Kato Airline

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Kato Air
IATA 6S	ICAO KAT	Callsign Kato Air
Founded		1995
Hubs		Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes
Focus cities		Bodø Airport
Fleet size		4
Destinations		2
Headquarters		Evenes
Key people
Website: http://www.katoair.no

Kato Airline is an airline based in Evenes, Norway. The airline, using the brand name Kato Air operates a number of smaller aircraft and two Dornier Do 228s. It operates a variety of services, including air cargo, charter flights, and scheduled passenger flights between Røst (Røst Airport) and Bodø (Bodø Airport).

The name is derived from the name of the founders Karl Johan Karlsen and Torlaug Karlsen, who are also husband and wife.

Contents 1 History 2 Fleet 3 Incidents and accidents 4 External links 5 References

[edit] History

The airline was established in 1995 and started operations on 2 February 1995 ^[1], with a Piper PA-31 Navajo flying newspapers. Later a Cessna 172 was added to the fleet. Since then the airline has been operating charter flights, aerial photography and seismological surveys.

In 1998 the airline started flying Bodø-Harstad/Narvik-Tromsø in cooperation with Heli-Trans. In May 1999 Kato Air bought Heli-Trans' fixed-wing devision, but the route was closed after one year due to lack of passengers. From April 1, 2003 the airline has been operating the public service obligation routes Bodø-Røst and Bodø-Narvik (Framnes), though the latter route was recaptured by Widerøe from April 1, 2006. ^[2]

[edit] Fleet

As of August 2006 the Kato Airline fleet includes ^[3] :

• 2 Dornier 228-200

Other aircraft (as of January 2005) ^[1] :

• 2 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

[edit] Incidents and accidents

The airline has been involved in two incidents, both with Dornier 228 airplanes, and neither of them fatal.

• The first happened on the morning of December 4, 2003, when LN-HTE en route from Røst to Bodø was struck by lightning, During the landing at Bodø the plane hit the ground hard, destroying the undercarriage. ^[4]
• The second incident happened on September 29, 2004 when a deranged asylum seeker entered the cockpit of LN-BER and, in a suicide attempt, attacked the pilots with an axe. Thanks to intervention from the other passengers on board, the crew was able to regain control of the aircraft, saving the airplane. ^[5] The assailant was sentenced to 15 years in prison. ^[6]

[edit] External links

• Kato Airline

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Flight International 5-11 April 2005
2. ^ Trafikken doblet Traffic Doubled, Hangar.no, published June 16 2006
3. ^ Flight International, 3-9 October 2006
4. ^ Elevator hit by lightning, sheared off Verdens Gang article December 5 2003. In Norwegian.
5. ^ Attacked the pilots with an axe Dagbladet, September 29 2004, in Norwegian.
6. ^ 15 years in prison in the Kato Air case NTB article in Aftenposten June 23, 2005, in Norwegian.