Ryan Air Services Explained

Airline:Ryan Air, Inc.
Iata:7S*
Icao:RYA
Callsign:RYAN AIR
Aoc:UATA650A[1]
Hubs:Aniak Airport
Bethel Airport
Emmonak Airport
Kotzebue Airport
Nome Airport
St. Mary's Airport
Unalakleet Airport
Fleet Size:23
Destinations:Bush Alaska
Num Employees:170
Founded:1953
Headquarters:Anchorage, Alaska,
Key People:Lee Ryan, President, Wilfred P. Ryan Jr.
Website:http://www.ryanalaska.com/

Ryan Air, Inc. is an American airline that serves over 70 villages in Bush Alaska out of hubs in Anchorage, Aniak, Bethel, Emmonak, Kotzebue, Nome, St. Mary's, and Unalakleet. Offering primarily cargo services, Ryan Air also operates scheduled passenger service out of Aniak, and passenger or cargo charters throughout Alaska.[2]

History

Ryan Air was established in 1953 as Unalakleet Air Taxi by Wilfred Ryan Sr. as a charter airline. In the 1960s, the company began handling USPS mail delivery and transportation of schoolteachers for the Bureau of Indian Affairs between communities along the lower Yukon River. In 1977, Wilfred P. Ryan Jr. took over the company after his father died of cancer.[3] [4]

In 1979,[5] the company expanded service beyond the Norton Sound and changed their name to Ryan Air. With a new fleet of Beech 1900s and Beech 99s, Ryan Air grew to the largest commuter carrier in Alaska by 1987, serving 85 cities and villages with a fleet of 28 planes. However, a series of 12 accidents, culminating in a fatal crash of flight 103 on 23 November 1987[6] that killed 18 of the 21 people on board, led the FAA to shut down the airline in January 1988.[7] [8]

In the 1990s, Ryan Air converted to a cargo-only airline and changed their name to Arctic Transportation Services (ATS), adding CASA 212 cargo planes to their fleet. They changed their name back to Ryan Air in 2010.[9]

In 2011, Ryan Air began passenger charters out of Anchorage, using a newly acquired Pilatus PC-12.

In 2014, Ryan Air resumed regularly scheduled passenger services out of Aniak, AK using their Cessna 207 aircraft.[10]

In 2015 Ryan Air acquired a fifth CASA 212.

In 2017 Ryan Air adds 2 SAAB 340s, based in Anchorage, to their fleet.

In 2019 Lee Ryan is appointed as President of Ryan Air, Inc.

In December 2022 Ryan Air was acquired by Saltchuk.[11]

Destinations

Ryan Air Services maintains the following scheduled passenger routes (as of January 2021):[12]

From/to Aniak

From/to Bethel

From/to Anchorage

Fleet

, the Ryan Air Services fleet consists of 20 aircraft, including:

Ryan Air Services Fleet!Aircraft!Number!Passengers!Notes
CASA 212-2006Cargo
Cessna 207115Passenger or freight operations
Cessna 20839Passenger or freight operations
Pilatus PC-1219
Saab 3402Cargo
Total23

Former fleet

Ryan air has operated the following types of aircraft in the past:

Ryan air past fleet
AircraftNumberIntroducedRetiredPassengersNotes
Beech 1900Cunknownunknown198719Exact operation history not known, estimated started 1979
unknownunknownunknown15Exact operation history not known, estimated between 1979 and 1987
Cessna 402Cunknownunknownunknown6Exact operation history not known, estimated between 1990 and 2010
Shorts SC-7unknownunknownunknownCargo onlyExact operation history not known, estimated between 2010 and 2019

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View. av-info.faa.gov. 2019-06-27.
  2. Web site: Ryan Air Alaska Bush Freight Carrier. ryanalaska.com. en-US. 2017-08-30.
  3. Web site: Ryan Air - History . 2011-04-06.
  4. Web site: Event Celebrates Alaskans, Life in the Bush and a 'New' Ryan Air . 2011-04-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194954/http://www.akbizmag.com/alaska-news/1653-event-celebrates-alaskans-life-in-the-bush-and-a-new-ryan-air-.html . 2011-07-22 .
  5. Web site: Ryan Ai . Airline History . 20 March 2020.
  6. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0401.pdf p. 91
  7. News: F.A.A. Opens Inquiry on Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com . 2011-04-06 . The New York Times . Richard . Witkin . 31 December 1987.
  8. News: F.A.A. Shuts Down Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com . 2011-04-06 . The New York Times . 31 January 1988.
  9. Web site: Nome becomes rural trash disposal hub . 2011-04-06.
  10. News: Angaiak. Samantha. Local Air Carrier To Begin Scheduled Passenger Service In Bush Alaska. 17 June 2013. KTUU. 14 May 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130611222532/http://articles.ktuu.com/2013-05-14/ryan-air_39262696. 11 June 2013.
  11. Web site: Seventy years flying Alaska’s freight . 4 May 2023.
  12. Web site: Passenger Ryan Air. 2021-01-12. en-US.