Air Alderney
Join Date: Jul 2009
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I believe Danny Brem-Wilson is involved in returning two Wessexes to flight (XT761 and XT771). G-INFO says he is also the registered owner of G-BRYC (formerly WA539). I happened to see G-BJED landing at Le Touquet on Saturday afternoon, apparently on a charter.
Join Date: Mar 2010
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According to the Air Alderney Facebook page today they now have their AOC and plan to start ops in Feb 2020 from Alderney to Jersey, subject to route licences from the States of Alderney. They also stated they have added two more Islanders to their fleet, i wonder if this will now at last happen or is it just a fantasy island airline.
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Yes that is a possibility Gurnard i suppose we will have to wait and see if this is true, they also stated that they hoped to get their route licence in early December so should be any day now.
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The picture of the Islander on their FB page is of G-HEBO... ex G-BUBK built 1995... and thus not ex Skybus.
What happened to their BN-2T 2-BILL or G-BJED ?
Think a wise decision to go with the piston engine Islanders - faster turn-arounds.
Very interesting developments.
What happened to their BN-2T 2-BILL or G-BJED ?
Think a wise decision to go with the piston engine Islanders - faster turn-arounds.
Very interesting developments.
Well, it’s been on all the C.I. media - Air Alderney will be starting on Alderney. - Jersey in February. However, the chances of making any money on this route are minuscule. They would have to capture a lot of the Alderney - Guernsey interline traffic to do so. Maybe they will, but I think that is unlikely. What looks likely is a twice a day service (16 pax) - anymore frequency than that would bleed them dry - & an a/c utilization of about 90 mins per day; & a fairly steep fare structure. Where else are they going to get a/c utilization from ? I think that their only chance of survival would be if they could totally replace AUR in Alderney. That is IF they do actually start the service & maintain it. Both appear unlikely to me.
Join Date: Dec 2001
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A search of the CAA AOC Holders and 2 REG AOC Holders reveals no evidence of Air Alderney having been issued an AOC. However, piggybacking on someone else’s AOC is not out of the question. The registration ‘2 BILL’ also does not show up following a 2 REG search and the Islander once sporting the Air Alderney decals seems to have been returned to the owners! Make of that what you will!
My understanding is that Skybus are planning to make their Islanders redundant in March 2020.
Air Alderney also seem intent on raising funds through their website AlderneyAirAmbulance.org and give the appearance of being very active with their privately owned BO105! At this point words fail me....
My understanding is that Skybus are planning to make their Islanders redundant in March 2020.
Air Alderney also seem intent on raising funds through their website AlderneyAirAmbulance.org and give the appearance of being very active with their privately owned BO105! At this point words fail me....
Join Date: Aug 2007
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A search of the CAA AOC Holders and 2 REG AOC Holders reveals no evidence of Air Alderney having been issued an AOC. However, piggybacking on someone else’s AOC is not out of the question. The registration ‘2 BILL’ also does not show up following a 2 REG search and the Islander once sporting the Air Alderney decals seems to have been returned to the owners! Make of that what you will!
My understanding is that Skybus are planning to make their Islanders redundant in March 2020.
Air Alderney also seem intent on raising funds through their website AlderneyAirAmbulance.org and give the appearance of being very active with their privately owned BO105! At this point words fail me....
My understanding is that Skybus are planning to make their Islanders redundant in March 2020.
Air Alderney also seem intent on raising funds through their website AlderneyAirAmbulance.org and give the appearance of being very active with their privately owned BO105! At this point words fail me....
A link between ACI and JER might work (as the latter has some good international links, not least the Condor boat to France). Yes the frequency could be an issue. A link to UK (Lee on Solent was the plan) might also work if the details could ever be sorted out. A piston engine (ex Skybus?) islander between ACI/JER or GCI for a 10/15 min hop is surely workable but the same to Lee from ACI might be too slow (cf the original turbine Islander idea).
The Aurigny operation is so tainted (in the minds of the Alderney people) that many doubt that they can continue long term. Yet their Dorniers are a vast improvement over the Trislanders (Islanders) and their pilots are as professional as ever. And if people have a choice between 30 mins in a Dornier to SOU v 45 mins in a far noisier Islander / Trislander the answer will be inevitable.
Yes everyone is sceptical that Air Alderney will get off the ground but if they can make ACI/JER work then other scenarios might open up. The current lack of flights is crippling the island's tourism.
I have a house on Alderney and fly there regularly from Southampton on Aurigny. In summer the flights are invariably full but in winter on each of my last 4 flights there have only been between 5 and 8 pax - i.e. an Islander sized load. Bad weather is also a real issue for any flights into or out of ACI.
A link between ACI and JER might work (as the latter has some good international links, not least the Condor boat to France). Yes the frequency could be an issue. A link to UK (Lee on Solent was the plan) might also work if the details could ever be sorted out. A piston engine (ex Skybus?) islander between ACI/JER or GCI for a 10/15 min hop is surely workable but the same to Lee from ACI might be too slow (cf the original turbine Islander idea).
The Aurigny operation is so tainted (in the minds of the Alderney people) that many doubt that they can continue long term. Yet their Dorniers are a vast improvement over the Trislanders (Islanders) and their pilots are as professional as ever. And if people have a choice between 30 mins in a Dornier to SOU v 45 mins in a far noisier Islander / Trislander the answer will be inevitable.
Yes everyone is sceptical that Air Alderney will get off the ground but if they can make ACI/JER work then other scenarios might open up. The current lack of flights is crippling the island's tourism.
A link between ACI and JER might work (as the latter has some good international links, not least the Condor boat to France). Yes the frequency could be an issue. A link to UK (Lee on Solent was the plan) might also work if the details could ever be sorted out. A piston engine (ex Skybus?) islander between ACI/JER or GCI for a 10/15 min hop is surely workable but the same to Lee from ACI might be too slow (cf the original turbine Islander idea).
The Aurigny operation is so tainted (in the minds of the Alderney people) that many doubt that they can continue long term. Yet their Dorniers are a vast improvement over the Trislanders (Islanders) and their pilots are as professional as ever. And if people have a choice between 30 mins in a Dornier to SOU v 45 mins in a far noisier Islander / Trislander the answer will be inevitable.
Yes everyone is sceptical that Air Alderney will get off the ground but if they can make ACI/JER work then other scenarios might open up. The current lack of flights is crippling the island's tourism.
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Yes, but it is a huge ask. I don't think that you can seriously operate an airline with only one route carrying what , 25 pax per day (considerably less in winter)? The Alderney people are peed off with AUR, but they are not going to get anything better, or cheaper. Certainly not with Air Alderney. To make the thing even remotely viable, they need more routes, better a/c, & a monopoly.
The challenges of these routes must not be understated. On 26 Nov I was flying to SOU and over limit crosswinds delayed the inbound aircraft on the morning flight back to ACI from GCI; most pax were coming over to work on Alderney for the day (e.g. a health visitor); by the time the winds had abated, people had abandoned their trips and the booked load of 12 was down to just 2. As you say, it is a huge ask for whoever is operating ACI routes - and ACI and GCI have far more of a nexus than ACI/JER.
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Just spotted this delay in the start of services being reported: https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/n...ce-start-delay. I wonder if they will ever get there.
I also noticed that they have 2 web addresses - airalderney.gg and airalderney.org. The one that indicates services are about to start isn't the one painted on the side of their a/c, which seems rather odd.
I also noticed that they have 2 web addresses - airalderney.gg and airalderney.org. The one that indicates services are about to start isn't the one painted on the side of their a/c, which seems rather odd.
That’s not the only “odd” thing about Air Alderney. Another is the report in the J.E.P. to the effect that the Alderney to Jersey route would be starting 3 months or so late. The reason, apparently, being that they hadn’t realized that their licence for the route had expired. It will take a couple of months to get a new one approved. I may have got this wrong; but haven’t the States of Guernsey abolished the need for a licence - except for the Guernsey to Gatwick Route ? As I said previously, I will be surprised if Air Alderney ever get round to operating a scheduled service to anywhere.
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Local media on Alderney confirm that Air Alderney needs to reapply to the States of Alderney for the route licences (they were issued before for 2 years and that period has expired).
Although Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey different rules and laws apply here in many areas. The States of Alderney (the local Council equivalent) are pretty independent on many areas and air route licensing is one of them. But expect slow decisions.
All on the Island hope that they get airborne soon but fear that will never happen. The current Aurigny management have cut the ACI/SOU route to just two flights a day even in the 2020 mid summer holiday peak (four a day in 2019). That will decimate summer tourism visitor numbers. Lots of background to that including the route tendering / PSO processes taking forever (reinforcing the point on slow, or no, decision making).
Although Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey different rules and laws apply here in many areas. The States of Alderney (the local Council equivalent) are pretty independent on many areas and air route licensing is one of them. But expect slow decisions.
All on the Island hope that they get airborne soon but fear that will never happen. The current Aurigny management have cut the ACI/SOU route to just two flights a day even in the 2020 mid summer holiday peak (four a day in 2019). That will decimate summer tourism visitor numbers. Lots of background to that including the route tendering / PSO processes taking forever (reinforcing the point on slow, or no, decision making).
Thank you for clarifying the licensing issue, toscana. Looking on as an interested observer, it seems that Air Alderney is a “pie in the sky” project - how long has it been since the project was first mooted ? It often seems to be grown men playing at childrens’ games - ooh, let’s start an airline; we could have helicopters , too ! We’ll operate to here, there & everywhere ( In Alderney terms). And then, the reality takes over, & nothing ever happens. All sorts of excuses are banded around as justification. Judging from your well grounded & relevant comments, it would certainly seem that Alderney needs a reliable air carrier; but what is the likelihood of the island ever getting it ? AUR seem to have forgotten the very reason why they were founded, & appear to favour a withdrawal from the island. A new operator might well be the answer ; & Air Alderney could be it. But, they need to put their money where their mouth is & get on with it. More than that, they need to be able to obtain the vast majority of potential passengers to have a chance of making it pay - effectively a monopoly - bearing in mind the very small population of the island. This could be on the cards, considering AUR’s , apparent, unwillingness to provide a desirable & robust air service in the face of its continuing losses on the routes. Perhaps it is time that all concerned held a comprehensive review of what is necessary & what CAN be achieved ; & then set out, with purpose, to bring it to fruition. However, whatever is the future for Alderney air services, I fear that it can never be achieved without subsidies from the States of Guernsey !
This morning, G-BLNI flew over my garden on its way from Biggin to Tatenhill.
Air Alderney posted a video on their FB page in August showing the arrival from Cyprus of 5B-CHD, another piston Islander. Looks to be a former parachuting a/c.
So it looks like they've now got at least two piston Islanders. Anyone know what happened to the Turbine islander G-BJED that they had?
Air Alderney posted a video on their FB page in August showing the arrival from Cyprus of 5B-CHD, another piston Islander. Looks to be a former parachuting a/c.
So it looks like they've now got at least two piston Islanders. Anyone know what happened to the Turbine islander G-BJED that they had?
Just looked up the latest with AA to see what is what. You have to hand it to those behind this, they do seem to be making some headway with this and have stuck with it over the years. "Small Island" politics and the impact that has on "rapid progress" is legendary the world over!!
And Cyprus to Biggin? In an Islander? Strewth! It will be years before David and Mike will be able to hear again!!!
I'm not even going to go into the "why's and wherefore's" and "will it/won't it" work but, particularly at this time of gloom, well, they deserve a break and, tbh, sounds like the islanders (people not aircraft!!) could do with it too. I really enjoyed my time out there many years ago - wish it had never ended looking back.
So, to all those involved, good luck!
And Cyprus to Biggin? In an Islander? Strewth! It will be years before David and Mike will be able to hear again!!!
I'm not even going to go into the "why's and wherefore's" and "will it/won't it" work but, particularly at this time of gloom, well, they deserve a break and, tbh, sounds like the islanders (people not aircraft!!) could do with it too. I really enjoyed my time out there many years ago - wish it had never ended looking back.
So, to all those involved, good luck!