US start-up Community Air may soon be forced to cancel the purchase of up to 32 10-seat Pilatus PC-12 single-engined turboprops, worth over $90 million, because of the airline's failure to secure $35 million in financing.
California-based Community Air, which planned to begin flying in June with four PC-12s, has told the US Department of Transportation: "Our major investor has backed out, which has left us with no funding. We are pursuing funding with other investors, which may result in a buy-out of the majority shares of John and Susan Mayginnes, founder of Community Air." All staff have been laid off.
Community Air held orders for 11 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B-powered PC-12s, plus options on a further 21. The airline had aimed to start operations in June with four aircraft, taking seven more next year.
Its goal was to become one of the first airlines to take advantage of newly relaxed US regulations on single-engined, instrument flight rules (IFR) passenger operations. Plans called for the carrier to connect rural communities in northern California with cities such as Sacramento, San Jose and San Luis Obisbo.
Source: Flight International
