 |
 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1991 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating bases | Dunedin International Airport, Dunedin, New Zealand | ||||||
| Fleet size | 19 | ||||||
| Destinations | 2 (scheduled) | ||||||
| Parent company | Enfield Holdings Ltd | ||||||
| Headquarters | Dunedin, New Zealand | ||||||
| Key people | Phillip & Shirley Kean (Managers) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.mainlandair.com/ | ||||||
Mainland Air is a general aviation, flight training and air charter company operating out of Dunedin International Airport in New Zealand. [4]
Mainland Air was established in 1991 by Queenstown businessman Christopher Kelliher. From 1995 to 2006 the airline operated courier flights for New Zealand Post between Dunedin and Christchurch. Later in 2007 the airline started a thrice weekly Dunedin to Alexandra and Queenstown service using a ten-seater Piper Chieftain. [5] In March 2008 Mainland started a thrice weekly Dunedin to Invercargill service also using its Piper Chieftain aircraft. At that time Mainland were also considering services to Wānaka and Te Anau. Later all these scheduled services were dropped due to lack of demand. Late 2009 Chris Kelliher sold the company to the Paterson family who owned Mainland's major maintenance provider, Southair Ltd [6] [7] In 2013 Mainland Air was sold to Phil and Shirley Kean, respectively the long time Chief Pilot and General Manager. Mainland operates two Piper Chieftain twin engine aircraft for charter and air ambulance duties, a fleet of Cessna 152 aircraft for pilot training, two Piper Seneca twin engine aircraft for charter and multi-engine instrument training and a twin engine Tecnam aircraft for pilot training.
Mainland Air Services provides charter flights throughout New Zealand. Its scenic flights visit popular destinations such as Milford Sound, Mount Aspiring/Tititea, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Fiordland, Omarama, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Taiaroa Heads and the Queenstown area. [8] As well as operating air ambulance transfer flights, Mainland Air provides charter flights for medical specialists from Dunedin to Invercargill and Alexandra several times per week on behalf of the Southern District Health Board. [9]
Mainland Air also operates a flying training school, called Mainland Aviation College. [10]
A scheduled service began on 4 June 2014 linking Oamaru and Christchurch using Piper Chieftain aircraft. [11] This service ended due to lack of patronage three months later. [12]
Flights linking Timaru and Wānaka to Christchurch, and Oamaru to Wellington have also been discussed. [13] [14]
Mainland Air operates the following aircraft: [15]
| Aircraft | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cessna 152 | 5 active, 6 stored | Flying school training aircraft |
| Cessna 172 | 3 | Flying school training aircraft |
| Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain | 2 | |
| Piper PA-34 Seneca III | 2 active, one stored |
Christchurch Airport is the main airport that serves Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, in the suburb of Harewood. Christchurch (Harewood) Airport officially opened on 18 May 1940 and became New Zealand's first international airport on 16 December 1950. It is the second busiest airport in New Zealand, after Auckland and before Wellington by annual passengers, and the second busiest, after Auckland, by aircraft movements.
New Zealand National Airways Corporation, popularly known as NAC, established by the New Zealand National Airways Act, 1945, was the national domestic airline of New Zealand until 1978 when it amalgamated with New Zealand's international airline, Air New Zealand. The airline was headquartered in Wellington.
Aspiring Air was an airline based in Wānaka, New Zealand. It operated charter pleasure flights around New Zealand's Southern Alps and scheduled services three times daily to Queenstown, connecting with Air New Zealand. Its main base was Wānaka Airport.
Air Nelson was a regional airline based in Nelson, New Zealand. It was founded as an independent airline in 1979. Air New Zealand took a 50% shareholding in 1988 and 100% ownership in 1995. Air Nelson operated services on provincial routes under the Air New Zealand Link brand.
Eagle Airways was a regional airline based in Hamilton, New Zealand and was wholly owned by Air New Zealand, operating regional services under the Air New Zealand Link brand. The airline was disbanded on 26 August 2016, with staff absorbed into Air New Zealand's other subsidiaries.
Mount Cook Airline was a regional airline based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Formerly part of the Mount Cook Group and latterly a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, it operated scheduled services throughout the country under the Air New Zealand Link brand. In December 2019, the brand name was retired with all services operated under the Air New Zealand banner.
Dunedin Airport, officially Dunedin International Airport, also known as Momona Airport, is an international airport in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand, serving Dunedin city and the Otago and Southland regions. Dunedin Airport is one of two international airports in Otago, the other being Queenstown International Airport. It is located adjacent to the village of Momona on the Taieri Plains approximately 22 kilometres south west of Dunedin CBD. It is the fifth busiest airport in New Zealand by passengers.
Alexandra Aerodrome is an aerodrome 2 NM (3.7 km) northwest of Alexandra, New Zealand.
Sounds Air is a New Zealand airline based at Picton. The airline was founded in 1986 by Cliff and Diane Marchant to provide low cost flights to the Marlborough Sounds. The airline has a maintenance facility at Omaka aerodrome with its Sounds Aero Maintenance division based there.
South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand was a New Zealand airline, operating between 1960 and 1966. It is regarded as a forerunner to Ansett New Zealand.
Invercargill Airport is a fully secured controlled international designated airport located 1.6 km west of the Central business district of Invercargill at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the southernmost controlled airport in the Commonwealth. Formed on land reclaimed from the Waihopai/New River Estuary in 1938, the airport was prone to flooding, notably in 1984 when it was inoperable for two months. The Invercargill City Council considered moving the airport back to Dawson Farm, Myross Bush, the original site up to 1942. Instead, a large flood protection scheme was built, but during its construction heavy rain and an unusually high tidal surge flooded it again in 1987. There have been no problems since. The airport has a main secured terminal, a backup international secured terminal and 5 tarmac gates. Invercargill is the eleventh-busiest airport in New Zealand by passenger traffic.
Stewart Island Flights is a commuter airline from New Zealand that conducts scheduled flights on light aircraft between Invercargill and Stewart Island. The airline also operates charter services to several of the island’s beaches. In 2000, Southern Air was acquired by South East AirLtd, which was founded by Raymond Hector and Bill Moffatt in 1993. Since then, South East AirLtd has been the parent company and holder of the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) under which Stewart Island Flights and Invercargill Aircraft Maintenance operate.
Wānaka Airport is an airport serving the rural town of Wānaka in Otago, New Zealand. The airport currently has scheduled commercial flights from one airline, SoundsAir, with Air New Zealand having ceased flights to the airport in 2013. It largely serves as a base for scenic and charter flights to destinations such as Milford Sound and Mount Aspiring National Park. The airport is located beside State Highway 6, on a plateau above the small village of Luggate, and is 10 km south-east of Wānaka township. It was originally a private airstrip owned by Tim Wallis, but in 1985 it became the main commercial airport for Wānaka, replacing Mount Iron Aerodrome.
Oamaru Airport is an airport located 20 km north of Oamaru alongside State Highway 1, at Hilderthorpe in the North Otago region and the Waitaki District of New Zealand.
Richard Pearse Airport, also known as Timaru Airport, is located off the Pleasant Point Highway, 4 km north of the suburb Washdyke in Timaru, New Zealand.
Ritchies Transport is a New Zealand private bus operator, owned by KKR. It was established in 1972 and describes itself as "the largest privately owned bus and coach transport operator in New Zealand" with a fleet of over 1500 vehicles spread across depots nationwide. It owns a 46% stake in InterCity.
Transport in Invercargill, New Zealand is mostly by bus and private car.
Invercargill Passenger Transport Ltd was a bus company which operated public transport routes in Dunedin and Invercargill as well as school transport services in those cities as well as Queenstown and leisure and tourism transport services throughout the South Island of New Zealand
Air Safaris is a New Zealand scenic flight and air charter company based at the Lake Tekapo Airport located 2.8 km west of the town of Lake Tekapo, off State Highway 8 in the Mackenzie District of New Zealand. The airline operates from 5 bases: Tekapo, Franz Josef, Glentanner, Twizel and Mt Cook airports. The company logo is a stylised chamois; these are wild goat-like antelope which inhabits the region of the South Island High Country.
The history of aviation in New Zealand began in the late 19th century when balloon flights began. In the first decade of the 20th century, several New Zealanders began developing heavier-than-air craft. The first confirmed powered flight in New Zealand being made by Richard Pearse in 1902 though is considered uncontrolled.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
 | This article relating to an Oceanian airline is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |