A Models are cheap. Saw one of $700k.


Think most of Saab drivers at Vincent were Kiwis. Wonder if any of them looking for jobs back home. It's over 11 months now since they went belly up.

Agreed that those requirements for pilots should justify decent pay. But as Nelson will be crew base one should expect 'sunshine wages' i.e. nothing flash compared to OZ pay for a similar role.

I could be wrong but..

Kiwi Regional announces first routes.
 

KIWI Regional Airlines has announced the routes it will fly with its first aircraft

Commencing on September 27th this year, Kiwi will start each day with a return Dunedin – Queenstown flight, supporting close business and tourism relationships between the two cities.

The aircraft, a SAAB 340A 32-seat twin-engine turboprop model, will then fly mid-morning to Nelson direct from Dunedin, a route that has not been flown previously by a scheduled service, but connects the country's premier fishing industry ports, and the two largest South Island cities outside Christchurch.

From Nelson, Kiwi flies return to Hamilton in the middle of the day, renewing a connection flown by thousands of passengers annually on both Origin Pacific and Air New Zealand until 2008.

The flight then returns from Nelson to Dunedin mid-afternoon, before repeating the Dunedin – Queenstown return flight in the early evening.

Kiwi Chief executive Ewan Wilson said he was "very pleased at the progress Kiwi is making"'.

"Our Civil Aviation Authority certification is well under way, key personnel have been appointed, airports are being negotiated with, aircraft purchase steps are nearing fruition and now we have finalised our first route."

"Our route is an exciting one, different from all other airlines, and we expect will be well-supported by the communities it serves."

Kiwi intends to add a second aircraft, and additional routes, within the next 12 months.

I would have thought you would want 2 aircraft before you started operating RPT from one end of the country to the other?
How long before we see stories about upset pax when the aircraft is AOG and no alternative flights on offer?

SAAB 340A equals business failure. The A is a dog whenever you get hot and high. They will not be flying IFR to Queenstown with any sort of reliable schedule, the SAAB does not have RNP AR qualification. I suspect the EO for the SAAB will be lower than the MSA, which will be problematic and in icing conditions will be almost impossible.

Well, I thought that they might have a chance depending on the routes, this for me though makes them a dead duck. They are going to have ONE aircraft flying the length of the country on a schedule so tight that the whole thing will fall to pieces after the first breakdown, diversion.

Taking a non-RNP aircraft into ZQN will guarantee many diversions, they might as well book the bus now.

I agree that Queenstown will be hugely problematic to this schedule. When I used to fly in there in a non RNP -AR capable aircraft we would often divert. I remember at one stage diverting three days in a row.
If Queenstown wasn't part of the mix and there were two aircraft it would seem viable. Whatever they do they have to stay away from the fracas on the routes contested by Jetstar.
Good luck to them. I'd love to see them succeed.

340A's must be as cheap as chips to buy.


Note the press release says 32 seats. Wonder if they've pulled seats to give better performance ?


Surely, they'd have some backup if aircraft goes U/S but who/what ?


Isn't alternate for ZQN now the new Te Anua strip ?

Do you mean Te Anau? I'd hardly think so.

could divert to alexandra, wanaka or teanau. first two would be there preference i suspect.

Isn't the LX NDB soon to be withdrawn?

Wanaka has only RNAV approaches which means "sole means" nav ability plus I'm not sure you could use it as an alternate for these reasons anyway.

crowdfunding ?
 

does anyone know how Kiwi's crowdfunding campaign is going or went, for their 2nd aircraft ?

Not terribly well, they shut up shop July 30 and sell the Saab to Air Chats...

History does repeat it self, wonder what he will try in 15 years time? Maybe Kiwi Pacific Airlines?

Interesting to see CV getting to the SF340, maybe an replacement for there passenger conviars down the track? along with some SF2000s as combi's.

email just recd
 

Well, we could all see that coming. Another Wilson success story :ugh:

at least he had a go
 

hard to compete with dodgy NZ & their highly illegal tactics (eg. Freedom Air)

What do you mean BNEA320 ?

They didn't compete with anybody !

They flew odd routes with a (1) larger aircraft that simply didn't have, and would never have, the numbers. There was no way they were ever going to survive, don't kid yourself thinking otherwise under their current setup. Anyone who knows the NZ aviation industry knew this.


I will hand it to EW for closing it down properly before the receivers ever got involved.

ewan prolly wasnt that keen for another fraud conviction.

not sure what bnea320's beef is. nothing illegal about freedom air.

perhaps he could elaborate?

Freedom Air totally illegal but NZ got away with it.