So not impossible for them to fit in something like...

IoM - Glos - Jer - Alderney - Jer - Glos - IoM? It would just mean moving their return flights from Jersey back an hour or maybe less.

Or Add ACI in on the Glos - Jer route perhaps. But I am guessing their IoM - Jersey pax would be vexed by two stops in their journey.

I had a quick look at their site for June and they only look to be doing Saturdays. No bad thing at all from an Alderney perspective, though the article said the States of Alderney would like two week to bracket the weekend. Presumably they are thinking Fri afternoon and Sunday afternoon are ideal.

Yes, possible. But I thought that the requirement was for something a bit more frequent.

Twice a week, May to September. So the article reports.

I just hope they are offering a subsidy per passengers carried on guaranteed routings and not for empty a/c. And that Aurigny get a similar subsidy.

Oh well, it all fits together. I must say that this frequency is much closer to where I think the demand figure lies ! Looking forward to the new service.

Licences have been granted for new routes to Jersey and Cherbourg. Julian Storey at Biggin Hill is working with a firm called Wessex Aviation (??) to set up a Turbine Islander operation out of Alderney called Air Alderney Ltd. 2x daily to JER and a less frequent pax-freight combi operation to CER. Regs on eight seat operations are considerably less stringent than for the Tris; cost per ASM likely rather lower. Licences have been granted by the States for a July start. Whether an AOC is forthcoming within this rather tight time-frame (none currently; CAA list) has yet to be seen.

New link planned between Jersey & Alderney | Bailiwick Express

Citywing
 

Lucky for Alderney that those who wanted to replace Aurigny with Citywing (operated by Van Air) didn't succeed. It appears that Van Air have had permission to operate in the UK withdrawn by the CAA after flying from the Isle of Man to Belfast, aborting and returning to the Isle of Man during Storm Doris. Citywing services are currently being operated by a Titan 737.

Good thing they didn't replace Aurigny with Citywing. As they have now gone out of business
Citywing statement | Citywing News

Any updates on how Air Alderney are progressing towards operating commercial passenger flights ?

It seems fairly quiet....

They are busy building an airline. I'm sure they will release more news in the next few weeks.

Looks like Air Alderney are poised to take bookings from mid-June, after questions asked on an update on their facebook page (they are currently refurbishing the interior of one of the Islanders).

https://www.facebook.com/AirAlderney/

How much of Air Alderney's business model would depend on picking up custom from summer seasonal holiday passengers ? Or are they aiming almost entirely at people living in the Channel Islands ?

I think they are primarily aiming services for Alderney businesses & residents, especially with a dedicated freight flight too. I think starting out small to serve the islander's needs first is a good business model, rather than going in all guns ablaze and trying to serve multiple markets. I think they will expand when the demand is there, quite a sensible move & good luck to them - will be interesting to see the stats in the first months of them operating, let's see if they will be more reliable than Aurigny ;)

Whilst I do agree with what has been written above, I think that Air Alderney will be grateful for whatever business they can get ! You have to remember that the population of Alderney is below 2000 (with a seasonal increase in the summer). Nevertheless, there is not much business to be had (hence the losses on air services over many years). So, visitors will be eagerly touted for business, along with any other sector that might present itself.

I believe the aircraft that Air Alderney are planning to use are ex military ( Ghana Navy?) Turbine Islanders that are currently at Biggin Hill being refurbished, have there been any civilian AOC operations with this type of aircraft in the UK? If not there may be some delay in getting a CofA issued for passenger carrying.

Loganair use the islander for some Scottish interisland routes (westray etc)

I know that the Islander is used for Public Transport flights in UK but I'm talking about the Turbine Islander which as far as I know has not been certified in UK for public transport flights...

Turbine Islanders/Public Transport
 

The BN2T has been a type certified on the UK register with several companies including Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRA)

The subtle point is that although type certificated its never been operated under Part CAT for passenger ops. The CAA or 2-REG authority might bring up unexpected things in an audit. One I can think of would be an impending requirement for Turbine Aircraft below a certain seat number to have TAWS-A, that's not just slapping a GTN or GNS in the cockpit.


FRA wouldn't have that problem as they would be PART SPO for their special kind of stuff like fisheries patrol.


When you start down the AOC path you cannot believe the stuff that comes out of the wood work.


Personally I question the use of the Turbine Islander vs the piston one. Flown the Islander and Trislander out of Alderney and they work, Islander better than the Trislander. Those Rolls-Royce turbines will cause problems. Across the world I cant find any (please prove me wrong) that use them for pax ops with such short sectors.


Being part of a management team of an airline is a stress full, unsympathetic job with just about everyone demanding more. I think Alderney should just be grateful that Aurigny has stayed around. No AOC operator can make a decent living of just Alderney traffic that's why they have to expand and eventually leave (Blueislands and probably Aurigny) or fail like Air Sarnia (granted air Sarnia had some other interesting issues).
If Alderney isn't careful they will wind up with just a boat service.


The best model for Alderney residents is to get involved with WAVES and its 2-REG Cessna caravan operation. If they serve all the islands near France and UK then any losses can be shared around an entire channel island network. Most in the business have always know that the Caravan was the only answer. It works in so many other places there just not worth naming, one PT6A and associated overhaul and parts network, JET-A1 fuel etc etc


Ahhhh rant over...I feel better back to the paperwork.

Are you kidding? With the performance limitations inherent in the EASA Part-SET requirements then the Caravan is not good for island-hopping given the drift-down stipulations. If you are flying on/off an island, it either needs to be a) a large one or b) very close indeed to the next island to provide the adequate alternates during the climb and descent phases. Waves might be very aptly named.