Express One International
Encyclopedia
Express One International is an airline
based in Orlando
, Florida
, USA
. It operates domestic and international cargo services and charter passenger services throughout the USA, Canada
, Mexico
and the Caribbean
, as well as wet and dry leasing. Its main base is Orlando Sanford International Airport
.
on a contract from DHL. At its peak, the company was flying freight in more than 20 Boeing 727
s and passengers in several Douglas DC-9s from hubs in Austin, Texas
, Indianapolis, Indiana
, Atlantic City, New Jersey
, and Brussels
, Belgium
when in 2000 it was purchased by Orchard Capital.
By the end of the 1990s, the company's fleet had grown to some 28 aircraft and charter operations were flown between Europe
, Australia
and New Zealand
, and the USA. It also flew to Asia for the U.S. government.
2001 was a difficult year for the company and by July several key contracts expired without renewal. A severe blow was dealt in August 2001 when the United States Postal Service
cancelled its contracts with its existing carriers and turned these duties over to FedEx
. The company saw a short reprieve when Emery Worldwide
suddenly eliminated their own airline in favor of using contract carriers and Express One received a short-term contract to carry freight until the end of 2001. Having secured little new business by the end of the year, the company removed most of their aircraft from service and furloughed the vast majority of their employees to conserve resources, however this was not enough to prevent them from filing for bankruptcy and ceasing operations by mid-2002.
In 2002, a group of six investors, headed by Richard C. Byers and Larry Brinker, purchased all the company's common stock, assets, training programs and intellectual properties, as well as their name, logo, property and operating certificate
and the company was moved to Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida.
In July 2004 the airline acquired Central Florida Air Maintenance to serve as the home maintenance base.
In February 2008, Express One and Joseph Kuchta were debarred from government contracting as a result of collusive bidding conduct and fraud. Express One's debarment expired 31 January 2010 and Joseph Kuchta's debarment continues until Jan 31, 2013.
The airline is owned by Joseph D. Kuchta (25%), Richard Byers, Chairman and President (25%), Ronald Gray, Secretary and Treasurer (25%) and Stan G. Helton, Executive VP of Sales, Marketing and Communication (25%) and has 109 employees (at March 2007).
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 Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It operates domestic and international cargo services and charter passenger services throughout the USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, as well as wet and dry leasing. Its main base is Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando-Sanford International Airport is a public commercial air service airport in Sanford, Florida, near Orlando. It was originally constructed as a military installation known as Naval Air Station Sanford that was in operation as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance...
.
History
The airline was established and started operations in 1983 by Alinda and Jim Wikert as Jet East International flying one Boeing 727-100Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
on a contract from DHL. At its peak, the company was flying freight in more than 20 Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
s and passengers in several Douglas DC-9s from hubs in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
when in 2000 it was purchased by Orchard Capital.
By the end of the 1990s, the company's fleet had grown to some 28 aircraft and charter operations were flown between Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, 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...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the USA. It also flew to Asia for the U.S. government.
2001 was a difficult year for the company and by July several key contracts expired without renewal. A severe blow was dealt in August 2001 when the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
cancelled its contracts with its existing carriers and turned these duties over to FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
. The company saw a short reprieve when Emery Worldwide
Emery Worldwide
Emery Worldwide was a cargo airline, once one of the leading carriers in the cargo airline world. Its headquarters were located in Redwood City, California....
suddenly eliminated their own airline in favor of using contract carriers and Express One received a short-term contract to carry freight until the end of 2001. Having secured little new business by the end of the year, the company removed most of their aircraft from service and furloughed the vast majority of their employees to conserve resources, however this was not enough to prevent them from filing for bankruptcy and ceasing operations by mid-2002.
In 2002, a group of six investors, headed by Richard C. Byers and Larry Brinker, purchased all the company's common stock, assets, training programs and intellectual properties, as well as their name, logo, property and operating certificate
Operating certificate
Operating certificate is a category of license issued by a government agency allowing an individual or company to provide a controlled type of service. These certificates are generally issued for a limited time period...
and the company was moved to Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida.
In July 2004 the airline acquired Central Florida Air Maintenance to serve as the home maintenance base.
In February 2008, Express One and Joseph Kuchta were debarred from government contracting as a result of collusive bidding conduct and fraud. Express One's debarment expired 31 January 2010 and Joseph Kuchta's debarment continues until Jan 31, 2013.
The airline is owned by Joseph D. Kuchta (25%), Richard Byers, Chairman and President (25%), Ronald Gray, Secretary and Treasurer (25%) and Stan G. Helton, Executive VP of Sales, Marketing and Communication (25%) and has 109 employees (at March 2007).
Fleet
The Express One International fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2007) :- 1 Boeing 727-100FBoeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
Previously operated
At August 2006) the airline also operated :- 3 Boeing 727-200FBoeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...