Regional Express Airlines
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| Founded | 2002 | |||
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| Fleet size | 44 | |||
| Destinations | 30 | |||
| Parent company | Regional Express Holdings Limited | |||
| Headquarters | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia | |||
| Key people | Jim Davis, Managing Director[1]
Lim Kim Hai, Executive Chairman/ Majority Shareholder [2] Chris Hine, Chief Pilot |
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| Website | www.rex.com.au | |||
- For the train service, see Regional-Express
Regional Express Pty Ltd (also known as Rex), is an airline based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. It operates scheduled regional services.[3] It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland and Tasmania. Its entire fleet consists of Swedish built Saab 340 turboprop aircraft seating 33, 34 or 36 passengers.
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[edit] History
The airline was established in 2002 when the Australiawide Airlines consortium (set up by former Ansett employees) acquired Hazelton Airlines and Kendell Airlines, merged the two companies and started operations in August 2002 as Rex.[3] In 2005, Australiawide Airlines was renamed Regional Express Holdings and partially floated on the Australian Securities Exchange.[4] On 30 November, 2005, Rex announced the acquisition of the Dubbo-based Air Link, another regional airline.[5]
In October 2007, Rex expanded into Queensland when it commenced operations between Brisbane and Maryborough.[6] This exacerbated an existing problem within the company of not having enough pilots to crew its flights (due to the expansion of larger airlines, especially Jetstar Airways and Virgin Blue Airlines),[7][8] and Rex suspended operations out of Brisbane[9] (and from Sydney to Cooma, New South Wales during the summer "low season" for this route to the NSW ski fields)[10] in November 2007. To provide a medium-term solution to the pilot shortage, Rex announced that it was establishing a cadet-pilot flight-training programme.[11] At the same time, Rex announced the impending retirement of Managing director Geoff Breust.[12]
[edit] Services
from Adelaide, South Australia
- Broken Hill, New South Wales
- Ceduna, South Australia
- Coober Pedy, South Australia
- Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
- Mount Gambier, South Australia
- Port Lincoln, South Australia
- Whyalla, South Australia
- Albury, New South Wales
- Burnie (Wynyard), Tasmania
- Griffith, New South Wales[13]
- King Island, Tasmania
- Merimbula, New South Wales
- Mildura, Victoria
- Mount Gambier, South Australia
- Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
from Sydney, New South Wales
- Albury, New South Wales
- Ballina, New South Wales
- Bathurst, New South Wales
- Broken Hill, New South Wales
- Dubbo, New South Wales
- Grafton, New South Wales
- Griffith, New South Wales
- Lismore, New South Wales
- Merimbula, New South Wales
- Moruya, New South Wales
- Narrandera, New South Wales
- Orange, New South Wales
- Parkes, New South Wales
- Taree, New South Wales
- Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
from Townsville, Queensland
[edit] Fleet
Rex operates the world's second largest fleet of twin turboprop engined Saab 340 passenger aircraft of all versions.[14] Several 340Bs, a 340A and all Kendell CRJ-200s and Hazelton Metros were taken out of service following the establishment of Regional Express. Since then the former Kendell Metro fleet has also been gradually phased out of service, with the remaining four aircraft being transferred to Pel-Air in late 2006 and the first half of 2007.[15]
Since the establishment of the airline, Regional Express has added over thirty Saabs to those inherited from Kendell and Hazelton to expand its fleet, while others have been withdrawn.
Regional Express rotates all of its aircraft between Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The delivery of 25 ex-American Eagle Airlines Saab 340B Plus aircraft (to be leased) over 3 years starting in mid-2007 will enable the expansion of services and the phase-out of the Saab 340As. The 340B Plus has a quieter and more comfortable interior, with the usual leather seating that is typical to the Saab 340. As of November 2008 15 of the 25 aircraft have been delivered.[16][17]
As of November 2009, 44 Saab 340 aircraft are in the Rex fleet.[18][17] In July 2008 the company announced that all of its 340As would be converted to freighters. [16] A Saab 340B was withdrawn from service to be used as a source of spare parts and the first of the 340A freighter conversions was sold in July 2008.[16] Two more 340As were converted to freighters and transferred to sister company Pel-Air in the second half of 2008, and three examples were sold to overseas airlines in January 2009 and April 2009. The 3rd freighter conversion for Pel-Air was completed on 22 April 2009 leaving one 340A in limited service until it is sold.[17]
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saab 340A | 1 | (first gen) Used only as a Spare Aircraft. Does not include the three freighters registered to Rex operated by Pel-Air. |
| Saab 340B | 19 | (second gen) Does not include the one withdrawn from use for spare parts, or the two to be leased to an overseas operator. |
| Saab 340BPlus | 23 | (third gen) Four to be delivered |
[edit] Aircraft orders
Rex has ordered 25 ex-American Eagle SAAB 340B Plus aircraft, which have extended wingtips (offered as an option on Saab 340B Plus aircraft) to increase flight performance and fuel efficiency, plus active noise control. The first was painted in 2006 and was originally scheduled to arrive in late 2006, however Rex took delivery of the aircraft on 30 April 2007; it entered service on 6 June. By December 2009 a total of 22 had been delivered. These 340B Plus aircraft are fitted with optional Hamilton Standard propellers instead of the Dowty Rotol propellers fitted to the existing fleet.
[edit] Special logos
When the Regional Express livery was first introduced, the logos of the former operators Kendell and Hazelton were located underneath the leading passenger window to the rear of the main entrance door (one aircraft, 340BPlus VH-EKH, still displays these logos with the motto "Our heart is in the country").
In addition to VH-EKH mentioned above, several aircraft in the Rex fleet display special logos or other visual features:
- VH-EKD has a mural on the LH forward fuselage (Right) promoting the outback City of Broken Hill. This mural was executed by a group known as the Arid Zone Artists in 1998.
- VH-SBA wears a special "City of Wagga Wagga" livery.
- VH-TRX has a caricature of Kay Hull MHR (Right), whose efforts were instrumental in helping Rex to become established, on the LH forward fuselage. The City of Wagga Wagga is within her electorate of Riverina.
- Several aircraft also have decals displaying the SAAB corporate logo on the entry door or the "Our heart is in the country" motto; some have both.
[edit] Flight school
In November 2007 Regional Express Airlines and Mangalore Airport Pty Limited created a joint venture pilot academy called Civil Aviation Training Academy based at Mangalore Airport in Victoria.[19] April 2008 Regional Express Airlines fully acquired the Civil Aviation Training Academy and was renamed to Australian Airline Pilot Academy.[20]
On 18 February 2009 Regional Express Airlines announced that the Australian Airline Pilot Academy would be relocated from Mangalore Airport to Wagga Wagga Airport in partnership with the City of Wagga Wagga starting in April 2009.[21][22]
[edit] References
- ^ Rex appoints new MD > AviationRecord > Search Results
- ^ Our Company :: Leadership
- ^ a b Flight International 12-18 April 2005
- ^ Rex Invests in Pel-Air
- ^ Rex Acquires Air Link
- ^ Rex Touches Down in Queensland retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Rex Warns of Looming Catastrophic Shortage of Pilots in Australia retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Presentation at Press Conference held on 7 November 2007 retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Rex Announces Suspension of Maryborough Service due to Pilot Shortage retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Ongoing Pilot Shortage Forces Regional Express to Temporarily Suspend 'Snowy Mountains' Service retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Rex and Mangalore Airport Announce Creation of Pilot Academy retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ Rex Discloses Retirement of its Managing Director retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ "Griffith to Melbourne flights return to REX". The Daily Advertiser (Fairfax Media): p. 2. 2 September 2009.
- ^ Ben Sandilands (11 May 2009). "Air safety investigation fail: Wagga REX turbo prop incident". Crikey. http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/05/11/air-safety-investigation-fail-wagga-rex-turbo-prop-incident/.
- ^ CASA Australian civil register database online search using "227-DC" and "Pel-Air" as the search parameters. Search conducted 2007-08-16
- ^ a b c "Rex Announces Sale Of SAAB 340A Freighter To Bridges". Regional Express. 2008-07-10. http://www.regionalexpress.com.au/MediaAndPressClippings/ShowNews.aspx?Site=IR&nid=184. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ a b c "Rex Plans to Phase Out Older Saab 340A Aircraft" - Rex Media Release retrieved 2009-01-14
- ^ Australian civil aircraft register search, using "Regional Express" as the search parameter. Search conducted 2009-11-21.
- ^ "Rex and Mangalore Airport Announce Creation of Pilot Academy". Regional Express. 2007-11-01. http://www.regionalexpress.com/corp_info/ShowNews.aspx?nid=157&page=MC. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
- ^ "Rex fully acquires pilot training academy". Regional Express. 2008-05-21. http://www.regionalexpress.com.au/corp_info/ShowNews.aspx?nid=177&page=MC. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
- ^ "REX to relocate pilot academy". News Limited (Weekly Times Now). 2009-02-18. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/02/18/54931_latest-news.html. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
- ^ "REX t construct pilot academy at Wagga Wagga". Regional Express. 2009-02-18. http://www.regionalexpress.com.au/corp_info/ShowNews.aspx?nid=202&page=MC. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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