Friend pushes for Merlyn Carter, pioneering N.W.T. pilot, to be in aviation hall of fame

Merlyn Carter was a pioneer in northern aviation and now a family friend is hoping to get his contributions recognized by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame (CAHF).

The Hay River, N.W.T., pilot was killed by a bear at his sports fishing camp in 2005. He was 71.

Terry Allen, also a pilot and a friend of the Carter family, said he submitted Carter's name to the CAHF in 2019. At that time, his friend was short-listed but ultimately not selected for induction.

Allen is now trying again.

"Looking at what Merlyn's accomplishments were, and everything he's contributed to the North, getting Merlyn into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame would be fantastic," Allen said.

He first met Carter in 1987 when they would go fishing at Taltson Lake. Over the years, Allen also became close with Carter's wife Jean, and their children Dean, Kandee and Myles.

Allen said it was an honour to nominate Carter for the hall of fame. In the nomination package, he outlined the significant impact Carter had on aviation in the Northwest Territories, which included logging over 30,000 hours of flying.

Undated photo of Merlyn Carter, on top of his father George's plane. (Submitted by Myles Carter)

"He went out of his way to help people, especially to help the northern communities," Allen said.

"One time, an airplane froze up in the middle of winter. He landed on Great Slave Lake and walked into Fort [Resolution] — in the winter, at night. He was a survivalist."

Allen said Carter was also instrumental in supporting and enhancing relationships with Cree, Dene, Métis, and Inuit communities. These relationships grew into deep, trusting friendships that are recognized today by the elders of these northern communities.

James Marlowe, the chief of the Łutsël K'e Dene First Nation, wrote a letter of support for the CAHF induction, saying Carter was always reliable and available to Marlowe's community.

"He made a significant difference by ensuring we could always rely on his support for moving community members and supplies to and from Łutsël K'e for over 50 years," Marlowe said.

Marlowe recalled how years ago, when the majority of the people of Lutselk'e were hunters, trappers, and fishers, Carter would provide air charters at no charge so they could feed their families and make a living.

Marlowe said that one time, Carter donated his Twin Otter plane to the people of Lutselk'e for a caribou hunt so there would be meat for the whole community.

"Our relationship with Mr. Carter went beyond aviation as he and his family were true friends of the Łutsël K'e Dene First Nation," Marlowe said. "Our elders fondly remember and respect Mr. Carter with many examples of how he went out of his way for them as fellow human beings."

Moved north as a teenager

Myles and Dean Carter, Merlyn Carter's sons, would also like to see their father's legacy recognized. They say their father soared over challenges and brought communities closer together.

'He helped a lot of people get started in aviation,' said Merlyn's son, Dean Carter. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)

Born in Saskatchewan, Merlyn moved to Hay River in 1952 as a teenager. It was there that he became passionate about aviation and was mentored by the renowned Canadian pilot — and CAHF hall-of-famer — Stan McMillan.

In 1963, Merlyn and his wife Jean founded Carter Air Services, a commercial aviation company that initially focused on transporting fish. However, Merlyn's vision and entrepreneurial spirit led the company to expand into various areas of aviation and tourism.

That included flying fishermen into remote lakes in the N.W.T., and eventually developing several sports fishing camps that are still used today. Myles still operates the camp at Nonacho Lake.

"The early years were challenging," Dean said. "In his first month, he had one charter. It started from there and branched out into many different areas."

Merlyn also helped nurture future generations of pilots, Dean said. That included his sons and others who would later become accomplished pilots.

"He helped a lot of people get started in aviation," Dean said. "Younger people would come through looking for work. He gave Joe McBryan his first job in aviation."

The Hay River Airport was also named the Merlyn Carter Airport in 2012 in his honour. Merlyn's wife Jean said at the time that "he worked hard and I'm really happy that he was able to get that recognized and be honoured for it."

An undated photo of Jean and Merlyn Carter at Jack Dempsey's restaurant in New York. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)

In recounting their father's life, Dean and Myles also recognized their mother's contribution to the business and family life, saying that she provided unwavering support.

Myles said his father's teachings were invaluable, imparting not just technical skills but also a philosophy of resilience and determination. Myles spent the most time flying with Merlyn, and remembers his father as a calm and composed mentor.

"You make the airplane do what you want it to do. Because if you let it do what it wants to do, it might not be very good," Myles recalled his father telling him and other pilots.

"That saved me and countless other pilots over the years," he said.

'He never judged anybody,' said Myles Carter. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)

Dean and Myles both emphasized their father's generosity, saying he often helped people without expecting anything in return. That had a lasting impact on those around him, they said.

"He was very kind, very gentle. Non-judging — he never judged anybody," Myles said.