Jetcraft Aviation
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| Jetcraft Aviation | ||
|---|---|---|
| IATA N/A |
ICAO JCC |
Callsign Jetcraft |
| Founded | 1989 | |
| Hubs | Brisbane Airport Bankstown Airport |
|
| Secondary hubs | Adelaide Airport Mackay Airport |
|
| Fleet size | 19 | |
| Destinations | ||
| Parent company | Transjet | |
| Headquarters | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Key people | ||
| Website: www.jetcraft.com.au | ||
Jetcraft Aviation is an airline based in Brisbane, Australia. It operates charter services, mainly priority air freight, corporate VIP and mining charters. Its main base is Brisbane Airport, with hubs at Sydney's Bankstown Airport, Adelaide International Airport and Mackay Airport[1].
Contents |
[edit] History
The airline was established as a cargo charter company in 1989, operating initially in Queensland with two Mitsubishi MU-2Gs and a Fairchild SA226-TC Metro II. In the next two years the Metro fleet was gradually built up and the MU-2s withdrawn, so that by 1993 the fleet consisted of three Metro IIs and three SA227-AC Metro IIIs.[2] On April 16 that year Jetcraft suffered its first aircraft loss in a non-fatal landing accident to a Metro II at Mackay Airport.[3] Later the same year it established its Bankstown hub, flying bank documents and general freight on behalf of Security Express initially with the two remaining Metro IIs and an Aero Commander 681 Hawk Commander, the Mitsubishi MU-2 (an MU-2J) reappearing in the fleet as well at this time[4].
A third SA226 (a Merlin IVA version converted as a freighter) was added to the fleet and on the evening of March 9, 1994 this aircraft was destroyed (in what to this date[5] is Jetcraft's only fatal accident) when it hit a mountain between Armidale and Tamworth[6], while on its daily scheduled freight run from Bankstown to northern New South Wales and return. The pilot was the only person on board. In 1995 a de Havilland Canada Dash 7 was introduced to the fleet to service a "fly-in fly-out" contract, transporting mine employees between Cairns International Airport and Kidston, a small community between Cairns and Julia Creek in the Queensland outback[4]. Jetcraft added the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan to its fleet in 2005 and experienced a considerable jump in capacity and capability in 2007 with the introduction of the ATR 42 into its fleet. The two ATRs and its Caravans are painted in the colours of Toll Priority, a successor company to Security Express on behalf of which Jetcraft now operates most of its fleet.
Jetcraft is a subsidiary company of Transjet, which also owns Macair Airlines[7]. On 12 December 2007 Jetcraft was placed in Administration[8] Due to financial problems partly caused by the unexpected grounding of two of its aircraft and the failure of a major customer, Jetcraft is now operating as only a name in Adelaide, and is now considered to no longer be operating in Adelaide[9][10][11].
[edit] Fleet
As of December 2007 the Jetcraft fleet numbers 19[12]:
- 2 ATR 42-300
- 2 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
- 3 Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23
- 6 Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III
- 1 Fairchild SA227-AT Expediter
- 1 Fairchild SA227-AT Merlin IVC
- 1 Fairchild SA226-TC Metro II
Of these aircraft the two ATR 42s, the Grand Caravans, the Merlin IVC and most of the Metros have been converted to freighters. While it is registered, the Metro II has been retired and is at Archerfield Airport being used as a source of spare parts. The two Cessna Conquests have been grounded following advice from the manufacturer that it had imposed a life limit of 22,500 flying hours on all examples of the type[11]. Also registered to Jetcraft is a NZAI CT/4A, this is the personal aircraft of Jetcraft's Managing Director Randal McFarlane and one of several Warbirds owned by him.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-04-03, p. 98..
- ^ Arbon, Tony ed. Australian Aviation Civil Aircraft Register 1993/94. Privately published by AustAirData, no ISBN.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network page retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^ a b Australian Aviation magazine, various issues between 1990 and 1996 listing fleet changes including No. 115, March 1996, detailing the importation of DHC-7 VH-UUM to Australia. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.
- ^ December 2007.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network page retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^ Transjet website retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ^ A provision in Australian Law similar to Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the United States, which allows a company in financial distress to seek a solution to its problems while protected from its creditors.
- ^ Australian Securities & Investments Commission Jetcraft Aviation Pty. Ltd. page retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ Statement by Jetcraft management retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ a b CASA Media Release retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ CASA civil aircraft register online search conducted 2007-12-14.
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