Ryan Air Services
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| Founded | 1953 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Aniak Airport Bethel Airport Emmonak Airport Kotzebue Airport Nome Airport St. Mary's Airport Unalakleet Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 14 | ||||||
| Destinations | Bush Alaska | ||||||
| Headquarters | Anchorage, Alaska,  United States | ||||||
| Key people | Wilfred P. Ryan Jr., President | ||||||
| Website | http://www.atsak.com/ | ||||||
Ryan Air Services is an American cargo-only airline that serves over 70 villages in Bush Alaska out of hubs in Aniak, Bethel, Emmonak, Kotzebue, Nome, St. Mary's, and Unalakleet.[1]
History
Ryan Air was established in 1953 as Unalakleet Air Taxi by Wilfred Ryan Sr. as a charter airline. In 1960s, the company began handling USPS mail delivery and transportation of schoolteachers for the Bureau of Indian Affairs between communities along the lower Yukon River. In 1977, Wilfred P. Ryan Jr. took over the company after his father died of cancer.[2][3]
In the 1980s, the company expanded service beyond the Norton Sound and changed their name to Ryan Air. With a new fleet of Beech 1900s and Beech 99s, Ryan Air grew to the largest commuter carrier in Alaska by 1987, serving 85 cities and villages with a fleet of 28 planes.[2][3] However, a series of 12 accidents, culminating in a fatal crash in November 1987 that killed 18 of the 21 people on board, led the FAA to shut down the airline in January 1988.[4][5]
In the 1990s, Ryan Air converted to a cargo-only airline and changed their name to Arctic Transportation Services (ATS), adding CASA 212 cargo planes to their fleet. They changed their name back to Ryan Air in 2010.[2][3][6]
In mid-May, 2013, Ryan Air announced that they would resume regularly scheduled passenger services out of Aniak, AK using their Cessna 207 aircraft beginning May 16, 2013.[7]
Fleet
As of April 2011[update], the Ryan Air Services fleet consists of 14 aircraft, including CASA 212-200s and Cessna 207s:[2][3]
References
- ^ "Ryan Air — Flight Schedules". Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ a b c d "Ryan Air — History". Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ a b c d "Event Celebrates Alaskans, Life in the Bush and a 'New' Ryan Air". Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ Witkin, Richard (31 December 1987). "F.A.A. Opens Inquiry on Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ "F.A.A. Shuts Down Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 31 January 1988. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ "Nome becomes rural trash disposal hub". Retrieved 2011-04-06.
- ^ Angaiak, Samantha (14 May 2013). "Local Air Carrier To Begin Scheduled Passenger Service In Bush Alaska". KTUU. Retrieved 17 June 2013.