Aus-Air

Aus-Air (Australian Air Charterers Pty Ltd) was an airline based in Melbourne, Australia. It operated a regional airline network, linking rural communities and provincial centres in Tasmania, Victoria and southern New South Wales with Melbourne. Its main base was Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne [http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ausair/ Aus-Air website] retrieved 7 April 2007] .

Code Data

*IATA Code: NO
*ICAO Code: AUS [ [http://www.airlinecodes.co.uk/ Airline Codes] retrieved 7 April 2007]

History

The privately owned Australian Air Charterers Pty Ltd was established in 1956 and commenced scheduled services in November 1986 between Essendon Airport in Melbourne and Smithton, Tasmania. The company moved its scheduled operations to its home base at Moorabbin in July 1987. The Aus-Air website (which as of August 2007 is for some reason still accessible) states that in the latter-1990s it had 50 employees. The company encountered financial difficulties and in 1999 was placed in Administration - a legal term in Australian Law not unlike Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the USA. The company and its assets were offered for sale however no buyer was found and Aus-Air ceased scheduled operations on July 4 1999. The Aus-Air fleet of aircraft was subsequently purchased by Bankstown-based Airtex Aviation. As of August 2007 Aus-Air still operates three single-engined aircraft [CASA Australian aircraft register; online search conducted August 7 2007.] on a charter Air Operator Certificate [CASA Australian Air Operator listings; online search conducted August 8 2007.] .

Destinations

At the time of its closure in 1999 Aus-Air operated services to the following domestic destinations:
*Melbourne (Moorabbin Airport)
*King Island
*Flinders Island
*Devonport
*Launceston
*Burnie

Fleet

The Aus-Air fleet at the time it ceased operations consisited of the following aircraft:
* 2 Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
* 4 Piper PA31-350 Chieftain
* 2 Piper PA31-310 Navajo

External links

* [http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~ausair/ Aus-Air]

References

* "Australian Aviation" magazine Issue No. 157 December 1999. Annual Regional Airline Directory 1999, pp 49ff.