Aero-Tropics Air Services
Encyclopedia
Lip-Air Pty Ltd, operating as Aero-Tropics Air Services (ATAS), was an airline
based in Cairns
, Queensland
, Australia
. Its main base was Cairns Airport, with its operating hub at Horn Island Airport
.
s in 1997, serving the region of Torres Strait
, Cape York
and the Gulf of Carpentaria
. ATAS obtained a Regular Public Transport licence in February 2000 from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and began operating daily scheduled services to/ from and between the Torres Strait Islands. In March 2007 it had 50 employees. It grew from one 5-seat Partenavia P.68
aircraft based on Coconut Island
to a fleet of eighteen aircraft based at Karumba, Horn Island and Cairns. As of November 2008 it operated scheduled domestic services to 12 destinations in the Torres Strait Islands
. In late June 2008 the airline was grounded for five days by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
(CASA). As a result, the Queensland Government removed the Government contract for Aero-Tropics delivering mail and some supplies, flying to many remote Cape York
towns. The contract was awarded to West Wing Aviation. In October 2008 CASA grounded the airline again after two incidents on successive days prompted concerns about the airline's training and supervision of its pilots. The second grounding proved to be permanent, as the airline went into liquidation the following month.
-operated Fairchild Metro III
operating an Aero Tropics service (Flight 675 from Bamaga) was carrying out an approach to Lockhart River
aerodrome in Queensland, when it hit the 1,300 ft Pap Ridge 90 ft below its highest point in low cloud and squally rain. The two crew and thirteen passengers died in the accident, in what as of November 2008 is the worst airline accident in Australia for forty years. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau
initial factual report states the aircraft's power settings at impact appeared normal for an approach, but that the aircraft was about 1,000 ft below the minimum obstacle clearance height for that position.
At the time of liquidation, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) showed that the airline owned the following aircraft:
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 Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, 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...
. Its main base was Cairns Airport, with its operating hub at Horn Island Airport
Horn Island Airport
Horn Island Airport is an airport in Horn Island, Queensland, Australia.-World War II:The Civil Constructional Corps and the Department of Main Roads began construction of an advanced operational airbase on the island during World War II, commencing in 1940. The aerodrome was completed in January...
.
History
Lip-Air Pty Ltd was a privately owned company established by the Lippmann family in 1995. The company's Aero Tropics Air Services (ATAS) division started operating air charterAir charter
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...
s in 1997, serving the region of Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
, Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
and the Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...
. ATAS obtained a Regular Public Transport licence in February 2000 from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and began operating daily scheduled services to/ from and between the Torres Strait Islands. In March 2007 it had 50 employees. It grew from one 5-seat Partenavia P.68
Partenavia P.68
-See also:...
aircraft based on Coconut Island
Coconut Island
Coconut Island, or Moku o Loe, is a 28-acre island in Kāne'ohe Bay off the island of O'ahu in the state of Hawai'i, USA. It is a marine research facility of the Hawai`i Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Hawai`i....
to a fleet of eighteen aircraft based at Karumba, Horn Island and Cairns. As of November 2008 it operated scheduled domestic services to 12 destinations in the Torres Strait Islands
Torres Strait Islands
The Torres Strait Islands are a group of at least 274 small islands which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea but Torres Strait Island known and Recognize as Nyumaria.The islands are mostly part of...
. In late June 2008 the airline was grounded for five days by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is the Australian national aviation authority , the government statutory authority responsible for the regulation of civil aviation.-History:...
(CASA). As a result, the Queensland Government removed the Government contract for Aero-Tropics delivering mail and some supplies, flying to many remote Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
towns. The contract was awarded to West Wing Aviation. In October 2008 CASA grounded the airline again after two incidents on successive days prompted concerns about the airline's training and supervision of its pilots. The second grounding proved to be permanent, as the airline went into liquidation the following month.
Incidents and accidents
On 7 May 2005 a TransairTransair (Australia)
Transair was an airline based in Australia. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority cancelled the Air Operator's Certificate, at the request of Transair, on 4 December 2006 . Transair ceased all operations from that date...
-operated Fairchild Metro III
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
operating an Aero Tropics service (Flight 675 from Bamaga) was carrying out an approach to Lockhart River
Lockhart River, Queensland
Lockhart River is a coastal Aboriginal community situated on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. The population consists mostly of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, whose ancestors were forcibly moved to the area beginning in 1924...
aerodrome in Queensland, when it hit the 1,300 ft Pap Ridge 90 ft below its highest point in low cloud and squally rain. The two crew and thirteen passengers died in the accident, in what as of November 2008 is the worst airline accident in Australia for forty years. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is Australia’s national transport safety investigator. The ATSB is the federal government body responsible for investigating transport-related accidents and incidents within Australia. It covers air, sea and rail travel. The Australian Transport Safety...
initial factual report states the aircraft's power settings at impact appeared normal for an approach, but that the aircraft was about 1,000 ft below the minimum obstacle clearance height for that position.
Fleet
As of July 2008, the Aero-Tropics Air Services (ATAS) fleet consisted of:- 4 Aero Commander 500S Shrike Commander
- 1 Beechcraft King Air B200Beechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
- 6 Britten-Norman BN2A IslanderBritten-Norman IslanderThe Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
- 2 Cessna 208B Grand 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...
At the time of liquidation, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) showed that the airline owned the following aircraft:
- 5 Britten-Norman BN2A IslanderBritten-Norman IslanderThe Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
- 2 Aero Commander 500S Shrike Commander
- 2 Piper PA-31 NavajoPiper 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...
- 2 Cessna 208B Grand 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...
- 1 Cessna 172NCessna 172The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
Destinations
As of July 2008, Aero-Tropics Air Services (ATAS) operated scheduled domestic services to the following destinations:- Badu Island – Badu Island AirportBadu Island AirportBadu Island Airport is an airport in Badu Island, Queensland, Australia....
- Boigu Island – Boigu Island AirportBoigu Island AirportBoigu Island Airport is an airport serving Boigu Island in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by the Torres Strait Islands Regional Council.-Facilities:...
- CairnsCairns, QueenslandCairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
– Cairns Airport - Coconut Island (Poruma Island) – Coconut Island AirportCoconut Island AirportCoconut Island Airport is an airport located on Coconut Island in Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:* Aero-Tropics Air Services...
- Darnley Island (Erub Island) – Darnley Island AirportDarnley Island AirportDarnley Island Airport is an airport in Darnley Island, Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services *Regional Pacific Airlines...
- Horn Island – Horn Island AirportHorn Island AirportHorn Island Airport is an airport in Horn Island, Queensland, Australia.-World War II:The Civil Constructional Corps and the Department of Main Roads began construction of an advanced operational airbase on the island during World War II, commencing in 1940. The aerodrome was completed in January...
(hub) - Kubin Village (Moa Island) – Kubin Airport
- Mabuiag IslandMabuiag IslandMabuiag is an island in the Bellevue Islands, 100 km north of Thursday Island Queensland, Australia in the Napoleon Passage and Arnolds Passage of Torres Strait...
– Mabuiag Island AirportMabuiag Island AirportMabuiag Island Airport is an airport in Mabuiag Island, Queensland, Australia. The airport received $52,422 in funds for security updates in 2006.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services Mabuiag Island Airport is an airport in Mabuiag Island, Queensland, Australia. The airport... - Murray Island – Murray Island AirportMurray Island AirportMurray Island Airport is an airport on Murray Island, in Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:* Aero-Tropics Air Services * Regional Pacific Airlines...
- Saibai Island – Saibai Island AirportSaibai Island AirportSaibai Island Airport is an airport in Saibai Island, Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services *Regional Pacific Airlines -External links:...
- Warraber Island (Sue Islet) – Warraber Island AirportWarraber Island AirportWarraber Island Airport is an airport in Sue Islet, Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services *Regional Pacific Airlines...
- Yam Island (Iama Island) – Yam Island AirportYam Island AirportYam Island Airport is an airport in Yam Island, Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services *Regional Pacific Airlines -References:...
- Yorke Island – Yorke Island AirportYorke Island AirportYorke Island Airport is an airport in Yorke Island, Queensland, Australia.-Airlines and destinations:*Aero-Tropics Air Services *Regional Pacific Airlines -References:...