Island Express Air
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![]() A Piper PA-31 Navajo of Island Express Air | |||||||
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Founded | 2009 | ||||||
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Ceased operations | 2020 | ||||||
AOC # | 19080[2] | ||||||
Hubs | Abbotsford International Airport | ||||||
Focus cities | Victoria, Nanaimo | ||||||
Fleet size | 11[3] | ||||||
Destinations | 6[4] | ||||||
Parent company | Shorebird Enterprises | ||||||
Headquarters | Abbotsford, British Columbia | ||||||
Key people | Jim Young | ||||||
Website | www |
Island Express Air was a small Canadian airline based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Its first flight was on August 7, 2009, as part of the Abbotsford International Airshow.[5] It operated scheduled air service between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, as well as charter flights and cargo service. On February 23, 2018, one of their planes, a King Air B100, crashed at Abbotsford Airport (CYXX) immediately after take-off in blizzard conditions.[6] As a result of this accident, and due to public safety concerns, Transport Canada suspended Island Express' air operator's certificate (AOC) shortly thereafter, on February 28, 2018.[7] However, following a robust review of the company's safety procedures the operating certificate was reinstated on June 26, 2018.[8] The company slogan was Your Island Connection.
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Island Express Air ceased operations and sold its assets to a group of investors.[9]
Destinations
[edit]All destinations as of August 2019 were within British Columbia:[4]
- Abbotsford (Abbotsford International Airport)
- Nanaimo (Nanaimo Airport)
- Qualicum Beach (Qualicum Beach Airport)
- Seasonal: Tofino (Tofino-Long Beach Airport)
- Vancouver (Vancouver International Airport)
- Victoria (Victoria International Airport)
Fleet
[edit]Fleet as of August 2019:[3]
Aircraft | No. of aircraft | Variants | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Beechcraft King Air | 1 | 100 series | |
Piper PA-28 Cherokee | 1 | PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior | |
Piper PA-31 Navajo | 6 | PA-31-325 Navajo, PA-31-350 Chieftain | |
Piper PA-32 | 1 | PA-32-301 Saratoga |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "ICAO Designators for Canadian Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services" (PDF). Nav Canada. 2023-05-04. p. 4. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
Island Express Air: IAX, ABBOTSFORD AIR
- ^ Transport Canada (2019-09-01), Civil Aviation Services (CAS) AOC. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca.
- ^ a b "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Quick Search Result for Island Express Air". Transport Canada. Retrieved 2019-08-24.
- ^ a b "Island Express Air Routes & Schedules". Archived from the original on 2019-08-24. Retrieved 2019-08-24.
- ^ Tucker, Cam (7 August 2009). "Island Express ready to lighten travel load". Abbotsford Times. p. 12.
- ^ "UPDATED: Abbotsford airline grounded after YXX accident was fined $30,000 last year - Abbotsford News". Abbotsford News. 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
- ^ Canada, Transport (2018-02-28). "Transport Canada suspends Island Express Air's Air Operator Certificate - Canada.ca". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
- ^ "Transport Canada reinstates Island Express Air for operations following February crash". CHEK. 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
- ^ "COVID-19: New air carrier sought for Qualicum Beach Airport". 22 September 2020.