Toll Aviation: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}

{{Use Australian English|date=April 2012}}

{{merge to|Toll Global Express|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox Airline

|airline = Toll Aviation

|logo = Toll logo.svg

|logo_size = 250

|fleet_size = 12

|destinations =

|IATA = -

|ICAO = TFX

|callsign = TOLL EXPRESS

|parent = [[Toll Holdings]]

|company_slogan =

|founded = 1989 (as Jetcraft Aviation)

|headquarters = [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]]

|key_people =

|hubs = [[Brisbane Airport]]<br>[[Bankstown Airport]]

|secondary_hubs = [[Adelaide International Airport|Adelaide Airport]]

|focus cities =

|frequent_flyer =

|lounge =

|alliance =

|subsidiaries =

|website = [http://www.tollaviation.com/ www.tollaviation.com/]

}}

'''Toll Aviation''', formerly '''Jetcraft Aviation''', is an [[airline]] based in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]]. It operates priority air freight services on behalf of [[Toll Priority]]. Its main base is [[Brisbane Airport]], with hubs at [[Sydney]]'s [[Bankstown Airport]] and [[Adelaide International Airport]].<ref>{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 98 | date= 2007-04-03}}.</ref><ref>[http://www.tollaviation.com/employment.htm Toll Aviation employment.] Retrieved: 3 December 2008</ref>

==History==

The airline was established as cargo charter company '''Jetcraft Aviation''' in 1989, operating initially in [[Queensland]] with two [[Mitsubishi MU-2|Mitsubishi MU-2Gs]] and a [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild SA226-TC Metro II]]. In the next two years the Metro fleet was gradually built up and the MU-2s withdrawn. The company also operated an [[Piper Aerostar|Aerostar 601P]] from Mackay, and two [[Beechcraft Baron|Beechcraft B58 Barons]] from Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. An [[IAI Westwind|IAI WW24 Westwind]] was leased to operate a Wards Express freight contract with jetCraft pilots between Darwin, Alice Springs and Melbourne halfway through 1992. By 1993 the fleet consisted of one Westwind, three Metro IIs and three [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|SA227-AC Metro IIIs]], an Aerostar, and two Barons.<ref>Arbon, Tony ed. ''Australian Aviation Civil Aircraft Register 1993/94''. Privately published by AustAirData, no ISBN.</ref> On 16 April that year Jetcraft suffered its first aircraft loss in a non-fatal landing accident to a Metro II at Mackay Airport.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930416-0 Aviation Safety Network page] retrieved 2007-08-24.</ref> Later the same year it established its Bankstown hub, flying bank documents and general freight on behalf of '''Security Express''' initially with the two remaining Metro IIs and an [[Aero Commander 500|Aero Commander 681 Hawk Commander]], the Mitsubishi MU-2 (an '''MU-2J''') reappearing in the fleet as well at this time.<ref name="AA"/>

[[File:VH-TOQ.JPG|thumb|Toll Aviation ATR 42 airborne at Sydney.]] In 1994 a [[Piper Navajo]] and [[Beechcraft Baron|D55 Baron]] were added to the Archerfield fleet.

A third SA226 (a '''Merlin IVA''' version converted as a freighter) was added to the fleet and on the evening of 9 March 1994 this aircraft was destroyed (in what was Jetcraft's only fatal accident) when it hit a mountain between [[Armidale, New South Wales|Armidale]] and [[Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth]]<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19940309-0 Aviation Safety Network page] retrieved 2007-08-24.</ref> while on its daily scheduled freight run from Bankstown to northern [[New South Wales]] and return. The pilot was the only person on board. In 1995 a [[de Havilland Canada Dash 7]] was introduced to the fleet to service a [[fly-in fly-out]] contract, transporting mine employees between [[Cairns International Airport]] and Kidston, a small community between [[Cairns]] and [[Julia Creek]] in the Queensland [[outback]].<ref name="AA">''Australian Aviation'' magazine, various issues between 1990 and 1996 listing fleet changes including No. 115, March 1996, detailing the importation of DHC-7 VH-UUM to Australia. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.</ref> Jetcraft added the [[Cessna 208|Cessna 208B Grand Caravan]] to its fleet in 2005 and experienced a considerable jump in capacity and capability in 2007 with the introduction of the [[ATR 42]] into its fleet. The two ATRs and its Caravans were painted in the colours of [[Toll Priority]], a successor company to Security Express on behalf of which Jetcraft operated most of its fleet.

On 12 December 2007 Jetcraft was placed in Administration<ref>A provision in Australian Law similar to [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 Bankruptcy]] in the United States, which allows a company in financial distress to seek a solution to its problems while protected from its creditors.</ref> due to financial problems partly caused by the unexpected grounding of two of its aircraft and a long running dispute with its major customer.<ref name="PP">[http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=304223 Statement by Jetcraft management] retrieved 2007-12-14.</ref><ref name="CM"/>

The company was then acquired by [[Toll Holdings]] its major customer and was renamed Toll Aviation in mid-2008;<ref>[http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=056_645_820&juris=9&hdtext=ACN&srchsrc=1 Australian Securities & Investments Commission Toll Aviation Pty. Ltd. page] retrieved 2007-12-14.</ref> operations continue with a reduced fleet.

== Fleet ==

As of May 2013 the Toll Aviation fleet consists of the following aircraft:<ref>[http://casa-query.funnelback.com/search/search.cgi?collection=casa_aircraft_register CASA civil aircraft register search], using "Toll Aviation" as the search parameter. Search conducted 16 May 2013.</ref>

* 2 [[ATR 42|ATR 42-300]]

* 3 [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23]]

* 5 [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III]]

* 1 [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild SA227-AT Expediter]]

* 1 [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild SA227-AT Merlin IVC]]

[[File:VH-UZY.JPG|thumb|right|A Toll Aviation Cessna Grand Caravan wearing a mixed Jetcraft/Toll livery at Bankstown.]]

[[File:Jetcraft Aviation Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III CBR Gilbert.jpg|thumb|right|A Toll Aviation [[Fairchild Metro III]] freighter still wearing the Jetcraft Aviation livery at [[Canberra Airport]] (2006).]]

All aircraft in the Toll Aviation fleet were formerly operated by Jetcraft; at the time of Jetcraft being placed in administration in December 2007 the fleet numbered 19 aircraft:<ref>[http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/regsearch/airsresults.asp?VHin=&framein=all&manuin=&modelin=&regholdin=&regopin=jetcraft&serialin=&num_results=50&Search=Search CASA civil aircraft register] online search conducted 2007-12-14. {{Dead link|date=December 2008}}</ref>

* 2 ATR 42-300

* 1 [[Beechcraft Baron|Beechcraft 58 Baron]]

* 2 [[Cessna 208|Cessna 208B Grand Caravan]]

* 2 [[Cessna 441|Cessna 441 Conquest]]

* 3 Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23

* 6 Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III

* 1 Fairchild SA227-AT Expediter

* 1 Fairchild SA227-AT Merlin IVC

* 1 Fairchild SA226-TC Metro II

The two Cessna Conquests were grounded following advice from the manufacturer that it had imposed a life limit of 22,500 flying hours on all examples of the type, leading to the company being placed in Administration.<ref name="PP"/><ref name="CM">[http://www.casa.gov.au/media/2007/07-08-27.htm CASA Media Release] retrieved 2007-12-14.</ref>

==See also==

* [[Toll Holdings]]

* [[Toll Global Forwarding]]

* [[Toll Global Express]]

* [[Toll Global Resources]]

* [[Toll Global Logistics]]

* [[Toll Domestic Forwarding]]

* [[Toll Specialised and Domestic Freight]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

{{commons category|Jetcraft Aviation}}

* [http://www.tollaviation.com/index.htm Toll Aviation]

{{Airlines of Australia}}

{{Regional Aviation Association of Australia}}

[[Category:Airlines of Australia]]

[[Category:Regional Aviation Association of Australia]]

[[Category:Airlines established in 1989]]