Pel-Air specialises in air charter and ad hoc services, operating executive charter services throughout Australasia, as well as a freight service. It also operates medevac (air ambulance) and government support services with its fleet of Westwind aircraft.
History
Three Pel-Air Westwinds parked together
The company was founded in 1984 and the following year acquired its first Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Westwind aircraft. In January 1989 it commenced scheduled passenger-carrying operations in Western Australia via subsidiary company Qwestair, initially with a leased Beech 200 Super King Air flying between Perth and Telfer. A Westwind replaced the King Air in March of that year, and a Cessna 310 was added in January 1992 to operate between Port Hedland and Telfer via Marble Bar and Woodie Woodie. Qwestair ceased operations in November 1995 after the Perth-Telfer route was awarded to another company, and the two Westwinds then in use returned to Pel-Air operations.[1]
Also in 1995 Pel-Air took over Newcastle Aviation, an operator of Fairchild Metro III, and leased Metro II and Mitsubishi MU-2 freighters. Following the takeover the Mitsubishis and Metro IIs were handed back to their owners and the Metro III fleet was expanded. In 1996 Pel-Air won a contract to provide support to the Royal Australian Navy, resulting in further expansion of the fleet with the acquisition of four Learjets. In 1997 Pel-Air acquired several Metro II aircraft and on-sold them to the Royal Australian Air Force for use as training aids at RAAF Base Wagga near Wagga Wagga. In 2003 the company introduced a new type into its fleet when it took delivery of a leased Beechcraft 1900C freighter. The type proved to be more expensive to operate than the Metro III and the two aircraft in the fleet were handed back to their lessors.
In 2005 another new type was added to the fleet when the company placed an Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia freighter into service, for use on nightly flights between Sydney and Brisbane carrying Fairfax Media newspapers. Also in 2005 it was announced that Pel-Air would be purchased in stages by Regional Express Holdings; the company becoming a wholly owned subsidiary in mid-2007. Also in 2007, Aspen Medical entered an existing joint venture between Pel-Air and CareFlight to operate air ambulance flights out of Darwin Airport using one of the Westwind aircraft.
Pel-Air IAI Westwind with Careflight International and Aspen Medical titles
In June 2008 it was announced that a Pel-Air Westwind II would be based at Perth Airport for use as an air ambulance in conjunction with CareFlight.[2] This service was withdrawn in June 2009.
In late 2008 the company added another new type to the fleet, when it took delivery of two Saab 340A freighters, previously operated in passenger service with the parent company's other airline subsidiary Regional Express Airlines.[3] A third Saab 340 was converted to a freighter and transferred from Regional Express a year later.
Victorian Air Ambulance Beechcraft B300C King Air 360CER operated by Pel-Air
In April 2009 Regional Express Holdings announced that due to the cancellation of a number of contracts it would cease all scheduled Metro III freight operations at the end of May. Remaining scheduled freight operations would be conducted using the Saab 340As.[6] Also in April Regional Express Holdings launched RexJet Executive Charter as a division of Pel-Air, in a rebranding and expansion of the group's existing passenger air charter business.[7][8]
In July 2009 the parent company announced that Pel-Air had been named as preferred tenderer for the provision of air ambulance services in Victoria. The company took over from the previous operator, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, in mid-2011.[9]
In February 2020 Regional Express announced Pel-Air would be providing Air Ambulance services on behalf of New South Wales Ambulance, placing an order with Beechcraft for five King Air 350 aircraft.[10] Pel-Air further announced the procurement of two Pilatus PC-24 aircraft to be introduced into NSW ambulance service from the second half of 2023.[11] Pel-Air took over from the previous operator, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, in January 2022 on a 10-year contract.[12]
In October 2024 Pel-Air was purchased by the Toll Group for $47.1m after Regional Express went into voluntary administration. The deal included the entire Pel-Air fleet and the companies existing contracts to provide the Air Ambulance services for NSW, ACT and Vic Governments.[13]
Fleet
Former Pel-Air Saab 340A freighter conversionFormer Pel-Air Gates Learjet 35A target tug aircraft based at the Royal Australian Navy air base HMAS Albatross
As of April 2023 the Pel-Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:[14]
On 10 October 1985 one of the company's Westwind aircraft crashed into the sea off Sydney after departing Sydney Airport on a flight to Brisbane; the two crewmembers were killed.[15]
On 27 April 1995 the company suffered a second fatal Westwind crash when one of its aircraft hit a hill on approach to Alice Springs Airport, killing the three occupants.[15]
On 18 November 2009 a third Westwind, a 1124A Westwind II, was written-off near Norfolk Island during an air ambulance flight from Apia to Melbourne on behalf of CareFlight. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Norfolk Island to refuel but weather conditions there had deteriorated while it was en route. After several failed landing attempts the crew successfully ditched in open sea in darkness and bad weather. All six occupants were rescued.[15][16][17]
On 4 November 2022 a Saab 340B operating a charter flight for Pel-Air from Flinders Island aborted its takeoff after all tyres on the main landing gear deflated. An investigation found the parking brake was likely not fully released, causing significant drag and heat to be generated during taxi and takeoff, eventually resulting in tyre failure.[18]
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