SUNQUEST EXECUTIVE AIR CHARTER: 7155 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys, California 91406, United States; Phone (818) 778-6520; Fax (818) 778-6526; Year Founded 1992. Sunquest is founded at Van Nuys in 1992 to provide executive and small group passenger charters throughout the U. S. and Canada. Within 8 years, the concern employs 8 pilots and flies 3 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, 2 Beech Super King Air 200s, and 1 Cessna 310Q.
SUNRISE AIRLINES: 3150 East Airport Loop, Suite C, Show Low, Arizona, 85901, United States; Phone (520) 532-8888; Fax (520) 6459318; Http://www. sunriseair. net; Year Founded 1998. At the beginning of 1998, Moab, Utah-based Redtail Aviation is awarded an Essential Air Service (EAS) contract by the Department of Transportation for the operation of daily scheduled roundtrip passenger service between Moab and Salt Lake City. On September 24, Redtail is sold to Phoenix-based Express Air. The FBO and cargo operation continues under the Redtail banner, while all future scheduled flights, including the $1,087,340 annual EAS services later expanded, are to be offered as Sunrise Airlines. The takeover, according to September 24 Tribune Business News feature, is to be completed by November 1.
Revenue services begin with a fleet of 6 leased British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31s, linking the company’s base with Phoenix and Show Low, Arizona, Las Vegas, Ely, and Elko, Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Vernal, and Moab, Utah. A tour and leisure division, Sunrise Vacations, focuses on the combination of travel on the airline with vacation and tour packages. SV destinations include Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Monument Valley.
Flights continue without headline or incident in 1999-2000, with annual boardings approaching 60,000; over 50% of all customers come from outside the U. S.
On November 3 of the latter year, Sunrise suddenly files for bankruptcy and shuts down all of its scheduled routes except the one from Show Low to Phoenix. A news release from the office of Nevada U. S. Senator Harry Reid indicates that the grounding has been caused by the airline’s inability to get an extension on its aircraft lease payments.
In bankruptcy court, it is revealed that the small regional has assets and debts of between $1 million and $10 million each. A long list of creditors await payment; for example, the city of Page ($223,334) and the Phoenix Aviation Department ($5,493). Arrangements are made to keep the airline flying its Show Low-to-Phoenix route and its Web page remains viable well into the new year.
SUNSHINE AIRLINES: 7155 Valjean Avenue, Van Nuys, California 91406, United States; Phone (818) 997-4597; Fax (818) 997-8372; Http://www. sunshineair. com; Code SO; Year Founded 1995. Three years after the establishment of the nonscheduled Sunquest Executive Air Charter, Laurence Balter sets up Sunshine at Van Nuys, California, in 1995 , to provide third-level scheduled services in the Southern California area. Chief Pilot Jim Rinaldi begins and continues frequencies with 6 Cessna 402s.
SUNSHINE AVIATION, LTD.: Lugano Airport, Lugano, CH-6982, Switzerland; Phone 41 (91) 594 141; Fax 41 (91) 595 932; Year Founded 1985. Capitalized at SFr 100,000, Sunshine is established by a group of Ticino businessmen at Locarno in 1985 to serve as an air taxi for Italian-speaking Switzerland. Twin bases are set up at the airports of Locarno/Magadino and Lugano/Agno and operations commence with a fleet comprising 1 Cessna 340, 1 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, and 1 PA-31T Cheyenne.
A Dornier 228-100 is ordered in 1986 and “quasi-scheduled” weekend flights are inaugurated on December 13 linking Locarno/Lugano with the Samedan airfield, which serves the Swiss sports center at St. Moritz. The last of these services, undertaken primarily for ski holiday passengers, is completed on April 26, 1987. Beginning on May 1, Sunshine operates replacement flights for Alisarda between the Ticino airports and Oibia.
Capitalization is now increased to SFr 2.5 million and the German-made turboprop enters service. During the summer, “quasi-scheduled” charter flights are inaugurated on fixed days on behalf of ATAV, the Ticino Travel Agents Association, to Oibia/Sardinia, Elba Island, and Sicily, to Corfu/Greece, Ajacolo/Corsica, Mahon/Menorca, Malta, and Sfax/Tunisia.
In late 1988, the decision is taken to offer scheduled regional services. Giacomo Babbucci is appointed managing director in early 1989 and he assembles a fleet comprising 1 Cessna 600 Citation II, 1 Dornier 228201, and 1 Fokker F.27-200. Orders are placed for 1 Dornier 328-100. The available aircraft are employed to inaugurate scheduled flights to Elba, Olbia, and Cagliari. Charter work is also undertaken.
The Cessna Citation II is deleted in 1991 and Giorgio Giani becomes managing director in 1992, the same year in which the Dornier 228-201 is leased to the Swiss regional Air Engiadina, A. G. In 1993, airline employment is 12 and the fleet includes 1 Dornier and 2 F.27-200s. The flight equipment is changed again in 1994, with operations now being conducted with the new and larger Dornier and a Cessna 600 Citation II.
Flights continue in 1995-1999.
SUNSHINE COAST AIR CHARTER (PTY.), LTD.: Pathfinder Drive, Caloundra Airport, Caloundra, Queensland, 4551, Australia; Phone 61 754 911 988; Fax 61 754 918 346; Year Founded 1979. Sunshine Coast is established at Caloundra in 1979 to provide airport service as well as to conduct executive, small group, and bush charters into the surrounding countryside. By 2000, Chief Pilot Lester Niedeck employs 3 other full-time pilots and oversees the flights of 2 Cessna 172 Skyhawks, 1 Cessna 310, and 1 Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I.
SUNSHINE EXPRESS AIRLINES (PTY.), LTD.: Friendship Dr., Sunshine Coast Airport, Queensland, 4564, Australia; Phone 61 (7) 544 88700; Fax 61 (7) 544 87070; Code CQ; Year Founded 1998.
Aeromi Australia (Pty.), Ltd. establishes Sunshine during the summer of 1998 to offer scheduled flights from the Sunshine coast to Brisbane in association with Ansett Australia (Pty.), Ltd. Steve J. Padgett is named CEO and is provided with a single Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante.
Revenue flights, code-shared with the major, are inaugurated on October 25 linking Maroochydore with Brisbane.
A second Bandeirante is acquired in the spring of 1999. Enplanements for the first full year of service total 25,000.
Seven workers are employed at the beginning of 2000. Beginning on October 12, passengers are able to employ the Ansett Australia (Pty.), Ltd. e-check-in machines that were installed at the domestic terminals at Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in August.
SUNSHINE HELICOPTERS: Kahului Heliport #107, Kahului, Hawaii 96732, United States; Phone 808 871-5600; Fax 808 8710682; Http://www. sunshinehelicopters. com; Year Founded 1985.
Following an 11-year stint as manager for an aviation concern in Anchorage, Alaska, former Vietnam War helicopter pilot Ross Scott and his wife, Anna, relocate to Maui, Hawaii, to operate Alihilani Yacht Charters. In 1985, pilot Scott, yearning to fly again, leases a pair of helicopters and establishes Sunshine Helicopters at Kahului.
During the next 25 years, Sunshine grows into a noteworty flight-seeing operation. From the air customers view the dense jungles, towering waterfalls, and other sights of Maui, as well as the fiery lava of Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. By the end of the 1990s, President Scott oversees the flights of 6 Eurocopter AS-350BAA-Stars, all painted in a “Black Beauty” black livery. These annually accomplish over 8,500 flights, transporting in excess of 51,000 passengers.
SUNSTATE AIRLINES (PTY.), LTD.: P. O. Box 256, Hamilton Central, Brisbane, Queensland, 4007, Australia; Phone 61 (7) 860-4577; Fax 61 (7) 860-4578; Http://www. qantas. com. au/flying/regional/ index. html#sun; Code OF; Year Founded 1980. Noosa Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. CEO and former truck dealer Bevan Whitaker forms this commuter at Brisbane in the fall of 1980 to operate commuter services feeding Trans-Australian Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. (TAA). Initial services begin in December over a route from Brisbane to Maryborough, Bund-aberg, Gladstone, and Toowoomba. The company grows in size and by 1983 the employee population totals 64 and 93,381 passengers are boarded. This growth results in Whitaker’s decision to integrate his other airline activity, Noosa Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. into Sunstate and this process is completed on January 1, 1984.
During the next several years, flights are undertaken to the following destinations on various schedules: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Great Keppel Island, Hervey Bay, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Noosa, Rockhampton, and Toowoomba. The fleet in 1985 comprises 1 Shorts 360, 2 Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirantes, 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200s, 1 GAF Nomad N-24A, and 1 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander. Operations continue apace through 1988.
The workforce is increased by 11.1% in 1989 to 120 and the fleet now includes 3 Shorts 360s, 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters, and 1 Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirante. An Embraer EMB-110 is ordered as an interest in the third-level operation is taken by Australian Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. in June.
Enplanements for the year total 164,432.
Four new employees are hired in 1990. Controlling interest in the company is taken over by Australian Airlines in October and the Brisbane-based airline repaints its fleet, which now includes 3 Shorts 360s, 2 Shorts 330s, 2 Twin Otters, 1 Bandeirante, and 1 Cessna 404 Titan.
Enplanements climb 5.1% over the previous year to 172,800. Revenues total A$19.4 million and expenses are less. As a result, an A$3.9-million operating profit is generated. Costs of the changeover, together with world economic conditions, lead to a net loss of A$170,950.
In 1991, the fleet of General Manager Greg Bee’s expanding operation includes the 2 Bandeirantes, 3 Shorts 360s, and 2 DHC-6s. The Shorts 330s are placed up for sale. Hubbing on Brisbane, the carrier becomes a member of the new Australian Airlink commuter network in August, following its 100% takeover by Australian Airlines (Pty.), Ltd.
A total of 175,195 passengers are carried on the year.
The two EMB-110s are withdrawn in 1992 in favor of two de Havilland Canada DHC-8-101s and a DHC-8-102. The company’s parent is taken over by Qantas Airways (Pty.), Ltd. in September and Sunstate, in the process, has a new owner.
Customer bookings decline 5% to 165,946.
In 1993, new General Manager Ashley Kilroy oversees a workforce of 171, up 31.5% over the previous year. When Australian Regional Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. is eliminated, its routes and assets are passed to Sunstate. Thus the commuter’s fleet now includes 3 Dash-8s, 4 Shorts 360s, and 1 Shorts 330 and are put to work feeding Qantas Airways (Pty.), Ltd. at Brisbane.
Passenger boardings swell 34.2% to 268,142 and the net gain is $A122,000.
The fleet in 1994 includes 3 Dash-8s, 4 Shorts 360s, 1 Shorts 330, and 5 DHC-6s.
Passenger boardings recover, increasing by 32.5% to 308,000, and an A$1.5-million profit is earned.
The workforce is increased by 21.1% in 1995 to 230 and the fleet is increased by the addition of 1 DHC-8 and 2 Shorts 360s.
The added capacity helps customer bookings to leap up 39.7% to 408,775.
Ten workers retired or are laid off in 1996, a 4.3% decrease in the employee population. Two more Shorts 360s arrive and help enplanements to jump 6.8% to 436,180.
Destinations visited in 1997 include Barnaga, Blackwater, Brampton Island, Bundaberg, Cairns, Dunk Island, Emerald, Gladstone, Great Keppel Island, Hervey Bay, Lizard Island, Lord Howe Island, Mackay, Marochy-dore, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Thursday Island, and Townsville.
Passenger boardings inch up 1.8% to 444,055.
In May 1998, a DHC-8Q-200 is ordered from Bombardier, the aircraft’s Canadian manufacturer. New daily roundtrips are introduced on June 1 between Brisbane and Rockhampton.
Customer bookings during the 12 months advance by 7.4% to
477,000.
By the start of 1999, airline employment has grown by 9.1% to 240.
Customer bookings for the year accelerate 4.2% to 403,000.
Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 stands at 245, an 8.4% increase over the previous 12 months.
On April 5, the company receives the first Dash 8-Q300 to be delivered in Australia. The super-quiet turboprop is placed into service on the weekday route from Cairns to Townsville and on Saturdays between Cairns and Hamilton Island.
World History
