Aviair Pty Ltd,[1] previously known as Slingair Heliwork,[2] is an airline and air charter company[3] based in Kununurra, Western Australia.[4] It is a wholly owned subsidiary of HM Consolidated Pty Ltd.[5] It operates air charter services and regular passenger services. Its main bases are Kununurra Airport, Broome International Airport and Karratha Airport.[4]
| |||||||
| Founded | 1984 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Kununurra | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Broome, Karratha | ||||||
| Fleet size | 30 | ||||||
| Destinations | 8 | ||||||
| Parent company | HM Consolidated Pty Ltd | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kununurra, Western Australia, Australia | ||||||
| Website | www.aviair.com.au | ||||||
History
edit
Aviair was established in 1984 as Slingair Heliwork by Kerry Slingsby. Aviair began providing air services in Kununurra, Western Australia shortly after its creation.[4]
In May 2008, Grant Kenny, Olympic Games Athlete and Ironman acquired Slingair for an unknown amount.[6]
Slingair received the Sir David Brand Award every year from 1996 to 1998 and was a finalist in 2000.[7][8]
In 2010 and 2015 Slingair supported field research for discovering rock shelters and artworks made by Aboriginal Australians in the Kimberley.[9][10]
In 2016 Slingair was purchased by the owners of HeliSpirit, Michael McConachy and Geoff Hamilton.[11] Slingair was renamed Aviair.
Further field research in the Kimberley region was supported by Aviair in 2019.[12]
On 6 May 2020, Aviair received $1.58 million to support it through the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the COVID-19 Regional Airline Network Support Program by the Australian Government.[13][14]
On 24 June 2021, Aviair announced they would commence a flight service from Derby to Broome on 16 August 2021.[15]
Destinations
editAviair provides scheduled services to the following destinations:[16][17]
Fleet
editAs of 2021, the Aviair fleet consists of the following aircraft:[18][19]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Air B200 | 3 | — | |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 13 | — | |
| Pilatus PC-12 | 5 | — | |
| GippsAero GA8 Airvan | 1 | — | |
| Beechcraft G58 Baron | 1 | — | |
| Cessna Citation Mustang | 2 | — | |
| Total | 25 | 0 | — |
HeliSpirit, Aviair's sister company,[20][21] also operates 25 helicopters:[18]
| Aircraft | In Service |
|---|---|
| Bell Jet Ranger | 4 |
| Bell Long Ranger | 4 |
| Robinson R44 | 15 |
| Robinson R66 | 1 |
| Robinson R22 | 1 |
| AS350 | 1 |
| Total | 25 |
Incidents and accidents
edit- On 18 August 2011, one of Slingair's former Cessna 210 Centurion aircraft (registration VH-OCM) performed a forced landing 800 meters short of runway 12 at East Kimberley Regional Airport due to the pilot failing to switch selected fuel tanks, causing engine to stop.[22][23]
- On 8 August 2015, one of Slingairs's Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft (registration VH-LNH) experienced an oil leak which forced them to return to their airport of origin.[24]
- On 16 November 2016, one of Aviair's Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft (registration VH-LNH) made a forced landing 8 km north-west of Solomon Airport, Western Australia due to an engine failure.[25]
- On 16 April 2022, an Aviair Beechcraft Baron aircraft (registration VH-NPT) with a pilot and passenger onboard was involved in a fire during final approach for runway 12 at East Kimberley Regional Airport which resulted in a runway undershoot. The passenger was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.[26][27]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "ABN Lookup". abr.business.gov.au. Australian Business Register. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Tourism Western Australia". Tourism Western Australia. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ Civil Aviation Safety Authority Air Operator Certificate No. CASA.TAAOC.0186, AVIAIR PTY LTD. Retrieved 28 May 2021
- ^ a b c "Aviair - Company Profile". aviair.com.au. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "HM Consolidated Pty Ltd". East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ "Grant Kenny buys private aviation firm". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Aviair Awards". Aviair Awards - Aviair. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Sharpe, Leslie J. (2004). "Economic development in the Kimberley region of Western Australia: a history and dependency theory perspective". eprints.usq.edu.au. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Ross, June; Westaway, Kira; Travers, Meg; Morwood, Michael J.; Hayward, John (31 August 2016). "Into the Past: A Step Towards a Robust Kimberley Rock Art Chronology". PLOS ONE. 11 (8): e0161726. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1161726R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161726. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5006964. PMID 27579865.
- ^ Moore, Mark W.; Perston, Yinika (2010). "Rockshelters and stone procurement in the Kimberley: Evidence from the Lower Mitchell River". academia.edu. 1: 1.
- ^ "PILBARA RPT AIR SERVICE PROPOSAL" (PDF). porthedland.wa.gov.au. Aviair. June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Moore, Mark W.; Westaway, Kira; Ross, June; Newman, Kim; Perston, Yinika; Huntley, Jillian; Keats, Samantha; Corporation, Kandiwal Aboriginal; Morwood, Michael J. (5 February 2020). "Archaeology and art in context: Excavations at the Gunu Site Complex, Northwest Kimberley, Western Australia". PLOS ONE. 15 (2): e0226628. Bibcode:2020PLoSO..1526628M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0226628. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 7001911. PMID 32023252.
- ^ "Grant Award View - GA76901: GrantConnect". www.grants.gov.au. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport. "Additional new support for critical regional aviation services through COVID-19". Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ Duffy, Rosie (24 June 2021). "New Aviair Flight Service: Derby to Broome". New Aviair Flight Service: Derby to Broome - Aviair. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Flight Schedules". Flight Schedules - Aviair. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Inter Regional Flight Network | City of Karratha". karratha.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Aviair Fleet". Aviair Fleet - Aviair. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Aircraft register | Civil Aviation Safety Authority". Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Helicopter Scenic Flight and Charter Company | Kimberley, Pilbara and NT". HeliSpirit. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "HeliSpirit Capability Statement" (PDF). HeliSpirit. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Six people survive light plane crash in WA". WAtoday. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Investigation: AO-2011-101 - Fuel starvation - Cessna 210N, VH-OCM, Kununurra Airport, WA, 18 August 2011". www.atsb.gov.au. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Investigation: AO-2015-094 - Engine malfunction involving a Cessna 208B, VH-LNH, near Kununurra Airport, WA on 8 August 2015". www.atsb.gov.au. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Investigation: AO-2016-155 - Engine failure and forced landing involving Cessna 208B, VH-LNH, 8 km north-west of Solomon Airport, Western Australia, on 16 November 2016". www.atsb.gov.au. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Investigation: AO-2022-026 - Collision with terrain involving Beechcraft Baron 58, VH-NPT, near Kununurra Airport, Western Australia, 16 April 2022". www.atsb.gov.au. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "Kununurra plane disaster: WA Country Health Service nurse killed and pilot fights for life in Darwin". The West Australian. 16 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.