Oregon-based SkyTaxi has received US Federal Aviation Administration approval to fly an unlimited number of aircraft for its franchised air taxi concept, clearing the way for a fleet expansion plan which could amount to 1,500 by 2010.
SkyTaxi received its original FAA air carrier certificate earlier this year and has been in operation since 20 April using only one aircraft at a time. The full FAA clearance allows SkyTaxi to begin implementing the plan which involves franchise holders owning the aircraft and paying crew costs. SkyTaxi runs the operation, takes bookings, bills customers, pays franchisees by the week and markets the service.
"We have three aircraft ready now to operate by the end of this month, and our goal is to have nine in operation by year-end," says Neil Morrow, chief executive. The company has nine home base locations, with each base representing a staging point for a single aircraft. SkyTaxi is "actively" seeking at least three more franchisees to complete its initial slot allocations in Oregon. The concept aims to provide services to remote communities which do not have access to traditional airline services.
The SkyTaxi operation is based on a fleet of Cessna 414 Chancellors. Development of the purpose-designed Morrow MB-300 Boomerang originally conceived for the operation has been put on ice pending the launch of the full service.
Source: Flight International
