying anecdotes from the cockpits of world-famous bushplanes, including the de Havilland Beaver and Otter, the Douglas DC-3 and the Grumman Goose. From daring rescues and close calls, to the filming of Hollywood's Captains of the Clouds, Laurentian's pilots did it all. Interlaced with these fascinating accounts are stories of back-country air tourism, the mineral and hydro-power boom in Quebec and Newfoundland-Labrador and tales of flying into fishing and hunting camps in remote regions of Ungava. With an exciting collection of photographs - many never before published - this is a long-overdue book that will appeal to all who enjoy the romance of flying on the frontier.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I’m a history-obsessed author who lives by the sea in Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki (Canada). I spend my days writing, researching, and going on adventures with my family – and my evenings devouring books and movies. My readers range from 2 to 102 and I love connecting with them.

I am constantly challenging myself creatively and finding new outlets for my varied interests. Currently, I have a forthcoming nonfiction picture book, Freddie the Flyer (Tundra Books, October 2023), as well as two projects out on submission: a novel called The 500 Year Flood, and a time-slip paranormal chapter book for 7-9 year olds called Fever on the Forgotten Coast.

My main project at the moment is revising a creative nonfiction book based on my former Ghosts of Camsell blog about trauma, memory, and reconciliation.

Reviews

[Nathalie Fortin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved that book! Recommended if you like (or love aviation). A great insight into bush flying of the earlier days. Canadian aviation history over view.

[Stephen Morley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail has written an excellent telling of Laurentian Air Service's history. This is not a tired old history book, but instead is filled with wonderful tales from many employees and people associated with the company during it's entire lineage. Anyone interested in aviation, bush flying, or just Canadian history should read this book.