Page 13 - November 2017

Swift Current’s Contribution to Many of the airbase buildings have been repurposed
World War 2 Effort throughout the community, including the Lions' Hall,
Ashley Park Hall and the West Wing gallery at Kinetic
Park. The first Trans-Canada Airlines flight took off
from the airport in 1947, and a private airline
operated out of the airport into the 1950s. Currently,
the base is home to a vibrant and growing Flying Club.
The airport offers fuel, maintenance and repair
facilities, and it serves as a base for agricultural
spraying operations.

In March 1996, the City of Swift Current's Public
Works Department took over operations from
Transport Canada and contracted out airport services.

Today, the airport is managed by the Infrastructure
From 1940 to 1944, the Swift Current airport served and Operations Department.
as a training base for pilots who served with the Royal
Air Force. The Swift Current Airport began to be
developed by 1937 as an emergency stop for the
proposed Trans-Canada Airlines. After WWII broke
out, one of Canada's most important contributions to
the war effort was the creation of Flying Training
Schools for training British and Commonwealth pilots.
Swift Current was chosen as the location for one of
several training schools across the prairie provinces,
where airspace was plentiful.

The No. 39 Service Flying Training School (S.F.T.S.)
officially opened at the Swift Current Airport on
December 15, 1941. 17 young men lost their lives in
training accidents, and hundreds more received their
wings and were stationed overseas. While stationed
in Swift Current, they were warmly welcomed into
the homes — and gratefully welcomed into the
businesses — of Swift Current. The station closed in
the spring of 1944.

Click on the Camera to watch a historical video

Produced by Southwest TV News