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Air Caribbean

Question:

Air Caribbean website does not seem to be working.  Any new about them. Apparently went into receivership last October.  Are they still flying? Do have a website? Thanks

Response:

> Air Caribbean website does not seem to be working.  Any new about them. > Apparently went into receivership last October.  Are they still flying? > Do have a website? > Thanks

Perhaps you will find the info you are looking at here: http://www.caribbeanaviation.com Leif Arild

Response:

>> I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for >a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments >came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual >"subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally >privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the >Board.

My understanding is that the LI privatisation was done in some secrecy and that various Caribbean governments still maintain stakes in LI, though less than pre-privatisation.  To my knowledge, there is no public record of all of LI’s shareholders and their shareholdings. But privatisation, as we are aware, has not brought profitability to LI. >Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with >one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full >schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots.

Yes, but the job of rostering the remaining pilots is made easier by the grounding of two if the 12 Dash-8s …

Response:

> Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of > Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the > times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated > by BWIA by> wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models).

Hi Jim, Actually there is a time gap and reversal of info in what you said  tho it is a bit confusing.  Leslie Lucky-Samaroo started Arawak Airlines (which later became Caribbean United Airlines) to take over from BWIA when BW was still using Viscounts on the run very early in the 1970’s.  Using Convair -440s and then FH-227s (US built/modified Fokker F-27s),  Arawak/CUA did not prosper  and the government set up the `Air Bridge’ /TTAS (Trinidad+ Tobago Air Services),  with 3   DC-6Bs in `73 or `74 I think. After a few years, the DC-6s were replaced with Avro/Hawker Siddely 748s and it was then that BWIA and TTAS, both government-owned,  merged. BWIA continued through the `80s with the HS.748s to Tobago, later replaced with DC-9s/MD-83s.  Needless to say, these jets run by a government airline with subsidised domestic fares, lost loads of money on the 13-minute flight. Lucky-Samaroo with newly-formed Air Caribbean and its YS-11s got the rights to it circa `94 , with BW initially excluded from what is still termed the Air Bridge. HTH, — Niels (to e-mail me  -replace- `nospam’  with `lofgren’ in my address)

Response:

> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated by BWIA by wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models). In the face of intense opposition and political wrangling he has stayed the course and fought all the way to the point of buying (or leasing) Boeing 737 aircraft and operating services from Trinidad to Guyana and Barbados as well. He has gone as far as to seek – and be granted – status of national carrier in the face of BWIA’s objections that they had exclusinve right to that in the management agreement with Ed Acker when BWIA was "privatised" several years ago. BWIA does not like it, but everything they have done to counter it has been for naught. > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual "subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the Board. BWIA, in a press release late last year, stated that when they got their Dash-8s they would relinquish their LIAT presence, but that state of affirs is yet to be seen (much like a number of other "promises" they have made). Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots. LIAT is based in Antigua, and used to have both a pilot base and line maintenence base in Barbados (when they operated two large types of turboprop, BAe748 and Dash-8). Barbados is responsible for a significant segment of LIAT’s traffic (in both joining and intransit loads). LIAT was not a launch customer for the Dash-8, but was not far behind. They started operating the Dash-8-100 Series, added the -300 Series to the fleet, and are about to return the -100 Series to leave an all-300 Series fleet. If you go back enough years, you will also find two LIAT subsidiaries – InterIsland Air based in Grenada and Four Island Air based in Antigua. Both operated BN-2A Islanders, and Four Island Air also operated a Trislander and then a Twin Otter for the Montserrat government between Antigua and Montserrat. Regards, James C. "Jim" Lynch CanDoo Creative Concepts >-==- Your business could GO on the Net here! -==-

504-49 St.Clair Ave.W.,Toronto,Ont.,Canada M4V 1K6 (416) 968-9749, (416) 968-1850; Fax (416) 490-6907

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Response:

LIAT is based in Antigua and has an agreement with BWIA, the latter has a minority stake in the carrier, the remain is hold by the Governments of Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia. Air Carribean is based in Port Of Spain and it’s YS-11s are Japan made turboprops that seat 60-64 passengers. All Nippon and JAS operate many of them.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

Response:

BY THE WAY LIAT IS BASED IN ANTIGUA

Response:

> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737.

No  the Yak-40 is a small trijet. The YS-11 is a Japanese turboprop. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

I’ve flown Air Caribbean YS-11s and they are fine for what they are i.e. short distance 60 pax commuters.. They got the planes from the previous (and original) owner: Japan Air System. The YS-11 was designed and built in Japan in the `60s roughly based on/similiar to  the British AVRO/HS748. Has Rolls-Royce Dart engines. Production ended in 1974. I believe their 737-200s are ex-Southwest a/c. In my experience, Air Caribbean is as reliable/unreliable as any other carrier in the area i.e. they seem to be improving as they all get more and more computerized (in reservations/maintainence etc.) > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT is based in Antigua, and owned by the various Eastern Caribbean governments with BWIA holding some shares to influence their Board decisions (for better or worse depending on your opinion). That may change since BWIA seems to be starting Dash 8 commuter service of its own. — Niels

Response:

Sir, YS 11 is a Japanese turboprop aircraft, it was made by nihon to compete with convairs. The Yak 40 is a soviet aircfart it is a three engined jet 28 pax.

Response:

Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc etc).  How would BWIA react? I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? Thanks!

Response:

The YS-11 is a Japanese twin engine turboprop from the 1960’s.  It used Rolls Royce Dart engines (same as the F.27/F-27 series and the Vickers Viscount.  Carried between 50 and 60 passengers in a 4-abreast configuration.  In the United States, Piedmont flew them, as did Hawaiian Airlines.  The Piedmont planes have generally ended up flying freight for Airborne; I don’t know who else used these planes in the U.S. I think LIAT is based in Trinidad/Tobago as is BWIA (Somebody out there correct me if I’m wrong).  BWIA is the long haul carrier and LIAT the regional. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

Response:

>> I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for >a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments >came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual >"subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally >privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the >Board.

My understanding is that the LI privatisation was done in some secrecy and that various Caribbean governments still maintain stakes in LI, though less than pre-privatisation.  To my knowledge, there is no public record of all of LI’s shareholders and their shareholdings. But privatisation, as we are aware, has not brought profitability to LI. >Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with >one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full >schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots.

Yes, but the job of rostering the remaining pilots is made easier by the grounding of two if the 12 Dash-8s …

Response:

> Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of > Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the > times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated > by BWIA by> wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models).

Hi Jim, Actually there is a time gap and reversal of info in what you said  tho it is a bit confusing.  Leslie Lucky-Samaroo started Arawak Airlines (which later became Caribbean United Airlines) to take over from BWIA when BW was still using Viscounts on the run very early in the 1970’s.  Using Convair -440s and then FH-227s (US built/modified Fokker F-27s),  Arawak/CUA did not prosper  and the government set up the `Air Bridge’ /TTAS (Trinidad+ Tobago Air Services),  with 3   DC-6Bs in `73 or `74 I think. After a few years, the DC-6s were replaced with Avro/Hawker Siddely 748s and it was then that BWIA and TTAS, both government-owned,  merged. BWIA continued through the `80s with the HS.748s to Tobago, later replaced with DC-9s/MD-83s.  Needless to say, these jets run by a government airline with subsidised domestic fares, lost loads of money on the 13-minute flight. Lucky-Samaroo with newly-formed Air Caribbean and its YS-11s got the rights to it circa `94 , with BW initially excluded from what is still termed the Air Bridge. HTH, — Niels (to e-mail me  -replace- `nospam’  with `lofgren’ in my address)

Response:

> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated by BWIA by wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models). In the face of intense opposition and political wrangling he has stayed the course and fought all the way to the point of buying (or leasing) Boeing 737 aircraft and operating services from Trinidad to Guyana and Barbados as well. He has gone as far as to seek – and be granted – status of national carrier in the face of BWIA’s objections that they had exclusinve right to that in the management agreement with Ed Acker when BWIA was "privatised" several years ago. BWIA does not like it, but everything they have done to counter it has been for naught. > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual "subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the Board. BWIA, in a press release late last year, stated that when they got their Dash-8s they would relinquish their LIAT presence, but that state of affirs is yet to be seen (much like a number of other "promises" they have made). Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots. LIAT is based in Antigua, and used to have both a pilot base and line maintenence base in Barbados (when they operated two large types of turboprop, BAe748 and Dash-8). Barbados is responsible for a significant segment of LIAT’s traffic (in both joining and intransit loads). LIAT was not a launch customer for the Dash-8, but was not far behind. They started operating the Dash-8-100 Series, added the -300 Series to the fleet, and are about to return the -100 Series to leave an all-300 Series fleet. If you go back enough years, you will also find two LIAT subsidiaries – InterIsland Air based in Grenada and Four Island Air based in Antigua. Both operated BN-2A Islanders, and Four Island Air also operated a Trislander and then a Twin Otter for the Montserrat government between Antigua and Montserrat. Regards, James C. "Jim" Lynch CanDoo Creative Concepts >-==- Your business could GO on the Net here! -==-

504-49 St.Clair Ave.W.,Toronto,Ont.,Canada M4V 1K6 (416) 968-9749, (416) 968-1850; Fax (416) 490-6907

Member of:  HTML Writers Guild, Toronto Naval Club Interactive Multimedia Arts and Technologies Assn.       Barbados Museum and Historical Society Life Member, Leeward Islands Air Line Pilots Assn.

 http://www.candoo.com/homepage.htm  http://www.candoo.com/clients.htm  http://www.candoo.com/airnews/index.htm  http://www.elderlifeplanning.com/index.html  http://www.elderlifeplanning.com/cafe/index.html  http://home.earthlink.net/~camachos/index.htm  http://idt.net/~ianm/index.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

LIAT is based in Antigua and has an agreement with BWIA, the latter has a minority stake in the carrier, the remain is hold by the Governments of Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia. Air Carribean is based in Port Of Spain and it’s YS-11s are Japan made turboprops that seat 60-64 passengers. All Nippon and JAS operate many of them.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

Response:

BY THE WAY LIAT IS BASED IN ANTIGUA

Response:

> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737.

No  the Yak-40 is a small trijet. The YS-11 is a Japanese turboprop. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

I’ve flown Air Caribbean YS-11s and they are fine for what they are i.e. short distance 60 pax commuters.. They got the planes from the previous (and original) owner: Japan Air System. The YS-11 was designed and built in Japan in the `60s roughly based on/similiar to  the British AVRO/HS748. Has Rolls-Royce Dart engines. Production ended in 1974. I believe their 737-200s are ex-Southwest a/c. In my experience, Air Caribbean is as reliable/unreliable as any other carrier in the area i.e. they seem to be improving as they all get more and more computerized (in reservations/maintainence etc.) > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT is based in Antigua, and owned by the various Eastern Caribbean governments with BWIA holding some shares to influence their Board decisions (for better or worse depending on your opinion). That may change since BWIA seems to be starting Dash 8 commuter service of its own. — Niels

Response:

Sir, YS 11 is a Japanese turboprop aircraft, it was made by nihon to compete with convairs. The Yak 40 is a soviet aircfart it is a three engined jet 28 pax.

Response:

Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc etc).  How would BWIA react? I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? Thanks!

Response:

The YS-11 is a Japanese twin engine turboprop from the 1960’s.  It used Rolls Royce Dart engines (same as the F.27/F-27 series and the Vickers Viscount.  Carried between 50 and 60 passengers in a 4-abreast configuration.  In the United States, Piedmont flew them, as did Hawaiian Airlines.  The Piedmont planes have generally ended up flying freight for Airborne; I don’t know who else used these planes in the U.S. I think LIAT is based in Trinidad/Tobago as is BWIA (Somebody out there correct me if I’m wrong).  BWIA is the long haul carrier and LIAT the regional. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

Response:

>> I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for >a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments >came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual >"subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally >privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the >Board.

My understanding is that the LI privatisation was done in some secrecy and that various Caribbean governments still maintain stakes in LI, though less than pre-privatisation.  To my knowledge, there is no public record of all of LI’s shareholders and their shareholdings. But privatisation, as we are aware, has not brought profitability to LI. >Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with >one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full >schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots.

Yes, but the job of rostering the remaining pilots is made easier by the grounding of two if the 12 Dash-8s …

Response:

> Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of > Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the > times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated > by BWIA by> wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models).

Hi Jim, Actually there is a time gap and reversal of info in what you said  tho it is a bit confusing.  Leslie Lucky-Samaroo started Arawak Airlines (which later became Caribbean United Airlines) to take over from BWIA when BW was still using Viscounts on the run very early in the 1970’s.  Using Convair -440s and then FH-227s (US built/modified Fokker F-27s),  Arawak/CUA did not prosper  and the government set up the `Air Bridge’ /TTAS (Trinidad+ Tobago Air Services),  with 3   DC-6Bs in `73 or `74 I think. After a few years, the DC-6s were replaced with Avro/Hawker Siddely 748s and it was then that BWIA and TTAS, both government-owned,  merged. BWIA continued through the `80s with the HS.748s to Tobago, later replaced with DC-9s/MD-83s.  Needless to say, these jets run by a government airline with subsidised domestic fares, lost loads of money on the 13-minute flight. Lucky-Samaroo with newly-formed Air Caribbean and its YS-11s got the rights to it circa `94 , with BW initially excluded from what is still termed the Air Bridge. HTH, — Niels (to e-mail me  -replace- `nospam’  with `lofgren’ in my address)

Response:

> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

Air Caribbean is a Trinidaian airline owned by a gentleman with the surname of Lucky-Samaroo, a businessman in Trinidad. He started the airline during the times of problems with the Trinidad-Tobago "AirBridge" being operated by BWIA by wet-leased DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft (I’m not sure of the models). In the face of intense opposition and political wrangling he has stayed the course and fought all the way to the point of buying (or leasing) Boeing 737 aircraft and operating services from Trinidad to Guyana and Barbados as well. He has gone as far as to seek – and be granted – status of national carrier in the face of BWIA’s objections that they had exclusinve right to that in the management agreement with Ed Acker when BWIA was "privatised" several years ago. BWIA does not like it, but everything they have done to counter it has been for naught. > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT _used_to_be_ owned by 11 regional governments. For years it lost money for a wide range of the usual Third World reasons, until most of the governments came upon hard times themselves and refused to continue paying annual "subventions" to support the losses. After two attempts the airline was finally privatised, with BWIA/TT government still retaining shares and a seat on the Board. BWIA, in a press release late last year, stated that when they got their Dash-8s they would relinquish their LIAT presence, but that state of affirs is yet to be seen (much like a number of other "promises" they have made). Several weeks ago, BWIA called about 15 Trinidadian pilots to leave LIAT with one week’s notice and left LIAT with a serious problem – to operate a full schedule (about 200 takeoffs a day) with too few pilots. LIAT is based in Antigua, and used to have both a pilot base and line maintenence base in Barbados (when they operated two large types of turboprop, BAe748 and Dash-8). Barbados is responsible for a significant segment of LIAT’s traffic (in both joining and intransit loads). LIAT was not a launch customer for the Dash-8, but was not far behind. They started operating the Dash-8-100 Series, added the -300 Series to the fleet, and are about to return the -100 Series to leave an all-300 Series fleet. If you go back enough years, you will also find two LIAT subsidiaries – InterIsland Air based in Grenada and Four Island Air based in Antigua. Both operated BN-2A Islanders, and Four Island Air also operated a Trislander and then a Twin Otter for the Montserrat government between Antigua and Montserrat. Regards, James C. "Jim" Lynch CanDoo Creative Concepts >-==- Your business could GO on the Net here! -==-

504-49 St.Clair Ave.W.,Toronto,Ont.,Canada M4V 1K6 (416) 968-9749, (416) 968-1850; Fax (416) 490-6907

Member of:  HTML Writers Guild, Toronto Naval Club Interactive Multimedia Arts and Technologies Assn.       Barbados Museum and Historical Society Life Member, Leeward Islands Air Line Pilots Assn.

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LIAT is based in Antigua and has an agreement with BWIA, the latter has a minority stake in the carrier, the remain is hold by the Governments of Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia. Air Carribean is based in Port Of Spain and it’s YS-11s are Japan made turboprops that seat 60-64 passengers. All Nippon and JAS operate many of them.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

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BY THE WAY LIAT IS BASED IN ANTIGUA

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> Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air > Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough > they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are > these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737.

No  the Yak-40 is a small trijet. The YS-11 is a Japanese turboprop. > Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did > Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean > reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc > etc).  How would BWIA react?

I’ve flown Air Caribbean YS-11s and they are fine for what they are i.e. short distance 60 pax commuters.. They got the planes from the previous (and original) owner: Japan Air System. The YS-11 was designed and built in Japan in the `60s roughly based on/similiar to  the British AVRO/HS748. Has Rolls-Royce Dart engines. Production ended in 1974. I believe their 737-200s are ex-Southwest a/c. In my experience, Air Caribbean is as reliable/unreliable as any other carrier in the area i.e. they seem to be improving as they all get more and more computerized (in reservations/maintainence etc.) > I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. > Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based?

LIAT is based in Antigua, and owned by the various Eastern Caribbean governments with BWIA holding some shares to influence their Board decisions (for better or worse depending on your opinion). That may change since BWIA seems to be starting Dash 8 commuter service of its own. — Niels

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Sir, YS 11 is a Japanese turboprop aircraft, it was made by nihon to compete with convairs. The Yak 40 is a soviet aircfart it is a three engined jet 28 pax.

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Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air Caribbean sign at the airport.  I looked them up on the web and sure enough they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc etc).  How would BWIA react? I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? Thanks!

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The YS-11 is a Japanese twin engine turboprop from the 1960’s.  It used Rolls Royce Dart engines (same as the F.27/F-27 series and the Vickers Viscount.  Carried between 50 and 60 passengers in a 4-abreast configuration.  In the United States, Piedmont flew them, as did Hawaiian Airlines.  The Piedmont planes have generally ended up flying freight for Airborne; I don’t know who else used these planes in the U.S. I think LIAT is based in Trinidad/Tobago as is BWIA (Somebody out there correct me if I’m wrong).  BWIA is the long haul carrier and LIAT the regional. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Anyone ever flown Air Caribbean?  Just came back from BGI where I saw an Air >Caribbean sign at the airport. I looked them up on the web and sure enough >they had a website.  Seems their equipment consists primarily YS-11 (are >these Soviet/Russian-made Yak 40s???) and a few B-737. >Anyone ever flown in a YS-11?  Are they still in production?  From where did >Air Caribbean purchase them (new or from other carriers?)  Is Air Caribbean >reliable?  Seems like they have some ambitious expansion plans (POS-MIA etc >etc).  How would BWIA react? >I was also impressed to see about 6 LIAT Dash 8s at BGI on Saturday morning. >Is LIAT state-owned?  Where is LIAT based? >Thanks!

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