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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 6, 2007 22:28:36 GMT 12
What became of Skybus which began operations as an alternate airline on the main trunk routes in Vickers Viscount ZK-SKY in 1981?
Did it last long before Air New Zealand (obviously) killed it? Did they ever get any other types of aircraft?
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Post by Bruce on Jan 7, 2007 11:55:25 GMT 12
SkyBus only flew one or two flights before it folded and the aircraft returned to the UK. It wasnt killed off by Air NZ, but rather the restrictive Air Services Licensing Board. At the time, in order to get an Air services license, you had to prove that your operation was justified, and that you would not effect the profitability of any airline already using the routes. In most cases of course, this was Air NZ!. The process was etreemly expensive and beaurocratic, and was put in place to ensure satisfactory air services without operators killing each other off in pricing wars . To a certain degree, Skybus tried to circumvent the rules assocated with airlines, by operating as an incorporated society and offering air transport to its "members". When you brought a Skybus ticket, you would also be joining the"Aqua Avia Society" on a limited membership! Unfortunately the government closed that loophole and Skybus had to go through the full ASLB process, and just like many other previous attempts, could not get access to the important main trunk routes. Fortunately in the mid 1980s the process was changed allowing the likes of Eagle Air to get established.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 7, 2007 12:39:30 GMT 12
Hmm, so a Government Department killed it off for the Government owned Air New Zealand then...
Was that the last Viscount to fly in NZ?
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 8, 2007 18:10:19 GMT 12
Wasn't Skybus set up through some of the Aero Clubs too? I have a sticker on a photo album at home that says "I'll Tell The World I Fly Skybus" - they spoke to soon!  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 14, 2007 21:19:47 GMT 12
Ah yes, the good old Skybus caper. It was set up as a work-around for the licencing system that existed at that time, as was the Car Haulaways Carvair operation. Aero Clubs were exempt from the licencing act, so could operate as many charter flights as they liked. The Aqua Avia group linked with the Piako Aero Club of Matamata, who had the Viscount registered in their ownership - theoretically the only NZ aero club that could offer you a turbine rating on a four-engined airliner! The Viscount arrived, on lease from British Air Ferries, in September 1981. There is some argument over if any actual 'fare paying passenger' flights were ever made on the Auckland-Wellington-Christchurch-Dunedin route, as distinct from proving flights. However, by the end of November the aircraft was back in BAF's hands and left NZ shortly afterwards on a lease in Indonesia. The exercise was (among other things) at least a catalyst for the overhaul of the air licencing system. . . .and yes, it would have been the last Viscount operational in NZ.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 14, 2007 22:05:01 GMT 12
I a Wings magazine I picked up last week, susequent to my original post it said membership to the Aqua Avia club was now (from memory, can check) over 22,000 people! If each got a free flight with that, I'd say there were a lot of full proving flights.
This case reminds me of the company that had the Carvairs and couldn't use them.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 15, 2007 8:00:00 GMT 12
Free flight? Who mentioned a free flight?
The $100 was just your subscription to the club.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 15, 2007 9:46:13 GMT 12
Oh right. I misunderstood.
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Post by denysjones on Jan 16, 2007 18:51:50 GMT 12
After the venture folded CIAL were left with some materials and as a result at Ferrymead we now hold the Viscount airstairs and signage from the check-in counters. I've not seen any other remnants elsewhere has anyone else?
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