Skippers Aviation

Australian airline

Skippers Aviation

| IATA | ICAO | Call sign

|
|

HK  | —  | SKIPPYS
Founded| 1990
Operating bases|

* Perth Airport
* Broome

Fleet size| 12
Destinations| 9 scheduled
Headquarters| Perth Airport
Website| www.skippers.com.au

Skippers Aviation is an Australian regional airline based out of Perth Airport that specialises in charter flights for companies with fly-in fly-out workers. It also operate flights for the mining industry in Western Australia, as well as some scheduled regular public transport flights. Primarily serving the northern Goldfields, Skippers also has a secondary base in Broome in order to service the Kimberley region.

## History

[edit]

Skippers Aviation was founded in 1990. It began scheduled services in March 1999 after winning a Government of Western Australia contract to operate flights from Broome to Derby.[1][2] It held a 25% stake in Hazelton Airlines that was sold to Ansett Transport Industries in 2000.[3][4] It took over the Perth to Busselton and Margaret River service from Maroomba Airlines on 31 July 2000.[5]

## Services

[edit]

Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia at Perth Airport Cessna 441 at Perth Airport Fairchild Metro A Dash 8-300 at Perth Airport in 2012

Skippers Aviation is the largest provider of fly-in fly-out services for the mining industry in Western Australia. It operates weekly flights and supports many mining companies and mine sites.[6]

As of January 2020, Skippers Aviation also operates scheduled services to the following regional destinations out of Perth and Broome:

* Fitzroy Crossing
* Halls Creek
* Laverton
* Leonora
* Meekatharra
* Mount Magnet
* Wiluna

## Fleet

[edit]

As of August 2019, the Skippers Aviation fleet consists of 26 aircraft:[7]

* 3 Cessna 441 Conquest II (based out of Broome)
* 4 de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 Dash 8
* 6 de Havilland Canada/Bombardier DHC-8-300 Dash 8
* 6 Embraer EMB 120ER Brasilia (Fleet placed into long-term storage December 2020)
* 5 Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23
* 2 Fokker 100

## Incidents

[edit]

On 26 June 2007, an Embraer Brasilia (VH-XUE) on a charter flight was executing a go-around at Jundee Airstrip in Western Australia. During the go-around the crew experienced difficulties in controlling the aircraft, with the aircraft descending to 50 feet above the ground and the bank angle reaching 40 degrees. After regaining control, the crew realised that the left engine had stopped. The cause of the engine stoppage was fuel starvation.[8]

On 19 March 2014, a De Havilland DHC-8 (VH-XFX) approaching Perth had a "near-miss" with an object that was moving towards the aircraft. The crew identified visually the object, which was not detected by the TCAS, and took evasive action to avoid collision. Though presumed to be a UAV, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation was unable to confirm the nature of the object. The ATSB raised concerns about risks posed by unregulated operation of UAVs.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Skippers Aviation to take over Broome-Derby air route March 1 Government of Western Australia 23 February 1999
2. ^ Skippers Aviation - an airline under construction Australian Aviation issue 159 March 2000 pages 50-53
3. ^ Ansett launches takeover bid to buy Hazleton FlightGlobal 17 October 2000
4. ^ Skippers Aviation Australian Aviation issue 237 April 2007 pages 86-91
5. ^ Skippers Aviation Australian Aviation issue 166 October 2000 page 78
6. ^ "Skippers Aviation - WA's truly regional Airline you can count on". Skippers Aviation. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
7. ^ Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One) Airliner World October 2019 page 4
8. ^ Fuel starvation - Jundee Airstrip, WA 26 June 2007 Australian Transport Safety Board
9. ^ Investigation: AO-2014-052 - Near collision between an unknown object and de Havilland DHC-8, VH-XFX, Perth Airport, Western Australia on 19 March 2014 Australian Transport Safety Bureau

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Skippers Aviation at Wikimedia Commons

* Official website

* v
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* e

Airlines of Australia

Scheduled|

| Major|

* Qantas
* Jetstar
* QantasLink
* Virgin Australia
* Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

|

Minor|

* Air Link
* Airnorth
* Alliance Airlines
* Aviair
* Eastern Air Services
* FlyPelican
* Fly Tiwi
* Hinterland Aviation
* King Island Airlines
* Link Airways
* Nexus Airlines
* Par Avion
* Rex Airlines
* Sharp Airlines
* Skippers Aviation
* Skytrans
* Sunstate Airlines
* Torres Strait Air
* West Wing Aviation

Charter|

* Aircruising Australia
* Alliance Airlines
* AvWest
* Hardy Aviation
* Maroomba Airlines
* MinRes Air
* National Jet Express
* Network Aviation
* Pearl Aviation
* Pel-Air
* Sydney Seaplanes
* Skytraders

Cargo|

* ASL Airlines Australia
* Express Freighters Australia
* Qantas Freight
* Tasman Cargo Airlines
* Team Global Express

Defunct|

* Aboriginal Air Services
* Ad Astral Aviation
* Advance Airlines
* Aero-Tropics Air Services
* Aeropelican Air Services
* Air Australia
* Air Queensland
* Airlines of Australia
* Airlines of New South Wales
* Airlines of South Australia
* Airtex Aviation
* Ansett Australia
* Aus-Air
* Australia Asia Airlines
* Australian airExpress
* Australian Airlines
* Australian National Airways (1930)
* Australian National Airways
* Brindabella Airlines
* British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
* Bonza
* Butler Air Transport
* Compass Airlines
* Connellan Airways
* East-West Airlines
* Eastland Air
* Emu Airways
* Flight West Airlines
* Global Air
* Golden Eagle Airlines
* Hart Aircraft Service
* Hazelton Airlines
* Horizon Airlines
* Impulse Airlines
* Ipec
* JetGo
* Kendell Airlines
* Lloyd Aviation
* MacAir Airlines
* MacRobertson Miller Airlines
* North Queensland Airways
* O'Connor Airlines
* OzJet
* Pacific Air Express
* Queensland Pacific Airlines
* Queensland Regional Airlines
* Regional Pacific Airlines
* Rossair
* SkyAirWorld
* Sunshine Express Airlines
* Tasair
* Tigerair Australia
* Trans Australia Airlines
* Transair
* Transwest Airlines
* V Australia
* West Australian Airways
* Yanda Airlines

* v
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Members of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia

* Air Link
* Airnorth
* Alliance Airlines
* Aviair
* Link Airways
* Maroomba Airlines
* Par Avion
* Rex Airlines
* Regional Pacific Airlines
* RFDS Central Operations
* RFDS Western Operations
* RFDS Queensland Section
* RFDS South Eastern Section
* Rossair
* Sharp Airlines
* Skippers Aviation
* Skytrans
* Team Global Express
* Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
* West Wing Aviation

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