A Look at SeaPort Airlines

I wanted to take the time to write about a carrier that has interested me for a while, Portland, Oregon's Seaport Airlines.

SeaPort started up back in 2008 during the middle of the economic recession, and has been able to grow to a reasonable size flying mostly Essential Air Service (EAS) routes. It has reported being profitable, transporting nearly 100,000 passengers in 2011 on its 9-seat Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna Caravans. 


To get off the ground SeaPort used the operating certificate of an already existing carrier established in the 1980s named Wings of Alaska, by buying it out for $750,000. This method of entry into the market place is different compared to other startup airlines. By partnering with Wings of Alaska for their operation SeaPort did not have to undergo the daunting task of getting their own FAA operating certificate, but it did not come without its own troubles. Wings of Alaska still owed about $1.6 million on a hangar and had to find a way to pay it back.

SeaPort started out flying between Seattle and Portland (its namesake, and a route it has since dropped) as well as other places in the Pacific Northwest, appealing to business travelers who wanted a convenient schedule, affordable fare, and a no-hassle travel experience. This business model seemed to work at first, but the 2008 recession seemed to hit the startup airline hard, forcing them to go back to the drawing board and readjust their business model.


SeaPort then came back with the profitable idea of bidding for EAS routes to rural communities. Because of numerous multi-million dollar EAS contracts SeaPort's route network now has a Mid-South region to it, serving numerous cities including Memphis, Nashville and Kansas City.

Many have criticized SeaPort for being quick to pull out once a subsidy ends, but these subsides have guaranteed SeaPort profitability while developing its brand in the communities it serves.

SeaPort also notes it's advantage with 9-seat aircraft, touting that they are more fuel efficient and meet capacity demands better and do not over-flood the market with unprofitable 50-70 seat jets.

It has been interesting to see SeaPort's development over the past few years, and I will enjoy seeing how this airline grows in the future. They have seemed to revolutionize the comfort of short-distance travel by offering "private-jet-like" service in small communities, but it will be interesting to see if SeaPort can support many non-EAS routes in the future.

PREVIEW: The Vision Airlines Story

Some of you might be familiar with Vision Airlines. Vision was historically founded in 1994, but continues to switch up its operations every now and then in order to find the right business plan for them to operate with. Vision is currently based and operates a majority of its flights out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a large, famous resort town on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch for my full post on Vision Airlines, which I'll have up here on StartUp Air tomorrow morning!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wisconsin Based MetJet Plans October Start

De Pere, Wisconsin based MetJet continues to plan for its new service starting in October, which will connect the northern Wisconsin city of Green Bay with Orlando and Fort Myers, Florida. 

According to their website, the Airline is a public tour operator that is funded by local businesses and individuals who are dedicated to increasing service between northeastern Wisconsin and the rest of the United States. The Airline is a prime example of how a community can help fill a need for air service with hard work by many of its members.

MetJet, which will operate Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-700 Aircraft, describes according to their website a layout that will seat 12 First Class Passengers and 150 Economy Class Passengers. MetJet will charter the Boeing Aircraft from Minneapolis, Minnesota based Sun Country Airlines. The Airline is currently making those who visit their online site aware that MetJet has no intentions of charging for baggage, which when traveling today, certainly can become a hefty extra cost on the traveling consumer.

One thing I find interesting as well, is that the Airline plans to offer "Great Harvest Bread Co." meals to every single passenger on board any of their flights, as well as a standard beverage and snack service during transit between Green Bay and Florida. This offer would, to many, seem unreal as multiple carriers currently operating in the United States offer a limited selection of items for "free" to eat, snack, or even drink.

MetJet originally planned only to begin its Green Bay service with flights to and from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Orlando, Florida. Now, according to their website, www.metjet.net, the Airline now plans to serve Green Bay, Wisconsin with flights only heading south, cutting any booking option between Minneapolis and Green Bay. The flights will fly from Green Bay to Orlando and Fort Myers, two locations that the CEO of MetJet, Mike Heisman, believes is under served from the Northeastern Wisconsin market.

It will truly be an interesting sight to see what happens to MetJet, and if success does come out of this project. Like I commented earlier, MetJet is a community based and funded Airline, that hopes to fill a void many of the citizens believe is very evident. I'll continue to monitor the progress of MetJet, and inform you more on the Airline as we approach their starting dates in October.

MetJet plans to start its charter service operated by Sun Country Airlines between Green Bay and Orlando on October 7th, and Green Bay and Fort Myers on October 10th.

California Pacific's First Aircraft

California Pacific Airlines has reached an important milestone for any airline, getting its first aircraft. They have come a long way since we first interviewed Randy Brown, back in October.

The aircraft has traveled around the country getting prepped and ready for it's expected delivery to CPA in Carlsbad, CA on July 10th for a special delivery ceremony.

California Pacific is having a contest on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FlyCPAir,
where users can share one of CPA's photos for the chance to win one of two tickets to the delivery ceremony.

After their delivery, they will have to undergo some flight crew testing and training, and assuming everything goes as planned, start selling tickets and become operational by the end of the year.

photo courtesy of Flight Aware, via California Pacific's Facebook page

Dodson Tweetup

Although Startup Air is a blog that focuses primarily on the world of startup airlines, I wanted to take the time to do a feature here on a "small" Kansas aviation parts company with a global reach named Dodson International, which operates with a very entrepreneurial spirit.

Last Friday, Dodson International's web designer and social media guru, Donielle invited myself and four other AvGeeks (@flyingwithfish, @user47, @trvlinsalesgal, @brianmcspadden) out to tour their facilities in Rantoul, Kansas. 

Photo of all the #avgeeks! Credit goes to Flying With Fish

I am very glad that she did, because prior to this visit I did not know that this avgeek equivalent to Disneyland was right in my backyard, only about 40 minutes south of where I live!

This magnificent place had almost everything you could think of, ranging from 5 million different aircraft parts, to helicopters, commercial aircraft, and crop dusters! The commercial aircraft were what caused the most excitement among the avgeeks. They had a Delta Embraer 170 that overran in CLE a few years back, a DC-8 that lost directional control at MCI, American Airlines 727s, and a few Turbo DC-3s, one of which will be put on the top of The Roasterie's building in downtown Kansas City.

If it weren't for Dodson International, or @trvlinsalesgal telling me about this tweetup my AvGeek soul would be less nourished right now! I'd like to give them a huge thank you, and suggest that you follow Dodson on twitter at @dodsoninternational for cool AvGeek pieces of goodness! 

Below I have some photos/tidbits of info related to the photos to share part of the experience with you guys! 

Started the day off meeting with the other AvGeeks at MCI

After a 90 minute drive with a playlist filled with airplane themed songs (albiet, some of them a stretch! ;)  made by @trvlinsalesgal we made it to Dodson International! 

I've heard of sky lights before, but these covers on the office lights were a nice touch! 

The tour started out with this aircraft that just arrived! 

We then made it through the hangers/warehouses, where this Challenger was being taken apart

Dodson has a few warehouses filled with almost any airplane part you can think of! 

Including airplane engines! (they even had old DL 727 engines!) 

We had fun playing with this old US Airways first class seat with a Verizon air phone on it! (Photo credit to @trvlinsalesgal, knowledge of it being a US Airways seat goes to @flyingwithfish) 

We then moved on to one of my favorite parts of the tour, the aircraft scrapyard!

A Delta Connection/ Shuttle America jet that overran the runway in CLE a few years ago

2 AA 727s. You can tell they tried to cover over the AA name, but the paint faded away! 

Looking in one of the AA 727s. I'm kind of jealous, because the cabin condition is nicer than my last flight with them! (just kidding!) 

A former Easter DC-8, that was converted to a cargo jet and overran the runway at MCI in the 90s. 

There was the front/back half of this MD-82 there. I couldn't find a reg on it. Anyone who can comment below on any info about it gets 100 avgeek respect points in my book! (if those are meaningful or worth anything to you, is your call!) 

All I can say is ouch! 

I saw these plant containers/ hot tubs painted in DL Ron Allen colors! ;)

Me standing on a wing. Nothing unusual! 

We then drove to Dodson Aviation out in Ottawa Kansas, and saw a bunch of DC-3s, including this one which will be put on the top of the Roasterie's building in downtown KC. 

Me pretending to drive a tug, with a Turbo DC-3 in the background.