The spring of 1987, the United Airlines “United Express” partner Wes-tAir Airlines President Timothy Flynn announces the creation of a new feeder, North Pacific Airlines (NPA), which is based at Pasco, Washington. Outfitted with a pair of British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31s, the new subsidiary, under the direction of President Craig Belmondo, inaugurates 12-times-a-day services to Portland, Oregon, in July.
In September 1988, the parent company’s holding firm, WestCom Holdings, is transformed into WestAir Holdings, with Flynn named chairman. In November, orders are placed by WestAir for two, later three, Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias for NPA.
Enplanements for the first full year of service total 363,206.
Airline employment in 1989 stands at 400 and the fleet now includes 17 Jetstream 31s. The first three EMB-120s join the fleet in January and February and Brasilia flights commence to Boise, Idaho, on March 1.
A total of 14 cities are served by spring, including Seattle, Wenatchee, Spokane, Portland, Eugene, Redmond, Bend, Medford, Pullman, Moscow, Lewiston, Clarkston, Kalispell, and Missoula.
A number of pilots are now hired from failing San Juan Airlines and on May 1, NPA takes over for the collapsed Port Angeles-based regional.
On October 22, the underbelly baggage compartment of a Jetstream 31 departing Redmond, Washington, hits a deer just as the aircraft is rotating; the aircraft returns immediately to the ramp and no injuries (except to the deer) are reported.
Icing is a major factor in the December 26 loss of “United Express” Flight 2415, a BAe Jetstream 31 with two crew and four passengers, which crashes 100-ft. short of the runway at Pasco-Tri Cities Airport after a service from Yakima. There are no survivors.
Traffic statistics for the year are not reported separately, but rather as part of the parent’s report.
In March 1990, just after daily roundtrips begin from San Francisco to Fresno, the San Francisco-based WestAir Airlines division is combined with the NPA unit, which flies “United Express” services out of Seattle, under the former’s name, becoming the West Coast division of WestAir, itself now a national in size. Atlantic Coast Airlines, formed the previous year, remains the East Coast division. NPA President Belmondo transfers to Atlantic Coast as its vice president-customer services and sales.
World History
