Russ Baker (pilot)

Russell Francis Baker (1910–1958) was a Canadian bush pilot and founder of Pacific Western Airlines.

The boy attended Isaac Brock Elementary School and finished his public education at age 14.

Baker got his start as an entrepreneur in aviation by restoring a De Havilland Fox Moth for Ginger Coote at Gun Lake (British Columbia) in the winter of 1936/7.

In January 1942 Russ Baker rescued the crews of three B-26 bombers that had made an emergency landing between Fort Nelson, British Columbia and Watson Lake, Yukon where there was a refueling station.

He was recommended by Lt. Robert O. Cork for the Air Medal which Russ was awarded March 22, 1948, in Vancouver by the U.S. consul George D. Andrews.

The first commercial Beaver floatplane was acquired by Central British Columbia Airlines, precursor to Pacific Western Airlines