KF Aerospace

KF Aerospace
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada(1970)
Products	Aircraft
Number of employees	1000
Subsidiaries	KF Cargo
Website	KF Aerospace

KF Aerospace is an approved maintenance organization (AMO) which operates two maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Canada, one at Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia and the other at Hamilton International Airport in Ontario. It is the parent company of KF Cargo, which provides cargo aircraft charter and leasing services, and KF Defence Programs, contract operator of the Canadian Forces Contracted Flying Training and Support program.^[1]

History[]

KF Defence Programs Headquarters building under construction at Southport Aerospace Centre c. 2007.

KF Defence Programs
Ab Initio pilot training is based on the Grob 120A trainer.

The company was established as Kelowna Flightcraft on March 20, 1970 and the charter subsidiary Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter was established and started operating in June 1974. It is wholly owned by Barry Lapointe Holding.

In 1996, Kelowna Flightcraft was operating Boeing 727-200 jets in scheduled passenger airline service on a contract basis for Greyhound Air, a Canadian-based new startup air carrier.^[2]

Flightcraft's extensive history in maintenance work directed to the ubiquitous Boeing 727 "feederliner" series has led to their adaptation as the main type for cargo operations, with Purolator Courier their main client. It was announced on February 19, 2014 that Flightcraft lost their contract with Purolator Courier as another carrier, Cargojet, won the contract.^[3]

On March 30, 2005, KF Aerospace was awarded a $1.77 billion contract to lead a team of Canadian companies called KF Defence Programs to provide primary flight training for the Canadian Forces Air Command at Southport at the former CFB Base Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

KF Aerospace also undertakes maintenance and upgrades on the Convair CV-240 family, for which it owns the type certificate. KF Aerospace converts existing Convair CV-580s to the updated CV5800 configuration and provides conversions of the former Canadian Forces CC-109 Cosmopolitan transport fleet into freighters and "fire-fighting" water/chemical bombers.^[4]

KF Aerospace announced to partner with Boeing to open two conversion lines for 737-800BCF at its Kelowna facility in 2023. The company adds two hangers at that facility.^[5]

KF works with WestJet, WestJet Encore, Swoop, Sunwing, and Air Transat.^[6]