Report: Aleutian Islands to receive chartered air service this fall

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Thursday, September 22nd, 2022 9:56am

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An Aleutian Airways’ Saab 2000 arrives in Dutch Harbor for the first time. (Photo courtesy Aleutian Airways/KSRM)

Kenai, Alaska (KSRM) - Aleutian Airways announced in August their successful completion of all FAA requirements necessary in order to begin operations.

Wexford Capital, the parent company of Sterling Airways announced last year that they formed a joint venture with Alaska Seaplanes and a local investment firm McKinsey Alaska Private Investment LLC under the brand Aleutian Airways to connect the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport with Unalaska/Dutch Harbor.

Aleutian Airways formed to fill the need for an airline service to the Aleutian Islands as well as other destinations throughout Alaska.

According to Aleutian Airways, chartered service to Dutch Harbor will begin immediately, and an announcement on scheduled routes will be released within the next two weeks.

“This has been a broad and all-encompassing safety review to prove and demonstrate that the Saab 2000 can safely operate in and out of Dutch Harbor,” said Wayne Heller, Aleutian Airways President, and CEO. “Our flight, maintenance, dispatch, safety, and engineering teams have worked tirelessly over the past year to develop policies and procedures that set a new standard for safe operations at Dutch Harbor.”

Because Aleutian Airways was able to complete its FAA requirements, they are able to add the Saab 2000 to Sterling Airways’ Part 121 Air Carrier Certificate, allowing service from Anchorage to begin under the Aleutian Airways brand after completing an FAA process to demonstrate safety, reliability, and operational soundness.

Heller went on to say, “In addition to hiring some of the most experienced Saab 2000 pilots familiar with operating to and from Dutch Harbor, our team worked closely with Saab, Rolls Royce, and its runway engineering and analysis partner AeroData, to ensure and validate that safe operations were possible for flights in and out of Tom Madsen Airport.”

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