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]
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| Founded | 1953 | ||||||
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| 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 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | ||||||
| Key people | Lee Ryan, President, Wilfred P. Ryan Jr. | ||||||
| Employees | 170 | ||||||
| Website | http://www.ryanalaska.com/ | ||||||
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History
editRyan 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.[3][4] 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.[3][4][9]
In 2011, Ryan Air began passenger charters out of Anchorage, using a newly acquired Pilatus PC-12.[2]
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.[2]
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]
In June 2024 Ryan Air acquired a fourth Cessna 208 EX
Destinations
editRyan Air Services maintains the following scheduled passenger routes (as of January 2021):[12]
From/to Aniak
- Aniak - Holy Cross - Anvik - Grayling - Shageluk - Aniak
- Aniak - Kalskag - Russian Mission - Aniak
- Aniak - Chuathbaluk - Crooked Creek - Sleetmute - Stony River - Aniak
- Aniak - Bethel - Aniak (non-stop)
- Aniak - Anchorage - Aniak (non-stop)
From/to Bethel
- Bethel - Chevak - Hooper Bay - Scammon Bay - Bethel
- Bethel - Mekoryuk - Toksook Bay - Tununak - Bethel
- Bethel - Atmautluak - Marhsall - St. Mary's
- Bethel - Aniak (non-stop)
- Aniak - Bethel (non-stop)
From/to Anchorage
- Anchorage - Aniak - Anchorage (non-stop)
Fleet
editAs of February 2017[update], the Ryan Air Services fleet consists of 20 aircraft, including:[3][4]
| Aircraft | Number | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CASA 212-200 | 6 | — | Cargo |
| Cessna 207 | 11 | 5 | Passenger or freight operations |
| Cessna 208 EX | 4 | 9 | Passenger or freight operations |
| Pilatus PC-12 | 1 | 9 | |
| Saab 340 | 2 | — | Cargo |
| Total | 23 | ||
Former fleet
editRyan air has operated the following types of aircraft in the past:
| Aircraft | Number | Introduced | Retired | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beech 1900C | unknown | unknown | 1987 | 19 | Exact operation history not known, estimated started 1979 |
| Beech 99 | unknown | unknown | unknown | 15 | Exact operation history not known, estimated between 1979 and 1987 |
| Cessna 180 | 1 | 1953 | unknown | 3 | First aircraft in the fleet, retired from commercial service |
| Cessna 208 | 2+ | unknown | unknown | 9 | Exact operation history not known, estimated during 90's |
| Cessna 402C | unknown | unknown | unknown | 6 | Exact operation history not known, estimated between 1990 and 2010 |
| Shorts SC-7 | unknown | unknown | unknown | Cargo only | Exact operation history not known, estimated between 2010 and 2019 |
References
edit- ^ "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "Ryan Air | Alaska Bush Freight Carrier". ryanalaska.com. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Ryan Air — History". Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Event Celebrates Alaskans, Life in the Bush and a 'New' Ryan Air". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "Ryan Ai". Airline History. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0401.pdf p. 91
- ^ Witkin, Richard (31 December 1987). "F.A.A. Opens Inquiry on Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "F.A.A. Shuts Down Alaska Commuter Airline - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 31 January 1988. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "Nome becomes rural trash disposal hub". Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ Angaiak, Samantha (14 May 2013). "Local Air Carrier To Begin Scheduled Passenger Service In Bush Alaska". KTUU. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
- ^ "Seventy years flying Alaska's freight". Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Passenger | Ryan Air". Retrieved 12 January 2021.
