Air Kiribati and Pionair (Bankstown) E190-E2 EIS meeting in Auckland last week
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Air Kiribati and Pionair (Bankstown) E190-E2 EIS meeting in Auckland last week
Air Kiribati and Pionair (Bankstown) E190-E2 pre entry in to service meeting in Auckland last week. C/O Embraer via LinkedIn
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Last time I was in Christams Is I could almost feel the presence of WW2 bombers, sure felt what they left behind, a well used concrete/grass RWY! Talk about in the middle of nowhere! 
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My only recollection of this place was to depart about 1m off the centreline to avoid losing a wheel in all the potholes.
I don’t think we saw an answer to a very pertinent question posed by the appropriately named “uhoh”
There are three organisations in this country still operating that have introduced E-Jet aircraft into service and Pionair isn’t one of them. There are still people from Skyairworld around too.
it might only be a small jet but it couldn’t be further away from those buckets of bolts 146’s that pionair have than a tiger moth is to the space shuttle - they both have wings and at least one has engines but that is about as far as the similarities go.
The corporate history built up in air north, njs and virgin in relation to the spec, build inspection, acceptance testing and delivery, SOP development, training and checking of initial crews and entry into service is enormous, none of which Pionair have, so you have to repose the question asked by “uhoh” and go huh?
There are three organisations in this country still operating that have introduced E-Jet aircraft into service and Pionair isn’t one of them. There are still people from Skyairworld around too.
it might only be a small jet but it couldn’t be further away from those buckets of bolts 146’s that pionair have than a tiger moth is to the space shuttle - they both have wings and at least one has engines but that is about as far as the similarities go.
The corporate history built up in air north, njs and virgin in relation to the spec, build inspection, acceptance testing and delivery, SOP development, training and checking of initial crews and entry into service is enormous, none of which Pionair have, so you have to repose the question asked by “uhoh” and go huh?
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Folks,
The brains behind the present Pionair and related companies do have one thing in their favour ---- a long track record of solvency in an aviation sector better known for insolvency.
As for the technical aspects of flying operations, their team have plenty of experience, and the E-Jets are just another aeroplane.
Tootle pip!!
The brains behind the present Pionair and related companies do have one thing in their favour ---- a long track record of solvency in an aviation sector better known for insolvency.
As for the technical aspects of flying operations, their team have plenty of experience, and the E-Jets are just another aeroplane.
Tootle pip!!
There will be huge bureaucratic and logistical obstacles to overcome, but as long as the Kiribati Government keep signing the cheques, with the right management anything is possible. Fortunately that government has plenty of cash squirelled away from fishing royalties. Unlke the Nauruans they have not pissed it away on breweries, pubs, casinos, ships and (so far) airlines.
There was a time about 50 years ago when Tarawa was one of the best crew layovers in the Pacific. But much has changed, with Tarawa now one great rubbish dump. Overcrowded, dirty, stinks of sewage. The lagoon which we once skinny dipped in is now so polluted you would be unwise to even put your big toe in the water - don’t eat the fish unless it comes out of a tin.
Some of the more remote islands are still relatively unspoiled, so chuck enough billions at it, build some resorts and who knows? Could be the next go to place?
One thing is for sure, the only profits in this exercise will go to Embraer and Pionair, not the Kiribati government.
There was a time about 50 years ago when Tarawa was one of the best crew layovers in the Pacific. But much has changed, with Tarawa now one great rubbish dump. Overcrowded, dirty, stinks of sewage. The lagoon which we once skinny dipped in is now so polluted you would be unwise to even put your big toe in the water - don’t eat the fish unless it comes out of a tin.
Some of the more remote islands are still relatively unspoiled, so chuck enough billions at it, build some resorts and who knows? Could be the next go to place?
One thing is for sure, the only profits in this exercise will go to Embraer and Pionair, not the Kiribati government.
Last edited by Mach E Avelli; 8th Apr 2019 at 21:56.
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Wrong. Try the opposite.
“Nothing has changed EXCEPT the name!” And by George have they mastered it!
The brainiacs you for some reason praise as being solvent, continue today despite them having an APPALLING track record of solvency – many former employee’s super funds with UNPAID FUNDS would stand with me to disagree with you when they look at their accounts. Lemme break the facts down for you of the Players’ Involvement:
1) Pionair Australia: 2 Administrations, 1 receivership, owing taxes & other creditors multi-millions. Directors & business remains.
2) MacAir: You guessed it! Another failed airline, former owner in that EIS pic.
3) Skyforce Aviation: Division of Pionair Liquidated owing millions in unpaid employee entitlements & other creditors (Super remains unpaid). Same Directors & Business as Pionair Australia
4) Skyforce Australia: ANOTHER division of Pionair, Liquidated less than a year into operations (Super remains unpaid). Same Directors & Business as Pionair Australia.
5) Pionair Charters: Started last year, same pattern? Is this going to be their latest Skyforce reinvention just with the BAE-146’s replacing Convairs as the loss-making aircraft of choice? How novel! Wonder how their super is tracking nowadays?
How is it possible, that these (in)solvency kings of our industry are involved as experts for any part of the E190-E2 project other than it’s swift wind up and establishment of top notch strategies to diddle the little guys involved of their owed retirement funds?
Find me a single mainstream media article on Pionair?? None! Maybe that’s how they prefer it, so they can keep saying and acting as if they are a startup with zero history and can keep reinventing their brand without consequence?
Will Air Kiribati mind waiting 3+ years <<after delivery>> for their first revenue flight? Sounds daft however is a critically pertinent question.
Remember their first BAE-146 G-ZAPN (now VH-SIF), not first of type, and not requiring them to upgrade to RPT, or conjure a BRAND NEW NZ AOC landed Bankstown 9 April 2013. There would have had to have been manuals, training, AOC approvals and other preparations before it landed. It’d be a closely managed process, right? That would be the bare minimum industry standard process from an expert organisation of industry heavyweights, right?
Wrong. Try the opposite.
It flew to Australia as a private flight and was a resident at Bankstown Airport for over 3 years.
3 Full Years and then some. Indisputable black & white, wheels on ground, FACT. That’s their credentials adding their latest to their AOC, Folks.
Their BAE-146 AOC was issued 6 July 2016. That’s 1184 days in Bankstown without an AOC. CASA must be laughing, or crying, or crying laughing at the incompetence of the revolving door of their “expert” team.
Their passenger aircraft BAE-146 G-ZAPK (now VH-SAZ) arrived 13 February 2018 and didn’t fly revenue passengers until August 30 2018! My source says their sales team had to cancel a series of contracts for the Commonwealth Games (March 2018) as their team couldn’t get the AOC pax upgrade done by agreed deadline. But 6 months late? Yep, stellar example of a bunch of top-notch industry-leading brainiacs yet again right there.
Anyone else spot a pattern? I wouldn't get these experts to wash a Cessna let alone set up an AOC for an E190-E2.
I heard they are in serious strife yet again and the industry is just waiting for their upcoming administration/liquidation, so the vultures can come pick over what, if anything, is left after lessors have extracted their dues. Again.
Surely you’d call stumps and move onto something else after this many failed attempts?
Air Kiribati and Embraer should “calmly yet swiftly make their way to the nearest emergency exit”. As was said earlier, if they don’t, they can keep the photo for the creditors meeting in the near future!
