Robert "Bob" Benjamin Gayer

Grant Walker remembered Bob had something to do with Associated. Through my research I now know he started Associated Air Taxi and Associated Aero Services. He later sold these 2 companies to PWA, Russ Baker's company.

Bob on Right

Grant remembers him as a wheeler dealer always smoking a cigar. Grant has many fond memories of him and his wife, and Bob always took time out to talk to him.

Bob's wife (above) Louise, was General Manager of Associated Air Taxi Ltd. and became partner in Associated Air Carriers Ltd. with Jim Spilsbury and QCA.

Bob and 2 workers, pushing plane from wharf

1941 Bob graduated from Colorado School of Mines, and was a Mining Engineer. He was Vice-President and Managing Director of Cangold Mining and Exploration Co. in 1945, when they optioned the Sherwood claims. Shown living in Vancouver at the time. His mine was on Vancouver Island.

He quit mining, and learned how to fly at the BC Aero Club, going on to start Associated Air Taxi and Associated Aero Services.

ca 1948 he bought a share of Port Alberni Airways (Jack Moul, and Slim Knights started Port Alberni Airways in 1946.)

Jim Spilsbury writes a whole chapter #18, on Bob, in his book “Spilsbury's Coast”. Page 171-174

He is also mentioned in his Accidental Airline book, even has a photo of Bob in there. Jim Spillsbury had respect for him. So much so that he went into partnership with Bob's wife Louise, forming a charter company after Associated Air was sold to PWA. They called it “Associated Air Carriers Ltd.”(AAC), the new company was incorporated in 1953. I think it operated 1950-1954. They brought Slim Knights and other old personnel with them and they used planes from QCA's fleet.

Russ Baker's lawyer messed up, and wrote a clause stopping Bob from forming another Airline Company for 5 years but not his Wife. Russ was not a happy guy after this! They even managed to keep Associated Air's old phone number. I found a 1955 share offering for PWA and it lists this new company, as well as QCA, as subsidiaries, so he bought it out as well.

May 1959 Bob lived at 814 West 62nd, Vancouver BC. He owned a 26ft cruiser “Friendly Days” and on May 24, 1959 his boat exploded and burned while he was out fishing with a friend. Burned to the waterline. It was a gas powered wood hull, covered in fibreglass. According to Grant the gas always leaked on the engine.

1957 he appears as Manager of the Northern Division of Pacific Western Airlines. His headquarters were in Edmonton AB at the time.

Oct 1953 Bob was elected Vice-President of The International Northwest Aviation Council in Gearhart Oregon.

He might have had something to do with Granby Consolidated at Copper Mountain.

He also worked for Jim Spilsbury's QCA.

1962 he shows up selling 3 oil exploration licences covering the Turneffe Islands, and British Honduras area.So after his excursion in airplane companies, he went back to his mining background.

From more pictures and info from Grant Walker,turns out he was into developing a Subdivision in what is now Belize, used to be British Honduras. Slim Knights bought a couple of lots from him and Grant's father, Bud Walker, helped him out when he had some financial problems and ended up with a couple lots and a road in the subdivision named after him,Walker Rd.

• Maya Beach Subdivision
  • Placentia Peninsula,
  • District of Stann Creek,
  • looking out on the Caribbean Sea.
• Owner and Developer-
  • Plantation Palms Ltd.,
  • PO Box 406, Belize City, British Honduras.
• Which was under the overall direction of Bob Gayer.

Looks like a Beautiful spot.

Grant has sent me his dad's address book and most of the book are address changes for his friend Bob Gayer.

Last Photo of Bob Gayer and Bud Walker together on a ferry to Gabriola Island, ca 1980 (Bud died of cancer Oct 1980.)