Nils Christensen | |
|---|---|
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Nils_Christensen,_age_95.jpg) Nils Christensen (aged 95) | |
| Born | August 15, 1921 Høvik, Bærum, Norway |
| Died | August 6, 2017 (aged 95) Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Norwegian-Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | Aviator, aircraft engineer, entrepreneur, WWII air force veteran. |
| Known for | Founder of Viking Air Ltd. |
Nils Christensen (15 August 1921 – 6 August 2017) was a Norwegian-Canadian aviator and aircraft engineer who founded the Canadian aerospace manufacturing firm, Viking Air Ltd. He was also a WWII veteran, serving with the Norwegian Merchant Navy and the Royal Norwegian Air Force. He received numerous awards and honours in Canada and Norway for his aviation and military accomplishments.
Christensen immigrated to Canada in 1951, and in 1970 founded Viking Air Ltd. in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. Initially doing aircraft maintenance and repair, Viking Air developed into a world-class aerospace manufacturing company that continues to build aircraft. He was instrumental in obtaining the sole parts manufacturing rights from de Havilland Canada for the Beaver, Otter, and Turbo Beaver aircraft. This, along with manufacturing components for Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Textron, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier Aerospace, elevated Viking Air to the position of a leader in the Canadian aerospace manufacturing sector.[1][2]
- ^ "The Viking Story". Viking Air Ltd. 2014-09-26. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ^ Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, Member Biography. 14 June 2012 (at: http://cahf.protraining.com/CUSTOMPAGES/907/MemberList.cfm?firstLetter=C#49)