Empire Airlines
Encyclopedia
Empire Airlines is a charter and cargo airline
based in Coeur d'Alene
, Idaho
, USA
. It operates over 120 scheduled and charter cargo flights a day in 18 US states and Canada
. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport
with a hub at Spokane International Airport
.
as a charter company. Originally named Clearwater Flying Service (thus the CFS identifier for its flights), it was purchased by Nick Chenoweth and Vick Walters on April 12. Soon thereafter, a third partner, Mel Spelde joined as a flight instructor. Clearwater Flying Service made a living doing several different things including, fire patrol, transporting outfitters into the backcountry, air ambulance, air pollution monitoring, charters and flight instruction.
On November 1, 1980, Empire Airlines purchased West Aire, Inc. at Coeur d'Alene and expanded business to include aircraft sales and maintenance. In 1981 Empire purchased Executive Aviation in Missoula, Montana
and leased Twin Otter
aircraft for United States Forest Service
smoke jumping contracts. In December 1983 and January 1984, Empire was awarded government contracts to transport people and materiel in Grenada
, following the conflict. On January 3, 1984, Empire began passenger service from Coeur d'Alene to Boise
, and later added Lewiston
as a stop, using Metro Liner aircraft. In the mid-80s, Empire received contracts from several places including, a Colorado ski destination, Hughes Aircraft
, and Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. In 1988 Empire signed a FedEx Express contract to fly and maintain Cessna 208 Caravan
aircraft out of Portland
and Spokane
; Seattle
was added in September. In 1989 Empire became a FAR
121 operator after the purchase of Pacific Alaska and two Fairchild F27 aircraft. In August Empire started F27 services for FedEx Express.
In 1990, Empire added more cargo routes and performed its first heavy maintenance check on a Fairchild F27. In 1993, Empire became a sustaining member of CASE (Coordinating Agency for Supplier Evaluation). From October 1993 to May 1994, it operated F27 aircraft in Hawaii
on behalf of Mahalo Air
, while the latter airline was awaiting its own operating certificate
. In 1995, Empire moved corporate offices and ended passenger services, focusing on cargo, maintenance and airline startups. Empire began sending technical reps to Conair during heavy maintenance checks on Fokker F27
s. In 1998, Empire started flying and maintaining Shorts SD360 aircraft. Empire entered into a partnership agreement to begin Express Air serving FedEx in Europe
.
In 2001, Empire received Repair Station certificate. In 2002, Empire purchased Reliant Logistics as a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2003, The first ATR 42
aircraft arrived in Spokane for cargo conversion. BOD accept Idaho's proposal for new hangar and office at the Coeur d'Alene Airport. In 2004, the first ATR 42 put on Empire's certificate made the first ATR FedEx Feeder revenue flight. Empire moved into new hangar and office building, in Hayden, Idaho
.
Cargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
based in Coeur d'Alene
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene is the largest city and county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. Coeur d'Alene has the second largest metropolitan area in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the population of Coeur...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It operates over 120 scheduled and charter cargo flights a day in 18 US states and 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...
. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport
Coeur d'Alene Air Terminal
Coeur d'Alene Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located in Hayden, a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The airport is nine miles northwest of the central business district of Coeur d'Alene...
with a hub at Spokane International Airport
Spokane International Airport
Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...
.
History
Empire Airlines was established and started operations in May 1977 in OrofinoOrofino, Idaho
Orofino is a city in Clearwater County, Idaho, along Orofino Creek and the north bank of the Clearwater River. The population was 3,247 at the 2000 census, and the city is the county seat of Clearwater County...
as a charter company. Originally named Clearwater Flying Service (thus the CFS identifier for its flights), it was purchased by Nick Chenoweth and Vick Walters on April 12. Soon thereafter, a third partner, Mel Spelde joined as a flight instructor. Clearwater Flying Service made a living doing several different things including, fire patrol, transporting outfitters into the backcountry, air ambulance, air pollution monitoring, charters and flight instruction.
On November 1, 1980, Empire Airlines purchased West Aire, Inc. at Coeur d'Alene and expanded business to include aircraft sales and maintenance. In 1981 Empire purchased Executive Aviation in Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
and leased Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The 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...
aircraft for United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
smoke jumping contracts. In December 1983 and January 1984, Empire was awarded government contracts to transport people and materiel in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, following the conflict. On January 3, 1984, Empire began passenger service from Coeur d'Alene to Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, and later added Lewiston
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
as a stop, using Metro Liner aircraft. In the mid-80s, Empire received contracts from several places including, a Colorado ski destination, Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
, and Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. In 1988 Empire signed a FedEx Express contract to fly and maintain Cessna 208 Caravan
Cessna 208
The 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...
aircraft out of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
; Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
was added in September. In 1989 Empire became a FAR
Federal Aviation Regulations
The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
121 operator after the purchase of Pacific Alaska and two Fairchild F27 aircraft. In August Empire started F27 services for FedEx Express.
In 1990, Empire added more cargo routes and performed its first heavy maintenance check on a Fairchild F27. In 1993, Empire became a sustaining member of CASE (Coordinating Agency for Supplier Evaluation). From October 1993 to May 1994, it operated F27 aircraft in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on behalf of Mahalo Air
Mahalo Air
Mahalo Air was an airline that provided inter-island service within the state of Hawaii between 1993 and 1997. The airline started service on October 4, 1993, using Fokker F27 turboprop aircraft operated by Empire Airlines while awaiting its own certification. On May 31, 1994, the agreement with...
, while the latter airline was awaiting its own 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...
. In 1995, Empire moved corporate offices and ended passenger services, focusing on cargo, maintenance and airline startups. Empire began sending technical reps to Conair during heavy maintenance checks on Fokker F27
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
s. In 1998, Empire started flying and maintaining Shorts SD360 aircraft. Empire entered into a partnership agreement to begin Express Air serving FedEx in 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...
.
In 2001, Empire received Repair Station certificate. In 2002, Empire purchased Reliant Logistics as a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2003, The first ATR 42
ATR 42
-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
aircraft arrived in Spokane for cargo conversion. BOD accept Idaho's proposal for new hangar and office at the Coeur d'Alene Airport. In 2004, the first ATR 42 put on Empire's certificate made the first ATR FedEx Feeder revenue flight. Empire moved into new hangar and office building, in Hayden, Idaho
Hayden, Idaho
Hayden is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 9,159 at the 2000 census.- History :Hayden was once called "Hayden village." In 1955, it was incorporated as Hayden City...
.
Fleet
The Empire Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) :- 10 ATR 42ATR 42-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
- 2 ATR 42-300
- 3 ATR 42-300F
- 2 ATR 42-320
- 3 ATR 72-200F
- 33 Cessna 208B Super CargomasterCessna 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...
Incidents and accidents
- January 11, 1995: A Cessna 208 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...
leased by FedEx Express and flying a cargo flight from FlagstaffFlagstaff, ArizonaFlagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport crashed about 1.3 miles SSE of Flagstaff Pulliam AirportFlagstaff Pulliam AirportFlagstaff Pulliam Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles south of the central business district of Flagstaff, a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States...
. While returning to the airport, the "fuel selector off" warning horn was heard. The pilot was killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot's failure to properly configure the fuel system prior to takeoff.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950111-1
- October 9, 2000: Flight 665, a Cessna 208 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...
on a VFR cargo flight from BellinghamBellingham, WashingtonBellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
to Orcas Island when it crashed on Lummi IslandLummi IslandLummi Island lies at the southwest corner of Whatcom County, Washington, USA, between the mainland part of the county and offshore San Juan County. The Lummi Indian Reservation is situated on a peninsula east of the island, but does not include Lummi Island. The island has a land area of...
. The pilot onboard was killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot's flying into adverse weather and not maintaining proper terrain clearance.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20001009-0
- On 27 January 2009, Flight 8284, an ATR-42 cargo plane under contract from FedEx Express crashed on landing at Lubbock Preston Smith International AirportLubbock Preston Smith International AirportLubbock Preston Smith International Airport is an airport located just north of Lubbock, Texas. Originally known as Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 to honor former Texas governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University...
at 04:37 CT. The plane, which had been traveling from Fort Worth Alliance AirportFort Worth Alliance AirportFort Worth Alliance Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located north of the central business district of Fort Worth, city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States....
, landed short of the touchdown zone and skidded off the runway amid light freezing rain. There was a small fire on the plane and two crew members were taken to hospital with minor injuries.