Empire Airlines
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| Founded | 1977 | ||||||
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| AOC # | COEA135A[1] | ||||||
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Focus cities |
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| Fleet size | 56 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Hayden, Idaho, U.S. | ||||||
| Website | empireairlines | ||||||
Empire Airlines is a cargo and former passenger airline based in
History
Empire Airlines was established and started operations in May 1977 in Orofino as a charter company. Originally named Clearwater Flying Service (thus the CFS identifier for its flights), it was purchased by Nick Chenoweth and Vick Walters on April 12. Soon thereafter, a third partner, Mel Spelde joined as a flight instructor. Clearwater Flying Service made a living doing several different things including, fire patrol, transporting outfitters into the backcountry, air ambulance, air pollution monitoring, charters and flight instruction.[4]
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On November 1, 1980, Empire Airlines purchased West Aire, Inc. at Coeur d'Alene and expanded business to include aircraft sales and maintenance. In 1981 Empire purchased Executive Aviation in
In 1990, Empire added more cargo routes and performed its first heavy maintenance check on a Fairchild F-27. By 1992, the airline was operating
In 2001, Empire received a Repair Station certificate. In 2002, Empire purchased Reliant Logistics as a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2003, The first
On December 31, 2021, Empire Airlines acquired fellow FedEx feeder West Air, expanding its footprint to include all of California.
'Ohana by Hawaiian service
In December 2012, it was announced that Empire would begin operating three
In 2015, Hawaiian Airlines announced a new all-cargo freighter service to be operated by Empire with ATR 72 turboprop aircraft on interisland routes in Hawaii[7]
Hawaiian Airlines suspended all 'Ohana by Hawaiian service on January 14, 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. [8][9]
On May 27, 2021, Hawaiian announced that it would discontinue the ʻOhana by Hawaiian brand and its cargo and passenger services after the pandemic and resulting quarantine significantly impacted interisland travel. The interruptions in service forced the airline to reconsider the viability of operation and determine it was no longer feasible. The carrier's ATR fleet would be moved to the mainland and be prepared for sale.[10]
Previous passenger service
Empire operated scheduled passenger flights during the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest with Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner "Metro II" turboprop aircraft. In 1993, the airline was serving Boise, ID (BOI), Coeur d'Alene, ID (COE), Lewiston, ID (LWS), Olympia, WA (OLM) and Spokane, WA (GEG).[11] Empire previously served Seattle (SEA) as well.[12]
Initial scheduled service was between Boise and Coeur d'Alene, ID utilizing Cessna 441 Conquest II turboprop aircraft. Lewiston, ID was added as an enroute stop later; then the Swearingen Metro II came along.
In May 1993, Empire’s network included Boise, Lewiston, and Coeur d'Alene, ID; Portland and Astoria, OR; and Spokane, Pasco, Olympia, Seattle, and Hoquiam, WA. This was the third time Seattle had been served. Prior to the Metro propjets being introduced and new service to Lewiston, Empire had served Seattle and Missoula with the Cessna Conquest turboprop from Coeur d'Alene.
Fleet
As of January 2022, the Empire Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft:[13]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATR 42-300F | 8 | ||
| ATR 42-320F | 3 | ||
| ATR 72-212F | 4 | ||
Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster
|
35 | ||
| Cessna 408F[14] | 1 | ||
| Total | 51 |
Previously operated
Empire Air formerly operated the following aircraft:
- BAe 146-200- only jet aircraft type operated by the airline
- Cessna 441 Conquest II
- de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Fairchild F-27
- Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner "Metro II"
- Fokker F27 Friendship (series -500 and -600 aircraft operated for FedEx in cargo operations and series -500 aircraft for Mahalo Air in scheduled passenger operations)
- Short 360
Accidents and incidents
- January 11, 1995: A Sky Harbor International Airport crashed about 1.3 miles SSE of Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. While returning to the airport, the "fuel selector off" warning horn was heard. The pilot was killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be the pilot's failure to properly configure the fuel system prior to takeoff.[15]
- October 9, 2000: Flight 665, a Orcas Island crashed on Lummi Island. The pilot onboard was killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be the pilot flying into adverse weather and not maintaining proper terrain clearance.[16]
- December 24, 2005: An Empire Airlines Cessna 208B Caravan on a VFR cargo flight from Portland, Oregon to Roseburg, Oregon crashed shortly after takeoff in a golf course south of the Portland International Airport at 7:43 AM PT. The cause of the crash was determined to be a partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during the initial takeoff climb resulting in an in-flight collision with objects.[17][18]
- On 27 January 2009, Fort Worth Alliance Airport, landed short of the touchdown zone and skidded off the runway amid light freezing rain. There was a small fire on the plane and two crew members were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.[19]
References
- ^ "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
- ^ "Empire Airlines | Contact Us". Empire Airlines. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 77.
- ^ "Empire Airlines | History". Empire Airlines. 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Empire Airways". www.departedwings.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Hadden Watt to Manage Hawaiian Airlines Turboprop Operation" (Press release). December 26, 2012. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. Announces Plans to Expand Cargo Service with Purchase of Three ATR 72 Aircraft for 'Ohana by Hawaiian Interisland Network
- ^ "'Ohana by Hawaiian' to end on Jan. 14". 7 January 2021.
- ^ Newsroom, Hawaiian Airlines |. "Hawaiian Airlines Ends 'Ohana by Hawaiian Service". Hawaiian Airlines | Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Hawaiian Airlines ends 'Ohana by Hawaiian service". Hawaiian Airlines. May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ "OAG1091itin8". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14. Empire Airlines system timetable
- ^ "Empire Airlines system route map". Jan 16, 1990. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "'Ohana by Hawaiian Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "US's Empire Airlines takes first Cessna 408 freighter". ch-aviation. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Caravan I Super Cargomaster N746FE Flagstaff, AZ" (Database with input and photos from the public). Aviation Safety Network: Database. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Caravan I Super Cargomaster N941FE Lummi Island, WA" (Database with input and photos from the public). Aviation Safety Network: Database. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- ^
This article incorporates public domain material from National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report. National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- KCBD-TV. Archived from the originalon February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ CNN: FedEx plane crashes in Texas 27 January 2009
