Airways Magazine - December 2007
FEATURES
PHOTO: REPUBLIC AIRWAYS
Republic Redefines the RJ Business
by Michael Manning
Indianapolis, Indiana-based Republic Airways Holdings owns Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines, and Shuttle America, which together have a fleet of more than 200 regional jets (RJs), a mix of EMBRAER ERJ 135s, 140s, 145s, 170s, and 175s, and Bombardier CRJ200s.
Republic Airways Holdings can trace its roots to the Chautauqua Airlines, which began service in 1974 as a two-airplane operation. The three-airline conglomerate now employs 4,300 people and operates some 1,200 daily flights on behalf of six carriers to 115 cities, 38 states (including Canada, México, and the US Virgin Islands). Republic is a Star Alliance participant through its association with members United Airlines and US Airways.
We speak to Republic’s CEO Bryan K Bedford and VP Marketing & Corporate Communications Warren Wilkinson to discuss the company’s future amid talk of a new wave of mainline airline mergers to gain economies of scale to compete with low-cost carriers (LCCs), and the changing regional jet business.
PHOTO: PORTER AIRLINES
‘Flying Refined’ with Porter Airlines
by Phil Dawson
In today’s competitive and sometimes predatory commercial aviation industry it takes courage, experience, dedication, guts, and even a sense of humor to build a new airline. It also helps to have the advantages of operating from a unique and attractive city center airport, and a fleet of economical turboprops.
Toronto-based Porter Airlines launched service a year ago with a distinctive personality of its own—and a cute, cheeky mascot—against the formidable odds of prospering as a start-up in the challenging commercial aviation environment of the 21st century.
PHOTO: DAVE WHEELER
Loganair’s Shetland finale
by Iain Hutchison
Take a trip to the far north of the United Kingdom to see the Britten-Norman Islander operations of Loganair in the Shetland Islands.
PHOTO: GIPPSAERO
GA8 Airvan: Victoria’s Secret Down Under
by Roger Thiedeman
The Gippsland region in the far east of Australia’s state of Victoria is known for its bucolic dairy farms and, somewhat incongruously, smoke-belching chimneys and associated paraphernalia at coal-fired power generating stations. But Latrobe Regional Airport, a small country airfield in the Latrobe Valley near the West Gippsland city of Morwell, is also home to the administrative and manufacturing headquarters of Gippsland Aeronautics (GippsAero). This company’s sole product, the eight-seat GA8 Airvan utility airplane, is selling up a storm both locally and overseas, in its own modest, small-scale way.
PHOTO: ALASKA AIRLINES
Viva México!
by Mac af Uhr
Join Mac and his Alaska Airlines crew for a Boeing 737-800 break from the soggy Pacific Northwest to Mexico’s sunny Mayan Riviera.
PHOTO: HANK BATHEYCaptured!
by Steve Wolff
Africa has long relied on expatriate flight crews to maintain its air transport industry, and those seeking variety and fortune have always been willing to oblige. Some of the most spectacular and challenging flying anywhere can be found on Stanley’s Dark Continent—and, for the unwary, the most unforgiving. Errors compounded by inexperience, carelessness, and a dearth of options almost certainly lead to tragedy. Far more subtle, however, are the hazards spawned by political undercurrents inherent in Africa’s emerging nations. On the morning of December 29, 1984, the crew of a Transamerica airplane fell victim to pilot error and the vicissitudes of Angola’s civil war, precipitating a tragic series of events that culminated in a 600mi (1,000km), 2½-month odyssey through rugged bush country. This event typifies all that can go awry on a routine flight.
PLUS
Meridiana Backs Air Burkina
by Luigi Vallero
American’s New JFK Terminal
by Anne Spiselman
Pest Extermination
by Guy Clapshaw
DEPARTMENTS
Both Sides
Clayton Taylor becomes a Cruise Captain.
Coach Flyer
Paul Howard takes a trip with Thai AirAsia.
Debrief
Stan Solomon offers a varied selection of anecdotes from the Airways.
Flying Solo
Bob Kennedy remembers Air Pacific’s McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 service between Honolulu and Fiji.
News from the Airways
Colorfully illustrated highlights of the major news developments from North America and around the world, including fleet changes, new airlines, and new paint schemes.
Reviews
Chris Sterling checks out the latest commercial aviation related books.
Veteran & Vintage
Ed Davies recalls the first flight of the Boeing 707 a half-century ago.
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