Robert W. Starratt was one of leaders in the aviation business of Northwestern Ontario, but never held a pilot's license. He was born and raised near Moncton, New Brunswick. In 1926 the Hudson's Bay Company recruited him to manage a transportation network in Northwestern Ontario. Starratt purchased Hudson Bay Transport in 1928, Red Lake Transport in 1929 and moved to Hudson, near Sioux Lookout, Ontario where he started the Northern Transportation Company with tugs, barges and sleighs.
Originally the business was to transport goods to the mining development in the gold country near Red Lake and Uchi Lake. Starratt arranged for the purchase of an aircraft to scout the trails and aid in equipment repairs. Soon Northern Transportation operated a de Havilland D.H.60M Moth, a Travel Air B-6000 and two Fokker Super Universals and subsequently Starratt Airways & Transportation was formed in 1932, steadily acquiring more aircraft.
In one year it moved 12,604 passengers and 6,583,804 lb (2,986,363 kg) of freight, making it at that time, the world's largest airline. His interest in technological changes convinced Starratt to acquire the most modern aircraft available at the time, and when in 1937 Starratt purchased the first Beech 18 ever sold commercially in Canada, he promptly fitted it with both skis and floats becoming, the first person to do so.
Pilots for Starratt's airline were required to check out prospectors to check if they were safe, flying out of their way to do so. They also flew missionaries of all faiths to remote settlements, many times carrying Christmas gifts for the residents, these acquired at Starratt's own expense. His airline was also the first to fly hockey clubs to exhibition games collecting only a small portion of what the flight cost in return.
On February 4, 1938 R.W. Starratt incorporated this company to consolidate his business and private flying interests. However, by August 1, 1941, control of Starratt Airways & Transportation had been taken over by the new Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPAL). Up to then the company had operated nineteen aircraft:
Beech C17R (CF-BIF3)
Beech 18A (CF-BGY1)
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker (CF-AEC)
Curtiss C-1 Robin (CF-AHH)
de Havilland D.H.60M Moth (CF-AGX3, 4)
de Havilland D.H.83 Fox Moth (CF-APO)
Fairchild 71C (CF-AWW1)
Fairchild 82A (CF-AXD, CF-AXG3 and CF-AXL4)
Fokker Super Universal (CF-AJA1 and CF-AJB)
Noorduyn Norseman Mk.II (CF-AZS1)
Noorduyn Norseman Mk.IV (CF-BDE2)
Stinson SM-1D-300 (CF-AUH1)
Stinson SR-5A Reliant (CF-ANW)
Stinson SR-9F Reliant (CF-BGJ)
Travel Air B-6000 (CF-ABF1)
Travel Air SA-6000-A (CF-AEJ3, 4)
By the time CPAL started operations, July 1, 1942, Starrett had lost over the years six aircraft to mishaps1 and one had been taken over by the RCAF2. Only four were registered to CPAL3, the balance were sold or broken up for spares. Three aircraft are presently preserved4:
de Havilland D.H.60M Moth (CF-AGX) at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada
Fairchild 82A (CF-AXL) at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Travel Air SA-6000-A (CF-AEJ, reregistered N4942V in 1954) at the Grand Canyon Valle Airport, Williams, Arizona, USA.