PenAir

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"Penair" redirects here. For the school in the United Kingdom, see Penair School.
Peninsula Airways (PenAir)
IATA
KS		 ICAO
PEN		 Callsign
PENINSULA
Founded 1955
Hubs Anchorage, Alaska
Secondary hubs King Salmon, Alaska, Dillingham, Alaska, Cold Bay, Alaska, Dutch Harbor, Alaska
Frequent-flyer program Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Fleet size 36
Destinations 34
Company slogan The Spirit of Alaska
Headquarters Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Website www.PenAir.com

Peninsula Airways, doing business as PenAir, is an American airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska.[1] It is Alaska's second largest commuter airline operating an extensive scheduled passenger and cargo service, as well as charter and medevac services. Its main base is Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, with hubs at Dillingham Airport, Unalaska Airport, King Salmon Airport and Cold Bay Airport.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

1955
Orin Seybert founded Peninsula Airways. He was 19 years old, living in Pilot Point, Alaska and owned a 1946 two-seat Taylorcraft. In 1956, a four-seat Piper Tri-Pacer was purchased, and the company was named Peninsula Airways.

1965
On March 1, 1965 Peninsula Airways became incorporated and purchased the fixed base operation in King Salmon, which included the Chevron Airport Dealership.

1967
Peninsula Airways became a full-time subcontractor to Reeve Aleutian Airways, meeting Reeveís certificate obligations to Chignik, Perryville and Ivanoff Bay.

1969
Peninsula Airways acquired all assets of Tibbetts-Herre Airmotive, which had operated from Naknek since 1950. By 1973, regular service was provided between King Salmon and the Pribilof Island communities, St. Paul and St. George. Charter service was also extended into the Aleutian Islands, Dutch Harbor, Atka and Adak, with Grumman Super Widgeons.

1977
Two Grumman Goose aircraft were purchased from Reeve Aleutian Airways, and the sub-contract was expanded to cover all locations certificated to Reeve throughout the Alaskan Peninsula and Aleutian Islands. This required setting up an operating base at Cold Bay, with hangars, offices and employee housing.

1980
The Civil Aeronautics Board awarded a Part 401 ìCertificate of Public Convenience and Necessityî to Peninsula Airways, and all aircraft operations were conducted under Part 135 of the Federal Air Regulations.

1983
Peninsula Airways acquired its first turbine aircraft: a Cessna Conquest operated out of Cold Bay. Peninsula Airways was the first Alaskan air carrier to qualify for CAB Part 419 subsidy, allowing the airline to perform Essential Air Service to Atka, St. George and Kodiak Island.

1985
Peninsula Airways acquired all assets of Air Transport Service, Inc., based in Kodiak. Included in the deal was a hangar and office facility with approximately six aircraft and scheduled year-round service to all points on the Island. Anchorage base was started with two Cessna Conquest turbo-props offering charter service from Anchorage to the Pribilof Islands. Scheduled service from Anchorage to King Salmon and Dillingham was added a year later.

1987
The first Fairchild "Metroliner" was put in service.

1988
Several bush operators in Dillingham had their certificates revoked by the FAA, prompting Peninsula Airways to set up an operation there. A hangar and aircraft were purchased and service to the surrounding communities began.

1989
Peninsula Airways was contracted by Exxon to support the "Exxon Valdez" oil spill cleanup. Also, at this time, a contract was awarded to PenAir by Alaska Regional Hospital to provide 24-hour medevac service. PenAir operations were inspected and approved by Exxon Corporation, U.S. Office of Aircraft Services, U.S. Department of Defense, and 2 FAA NASIP "white glove" inspections.

1991
Peninsula Airways began doing business as PenAir and became a code-share and mileage plan partner with Alaska Airlines.

1996
PenAir transitioned to FAA Part 121 regulations, operating under both Part 135 and 121. PenAir was the first regional airline in the United States to make the 10-19 seat required conversion, including a dispatch department.

1997
PenAir acquired two Saab 340B aircraft and in 1998 moved into a new hangar/office complex in Anchorage, Alaska.

2011
PenAir retired the last Fairchild "Metroliner" from service.

Today
PenAir is Alaska's second largest commuter airline, operating a fleet of 40 aircraft and providing scheduled service to 36 communities throughout Southwest Alaska. PenAir was the second airline in the state to receive the Medallion Shield Award.[3]

PenAir has recently decided to repaint all aircraft with a new paint scheme. The paint scheme was copied from corporate flown SAAB 2000's.

[edit] Fleet

PenAir Grumman Goose

As of October 2007 the PenAir fleet includes:[2]

PenAir is one of the very last airlines in the world to operate the venerable Grumman G-21A Goose on scheduled flights. The amphibious aircraft is still used to resupply remote coastal locations where no land-based airstrip exists.

[edit] Destinations

PenAir operates scheduled service to the following destinations in Alaska (as of July 2009):[4]

  1. Akutan (KQA) – Akutan Seaplane Base
  2. Anchorage (ANC) – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Hub)
  3. Aniak (ANI) – Aniak Airport
  4. Atka (AKB) – Atka Airport
  5. Chignik Bay (KCG) – Chignik Bay Airport
  6. Chignik Lagoon (KCL) – Chignik Lagoon Airport
  7. Chignik Lake (KCQ) – Chignik Lake Airport
  8. Cold Bay (CDB) – Cold Bay Airport (Hub)
  9. Dillingham (DLG) – Dillingham Airport (Hub)
  10. Dutch Harbor / Unalaska (DUT) – Unalaska Airport (Hub)
  11. Egegik (EGX) – Egegik Airport
  12. Ekwok (KEK) – Ekwok Airport
  13. False Pass (KFP) – False Pass Airport
  14. Igiugig (IGG) – Igiugig Airport
  15. King Cove (KVC) – King Cove Airport
  16. King Salmon (AKN) – King Salmon Airport (Hub)
  17. Koliganek (KGK) – Koliganek Airport
  18. Levelock (KLL) – Levelock Airport
  19. Manokotak (KMO) – Manokotak Airport
  20. McGrath (MCG) – McGrath Airport
  21. Nelson Lagoon (NLG) – Nelson Lagoon Airport
  22. New Stuyahok (KNW) – New Stuyahok Airport
  23. Nikolski (IKO) – Nikolski Air Station
  24. Perryville (KPV) – Perryville Airport
  25. Pilot Point (PIP) – Pilot Point Airport
  26. Port Heiden (PTH) – Port Heiden Airport
  27. Port Moller / Cold Bay (PML) – Port Moller Airport
  28. Sand Point (SDP) – Sand Point Airport
  29. St. George (STG) – St. George Airport
  30. St. Paul (SNP) – St. Paul Island Airport
  31. Togiak (TOG) – Togiak Airport
  32. Twin Hills (TWA) – Twin Hills Airport
  33. Unalakleet (UNK) – Unalakleet Airport

Former destinations:

  1. Aleknagik (WKK) – Aleknagik Airport
  2. Bartletts / Egegik (BSZ) – Bartletts Airport
  3. Big Creek (BIC)
  4. Blue Mountain (VBM)
  5. Cape Newenham (EHM) – Cape Newenham LRRS Airport
  6. Cinder River (RCP)
  7. Clarks Point (CLP) – Clarks Point Airport
  8. Coffee Point (CFA)
  9. Painter Creek (PCE)
  10. Portage Creek (PCA) – Portage Creek Airport
  11. South Naknek (WSN) – South Naknek Airport
  12. Ugashik (UGB) – Ugashik Bay Airport
  13. Wildman Lake (EWD)

[edit] Dutch Harbor

PenAir (These flights to Dutch Harbor are actually contracted flights, operated by PenAir for Alaska Airlines) operates service to Unalaska Airport (commonly referred to as Dutch Harbor, or 'Dutch') utilizing the SAAB 340A/B turboprops. Scheduled service is commonly interrupted by extremely harsh weather conditions including high winds.

[edit] Community awareness

PenAir, along with Bering Air, Frontier Flying Service, Grant Aviation, Northern Air Cargo, and Ryan Air, participates in the Flying Can service, which allows rural Alaskan communities to recycle aluminum cans and now number 1 PET bottles in cooperation with Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling.[5]

[edit] Incidents

  • On April 9, 2008 a Grumman G-21A Goose registered N471 was landing at Unalaska Airport in the Aleutian Islands when an unexpected truck crossed the runway despite the runway warning lights (strobes) of incoming aircraft. The wheels of the Grumman G-21A Goose touched the roof of the truck and the plane tumbled onto the runway. The 9 people aboard the aircraft suffered only minor injuries and the truck driver was safe. The aircraft was badly damaged but not written off. The safety gates at the end of the runway had not functioned for some time and there was a reliance on the strobe lights to indicate incoming aircraft. Since that incident, fully functioning safety gates have been placed at far ends of the three (3) access roads to the runway access. Concerns still rest with traffic that gets 'stuck' in-between the safety gates after the gates are closed.[6]


[edit] References

  1. ^ "Contact Us." PenAir. Retrieved on July 16, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: pp. 62–63. 2007-04-10. 
  3. ^ PenAir.com
  4. ^ "Timetable". Peninsula Airways, Inc.. http://www.penair.com/timetables.html. Retrieved 2009-07-12. 
  5. ^ Tuttle, Logan (16 June 2010). "Rural recycling finds a PET project". The Arctic Sounder (Alaska Newspapers, Inc.). http://thearcticsounder.com/article/1024rural_recycling_finds_a_pet_project. Retrieved 16 October 2010. 
  6. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=17401

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