What Happened To Air Canada’s Boeing 767-200s?

Air Canada has flown an interesting variety of widebody designs over the years. Among these is the Boeing 767, of which the Canadian flag carrier has operated both the -200 and -300 series. Let’s take a look at the store of Air Canada’s relationship with the former of these.

Air Canada Boeing 767-200
Air Canada flew both the standard and Extended Range versions of the 767-200. Photo: Air Canada

The 767-200

According to data from ATDB.aero, Air Canada flew 12 examples of the standard Boeing 767-200. This variant was the first from the 767 family to enter service, doing so with United Airlines in September 1982. The Canadian flag carrier received the first of its 767-200s just a month later, when C-GAUB came onboard on October 30th that year.

C-GAUE became the second arrival when it joined Air Canada in December 1982, and four more examples followed it in 1983. 1984 was also a four-delivery year, with 1985 seeing Air Canada’s final two 767s (C-GPWA and C-GPWB) come onboard on May 1st. All 12 of its standard Boeing 767-200s remained with the airline until the 21st century.

The Canadian flag carrier only began withdrawing the type in March 2001, with C-GPWA being the first to go. They left slower than they arrived, and it was more than six years before C-GAUN became the last 767-200 to leave Air Canada’s fleet, when it did so in October 2007. Sadly, all 12 examples have now either been scrapped, stored, or left derelict.

Air Canada Boeing 767-200
Air Canada operated the standard 767-200 until the mid-2000s. Photo: Air Canada

Flying further with the 767-200ER

Boeing also offered customers a longer-range version of the 767-200, which was designated with the ‘ER’ suffix. The type, which entered service with El Al in 1984, used its capabilities to become the first 767 variant to complete a non-stop transatlantic crossing. Air Canada took the opportunity to operate the 767-200ER, flying 13 over the years.

Air Canada’s 767-200ER fleet was actually slightly more numerous than the standard 767-200, comprising 13 aircraft. However, it is worth noting that these jets served the Canadian flag carrier at two different times. The first batch of 11 examples arrived between October 1984 and March 1989. 2019 then saw two leased arrivals from Omni Air.

The first batch of 767-200ERs served Air Canada for a similarly long time as its standard -200s. After around two decades of service, it began withdrawing the type in March 2003. The last aircraft from the first batch eventually departed in November 2008. Meanwhile, the short-term leased examples from Omni Air returned to their lessor in March 2020.

Air Canada Boeing 767-200
The 767 involved in the ‘Gimli Glider’ incident was just five months old. Photo: Aero Icarus via Flickr

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The Gimli Glider

It would be remiss to discuss Air Canada’s Boeing 767-200 fleet without touching upon the story of the Gimli Glider. This incredible occurrence saw C-GAUN, which was just five months old at the time, run out of fuel while cruising between Ottawa and Edmonton.

The cause of the fuel exhaustion was found to have been a miscalculation between measurements, which caused the plane not to have been refueled before departing Ottawa. Thankfully, the pilots were able to glide the 767-200 down to make an emergency landing on a disused airfield-turned-racetrack in Gimli, Manitoba, with no loss of life.

What are your memories of Air Canada’s Boeing 767-200 fleet? Did you ever fly on one? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.



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