Ravn Alaska currently serves 12 communities in Alaska. Northern Pacific operates all of its flights using the Ravn Alaska brand. The company pronounces its name Ravn like the bird, Raven.
Ravn Dash 8 300 in Dutch Harbor, Alaska
Ravn has a partnership with Alaska Airlines, allowing passengers to book interlining flights and allowing passengers on most Ravn flights to earn miles in Alaska's Mileage Plan frequent-flyer program.
History
Northern Pacific traces its roots to June 20, 1948, and the founding of Economy Helicopters. The company was founded by Carl Brady; he flew the first commercial helicopter to Alaska to work on a mapping contract for the U.S. government. In the years that followed, Economy Helicopters renamed itself Era Helicopters (now a part of Bristow Group).
Dash 8 300 in Ravn Alaska hangar.
In 1967, Houston based Rowan Companies, purchased the company from the founder.[3]
Ravn Alaska's ticket counter at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
After the construction of the pipeline, Era saw an opportunity to expand to scheduled passenger service, which they introduced in May 1983. The Convair planes were used for service to Valdez, Kenai, Kodiak, Cordova, and Homer. The Twin Otter fleet was based out of Bethel and operated service to many of the small communities surrounding it.
In 1988, Era Helicopters formally changed its name to Era Aviation, and changed structure and creating a division, still known as Era Helicopters, now a part of Bristow Group, alongside Era Aviation.
The company endured a very turbulent transition between December 2004 and December 2006, which saw two changes in ownership, the spinoff of the Era Helicopters division (on July 1, 2004), and the company entering (in very late 2005) and emerging from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.[5]
In early 2009, HoTH Inc., the holding company that owned Hageland Aviation Services and Frontier Flying Service, purchased Era Aviation.[5] However, Era Helicopters was not part of the acquisition (having left common ownership on July 1, 2004, when both were under SEACOR ownership).[6] In October 2009, HoTH Inc. also acquired Arctic Circle Air Service, a local cargo airline.[7] The combined air group rebranded itself as Era Alaska, taking advantage of Era's recognizable name.[8]
In January 2014, the companies were renamed once again in what the company says was an effort to decrease confusion and distinguish it from other companies that are named Era,[9] including the former division and original operation of predecessor Era Aviation, then known as Era Helicopters/Era Group, which at this time was a publicly trading independent company.[6] The combined air group Era Alaska was renamed Ravn Alaska,[10] Era Airlines was renamed Corvus Airlines,[11] and while Hageland Aviation Services and Frontier Flying Service would keep their names, they both began operating as Ravn Connect.[12]
In August 2016, the New York-based J.F. Lehman and Co. acquired a majority stake in Ravn. The remaining shares were retained by Bob Hajdukovich, then CEO of the company.[10]
Ravn Alaska purchased all of the aircraft and other owned assets of Yute Air on March 5, 2017, as the latter shutdown, and took over the Yute Air routes.[13]
On April 5, 2020, in the midst of travel disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ravn shut down its entire operation, laid off all staff, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[16][17][18][19]
The leadership of the North Slope Borough attempted to take possession of the airline's assets in order to maintain flights and shipments to their rural communities, but the Alaska Attorney General said that they did not have authority for this action.[20] The sudden stoppage of all operations stranded dozens of communities in rural Alaska, leaving them without regularly scheduled air service. Wright Air Service and other small air carriers have been performing air service on a charter flight basis.[citation needed]
At the bankruptcy auction in July 2020, the Ravn Connect part 135 airline was sold in pieces to other airlines of Alaska. The part 121 airlines Corvus Airlines and PenAir were sold to FLOAT Shuttle, a commuter service based in Los Angeles.[21]
Resumption of operations
On October 14, 2020, Ravn Alaska received approvals from the FAA to resume operations.[22] On November 13, 2020, while awaiting approval from the US Department of Transportation authority for scheduled operations, the airline resumed service to Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), Homer, Kenai, Sand Point, and Valdez using Public Charters managed by "Ravn Travel." Each market was served 4 days a week from Anchorage.[23] On November 30, scheduled route authority was received from the US Department of Transportation, and the airline resumed scheduled flights to and from Anchorage, Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), Homer, Kenai, Kodiak, and Sand Point under the name Ravn Alaska.[24][25]
On 23 February 2024, CEO Rob McKinney announced that 130 employees had been laid off amid increasing financial difficulties. He cited inflation, labor shortages and unexpected competition on some of Ravn’s routes.[27]
Fleet
The Ravn Alaska fleet includes the following aircraft:
Previously, Ravn Alaska offered scheduled service to over 100 Alaskan cities and communities.[29] Currently, Ravn Alaska serves 13 communities and provides statewide charter service.[30]
Beginning on January 14, 2011, Discovery Channel'sFlying Wild Alaska showcased Era Alaska's daily operations. It aired until July 20, 2012, totaling 31 episodes over three seasons.[31]
Accidents and incidents
None of the accidents below were by the air carrier certificate Northern Pacific Airways f/k/a Corvus Airlines. These were all by other certificates owned by the Ravn Air Group that was dissolved in bankruptcy in 2020.
November 8, 1997 – Hageland Aviation Flight 500 was a Cessna Caravan 675B which crashed. After the NTSB report, investigators determined there were multiple causes of the crash, including icing, weight imbalance and pilot error.[32] The accident killed all 8 passengers and crew on board.
December 9, 2002 – During a Raytheon Pre-purchase Flight, a Beechcraft 1900C crashed after running into a mountain in western Arkansas. The accident killed all 3 pilots on board, including Ron Tweto, President of Hageland Aviation Services.
November 29, 2013 – Four people were killed when Flight 1453 crashed near the village of St. Mary's. The flight originated from Bethel.[33]
August 31, 2016 – A Ravn Connect Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX collided with a Renfro's Alaskan Adventures Piper Super Cub during a flight from Russian Mission Airport to Marshall Airport in Alaska. The five people on board the two aircraft lost their lives.[34]
October 2, 2016 – Three people were killed when a Ravn Alaska Cessna 208B crashed near Togiak, Alaska. There were no survivors.[35]
See also
Buffalo Airways - Another airline with a reality TV show based around it
Related Research Articles
Frontier Flying Service was an American airline headquartered in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It operated an extensive network of year-round scheduled commuter services and postal services to Alaska bush communities, primarily north of Fairbanks, as well as charter services to the lower 48 and Canada.
Bering Air is an American airline headquartered in Nome, Alaska, United States. It operates domestic scheduled passenger and charter airline services, as well as air ambulance and helicopter services. Its main base is Nome Airport, with hubs at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (Kotzebue) and Unalakleet Airport.
MarkAir was a regional airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, that became a national air carrier operating passenger jet service in the United States with a hub and corporate headquarters located in Denver, Colorado. After a second bankruptcy in 1995, it ceased operations in October and was later liquidated.
Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport is a public and military use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Kodiak, a city on Kodiak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is state-owned and operated by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). It is home to the co-located Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak and a hub for Servant Air. On April 11, 2013, the Alaska State Legislature passed SB31, which renamed the facility "Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport," in honor of the designer of the Alaskan flag.
Wien Air Alaska (IATA: WC) was a United States airline that was the result of a merger of Northern Consolidated Airlines(NCA) and Wien Alaska Airways (WE). It initially used the name Wien Consolidated Airlines (WC) following the merger in July 17, 1968. In August 1, 1973, Wien Consolidated became Wien Air Alaska. The company was famous for being the first airline in Alaska, and one of the first in the United States. It ceased operations on 23 November 1984, at which point it was operating as Wien Airlines.
Flight Alaska was an American airline based in Bethel, Alaska, United States. It operated scheduled services to over 22 villages in Alaska and also provided charter services throughout Alaska. Its main base was Bethel Airport. The air carrier announced abruptly that it was ceasing operations on March 5, 2017, effective immediately, with Ravn Alaska purchasing the tangible owned assets of Yute Air and replacing Yute Air on its former routes. The company slogan was Wings of the People.
Homer Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) east of the central business district of Homer, a town in the Kenai Peninsula Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska.
Peninsula Airways, operated as PenAir, was a U.S.-based regional airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. It was Alaska's second-largest commuter airline operating scheduled passenger service, as well as charter and medevac services throughout the state. Its main base was Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. PenAir had a code sharing agreement in place with Alaska Airlines with its flights operated in the state of Alaska.
Hageland Aviation Services was a regional FAR Part 135 airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It operated as the Ravn Connect component of Ravn Alaska, serving many destinations throughout Alaska.
Servant Air, Inc. is an American regional airline with operations throughout The United States and Alaska, USA. It operates domestic scheduled passenger and international charter services. Its main hub is Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC) and its main scheduled airline service base is Kodiak Airport (PADQ) with regional operations bases in Boston, MA, White Plains, NY, Fort Lauderdale, FL and San Juan, PR. Servant Air Also provides critical care Air Ambulance services throughout its operating area.
Frontier Alaska was the name under which HoTH, Inc., marketed the services of its multiple airline holdings: Frontier Flying Service, Hageland Aviation Services, and Era Aviation. It is now part of the Ravn group of companies of Ravn Alaska / Ravn Connect / Ravn Connect - Charters. These HoTH airlines group of companies are featured in the television show Flying Wild Alaska.
Everts Air is an American airline based in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It operates scheduled and charter airline cargo as well as passenger services within Alaska and Canada. Its main base is Fairbanks International Airport with its major hub at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The company slogan is Legendary Aircraft. Extraordinary Service.
Russian Mission Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located in Russian Mission, a city in the Kusilvak Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.
Grant Aviation is a regional airline that serves the town of Kenai, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Bristol Bay, and the Aleutian Chain in Alaska, United States. The airline was formed in 1971 as Delta Air Services based in Emmonak. The current owners are Bruce McGlasson and Mark "Woody" Richardson, who purchased the airline in 2004. The company slogan is "Fly Easy, Fly Grant."
Era Aviation was a fixed wing airline as well as a commercial helicopter operation based in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It operated a network of scheduled fixed wing passenger services from Anchorage as well as from Bethel, AK on behalf of Alaska Airlines via a code sharing agreement. Its main base was located at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC). Era Aviation has since been renamed Corvus Airlines who currently do business as Ravn Alaska. The company slogan was FlySmart. FlyEra.
FLOAT Shuttle that means Fly Over All Traffic is a Californian start-up commuter airline based in Pomona. The airline was founded by Arnel Guiang, Tom Hsieh, and Rob McKinney. The company offers a subscription service allowing customers to travel on daily flights between various general aviation airports in the Los Angeles area.
New Pacific Airlines, formerly known as Corvus Airlines and Northern Pacific Airways, is an American charter airline and former low-cost carrier based in Anchorage, Alaska.
Aleutian Airways is a joint venture between Sterling Airways and Alaska Seaplanes which offers scheduled flights between Anchorage and Southwest Alaska.
↑ "Contact Us". Ravn Air. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020. RavnAir Group 4700 Old International Airport Road Anchorage, AK 99502
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
