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Air Link (Australia)
Encyclopedia
Air Link Pty Ltd is an airline
based in Dubbo, New South Wales
, Australia
. It operated both air charter
services and scheduled services within New South Wales
, but discontinued scheduled services in December 2008. Its main base is Dubbo Airport
.
divested itself of its piston-engined aircraft and the routes served by those aircraft. On 30 November 2005 Regional Express Holdings
acquired all the shares in Air Link, with David Miller appointed as Chief Executive, and it is run as an independent airline within the Regional Express group. On 10 November 2008 Regional Express Holdings announced that Air Link would cease all scheduled operations on 20 December and concentrate on its air charter and aircraft maintenance business.
Air Link's IATA code DR
has now been assumed by the french charter operator Air Méditerranée
Prior to the cessation of scheduled services in December 2008, Air Link operated (using Rex flight numbers) to the following destinations:
The majority of these aircraft were formerly operated by Hazelton Airlines.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Dubbo, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It operated both air charter
Air charter
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...
services and scheduled services within New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, but discontinued scheduled services in December 2008. Its main base is Dubbo Airport
Dubbo Airport
- Former airlines :* Air Link - Air Link ceased to run scheduled services in 2009. It is now a charter airline now owned by Regional Express.* Ansett Australia - Airline went bankrupt in 2002....
.
History
The airline was formed and started operations in 1971 as an aircraft charter operation based in Dubbo. In 1989 the Company was acquired by David and Barbara Miller. Regular regional airline services across western New South Wales were commenced in 1991, when Hazelton AirlinesHazelton Airlines
Hazelton Air Services Pty Limited, trading as Hazelton Airlines, was an Australian regional airline which operated until 2001. It was established as an independent airline but by the end of its existence had become a subsidiary of Ansett Australia....
divested itself of its piston-engined aircraft and the routes served by those aircraft. On 30 November 2005 Regional Express Holdings
Regional Express Holdings
Regional Express Holdings is the parent company of a number of airline and associated companies in Australia. It is based in Mascot, New South Wales and is a public listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange....
acquired all the shares in Air Link, with David Miller appointed as Chief Executive, and it is run as an independent airline within the Regional Express group. On 10 November 2008 Regional Express Holdings announced that Air Link would cease all scheduled operations on 20 December and concentrate on its air charter and aircraft maintenance business.
Air Link's IATA code DR
DR
- Doctor title :* Dentist, a dental doctor* Doctor , a person who has obtained a doctoral degree* Physician, a medical doctor* Physiotherapist, a physiotherapy doctor-Science and technology:...
has now been assumed by the french charter operator Air Méditerranée
Air Méditerranée
Air Méditerranée is an airline headquartered in Le Fauga, France, close to Toulouse. It was established and started operations in 1997 and operates chartered passenger and cargo flights, mostly out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.-Destinations:...
Destinations
- BourkeBourke, New South Wales-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
, CobarCobar, New South Wales-Notable people:*Nik Kosef, former rugby league player for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, 1996 premiership player, NSW & Australia representative*Ernie Toshack, cricketer, member of Bradman's Invincibles* Jemma Heather, state representative 4 times....
, CoonambleCoonamble, New South WalesCoonamble is a town on the central-western plains of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Castlereagh Highway north-west of Gilgandra. At the 2006 census, Coonamble had a population of 2,549...
, WalgettWalgett, New South WalesWalgett is a town in North-West New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is at the junction of the Barwon and Namoi rivers and near the junction of the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways...
and Lightning RidgeLightning Ridge, New South WalesLightning Ridge is a town in north-western New South Wales, Australia, in Walgett Shire, near the southern border of Queensland. The Lightning Ridge area is a world epicentre of the mining of black opals and other opal gemstones. Lightning Ridge has the largest known deposits of black opals in the...
to Dubbo. - Cobar to SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(Fridays only) - BathurstBathurst, New South Wales-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
to Sydney - Dubbo to Sydney
- Mudgee to Sydney.
Fleet
As of August 2011 the Air Link fleet consists of the following aircraft:- 1 Beechcraft 1900D AirlinerBeechcraft 1900The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
- 3 Cessna 310RCessna 310The Cessna 310 is an American six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined monoplane that was produced by Cessna between 1954 and 1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna put into production after World War II.-Development:...
- 4 Piper PA-31-350 ChieftainPiper PA-31 NavajoThe Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also licence-built in a number of Latin American countries. Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and...
- 1 Piper PA-39 Twin Comanche
The majority of these aircraft were formerly operated by Hazelton Airlines.