Grand Canyon Airlines
Encyclopedia
Grand Canyon Airlines is an FAR Part 135 airline
headquartered on the grounds of Grand Canyon National Park Airport
in the Tusayan
census-designated place
in unincorporated
Coconino County
, Arizona
, United States
. It operates sightseeing tours over the Grand Canyon. Its headquarters and main operation center is Grand Canyon National Park Airport.
It is owned by Elling Halvorson and has 70 employees (at March 2007). Grand Canyon Airlines introduced commercial airline service to Boulder City Airport
on June 15, 1936.
aircraft. Scenic Airways changed its name to Grand Canyon Airlines in 1930, and Grand Canyon Airlines is believed to be the world's oldest air tour company in continuous operations.
On March 19, 2009 Grand Canyon Airlines moved its operations at the Boulder City Municipal Airport
into the company's new Boulder City Aerocenter, a 30000 sq ft (2,787.1 m²) terminal.
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...
headquartered on the grounds of Grand Canyon National Park Airport
Grand Canyon National Park Airport
Grand Canyon National Park Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located in Tusayan, a CDP in unincorporated Coconino County, Arizona, United States. It is near Grand Canyon National Park, seven miles from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon...
in the Tusayan
Tusayan, Arizona
Tusayan is a town in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Prior to its incorporation in 2010, it was a census-designated place . A resort town near the south entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, Tusayan is served by Grand Canyon National Park Airport...
census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Coconino County
Coconino County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*61.7% White*1.2% Black*27.3% Native American*1.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*5.2% Other races*13.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It operates sightseeing tours over the Grand Canyon. Its headquarters and main operation center is Grand Canyon National Park Airport.
It is owned by Elling Halvorson and has 70 employees (at March 2007). Grand Canyon Airlines introduced commercial airline service to Boulder City Airport
Boulder City Airport
Boulder City Airport was an airport located in Boulder City, Clark County, Nevada, USA.- History :Boulder City Airport was dedicated on December 10, 1933. Commercial air service arrived at the airport on June 15, 1936 with Grand Canyon Airlines. Trans World Airlines opened a terminal at the airport...
on June 15, 1936.
History
The airline was started in 1927 as Scenic Airways by J. Parker Van Zandt at Grand Canyon, Arizona with a Stinson SM-1 Detroiter and Ford TrimotorFord Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
aircraft. Scenic Airways changed its name to Grand Canyon Airlines in 1930, and Grand Canyon Airlines is believed to be the world's oldest air tour company in continuous operations.
On March 19, 2009 Grand Canyon Airlines moved its operations at the Boulder City Municipal Airport
Boulder City Municipal Airport
Boulder City Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one mile southwest of the central business district of Boulder City, in Clark County, Nevada, United States.- History :...
into the company's new Boulder City Aerocenter, a 30000 sq ft (2,787.1 m²) terminal.
Scheduled flight destinations
- ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
- Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
(Grand Canyon National Park AirportGrand Canyon National Park AirportGrand Canyon National Park Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located in Tusayan, a CDP in unincorporated Coconino County, Arizona, United States. It is near Grand Canyon National Park, seven miles from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon...
) - PagePage, ArizonaPage is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 6,794.-Geography:Page is located at ....
- Grand Canyon
- NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
- Boulder CityBoulder City, NevadaBoulder City is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is approximately from the City of Las Vegas. As of the 2010 census the population of Boulder City was 15,023.Boulder City is one of only two cities in Nevada that prohibit gambling....
(Boulder City Municipal AirportBoulder City Municipal AirportBoulder City Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one mile southwest of the central business district of Boulder City, in Clark County, Nevada, United States.- History :...
)
- Boulder City
Scheduled sightseeing destinations
- Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
- Grand Canyon West
- Monument ValleyMonument ValleyMonument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching above the valley floor. It is located on the northern border of Arizona with southern Utah , near the Four Corners area...
Fleet
As of January 2009 the Grand Canyon Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:- 16 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
- 3 Cessna 208B CaravanCessna 208The Cessna 208 Caravan is a single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft built in the United States by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers, with a single person crew, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver, it can seat up to fourteen passengers...
Accidents and incidents
- On June 18, 1986, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 of the airline collided with a Bell 206 JetRanger helicopter operated by Helitech Helicopters. Both aircraft were operating scenic air tour flights over the Grand Canyon when the collision occurred near Crystal Rapids. The collision killed all 25 people on both aircraft.
- On September 27, 1989, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 of the airline crashed while performing a go-aroundGo-aroundA go-around is an aborted landing of an aircraft that is on final approach.- Origin of the term :The term arises from the traditional use of traffic patterns at airfields. A landing aircraft will first join the circuit pattern and prepare for landing in an orderly fashion...
. Both crew members and eight of 19 passengers died.