Emerald Airways

Emerald Airways was an airline based in Liverpool, United Kingdom. It operated contract and ad hoc freight services throughout the UK and Europe for postal, newspaper and freight companies and passenger services to Ireland under the brand FlyJem.

The airline ceased operations on 12 May 2006Flight International 3 April 2007] .

Code data

*ICAO Code: JEM
*Callsign: GEMSTONE [ [http://www.airlinecodes.co.uk/ Airline Codes] November 2006]

History

The airline was established and started operations in 1987. It was formed by Andy Janes and his wife Hilary as Janes Aviation at Southend airport. The company was renamed Emerald in 1992, in recognition of the large amount of business across the Irish Sea and established its base in Liverpool. In October 2002, Emerald bought Exeter based Streamline Aviation. The airline was wholly owned by AS Janes and HJ Janes.

In June 2005, EuroManx successfully bought the passenger service of Emerald Airways, which was operating low cost services from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to the Isle of Man, using BAe ATPs. Following the takeover these services were then operated under the EuroManx name and booking system, but often the cabin crew employed and the planes used were those of Emerald Airways.

Following the suspension of Emerald's AOC and the company subsequently calling in administrators, one of the ATP's was impounded by the Isle of Man Government at Ronaldsway Airport.

Accidents and incidents

On 8 March 2006, an HS748 Series 2a registered G-BVOV overran the runway at Guernsey Airport. There were no injuries.cite web|url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/formal_reports/6_2008_g_bvov.cfm |title=Report on the serious incident to Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Series 2A, G-BVOV at Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands on 8 March 2006 |publisher=Air Accident Investigation Branch |accessdate= 2008-09-02] The cause of the accident was that the flight crew did not operate the propeller controls correctly, meaning that less drag was created than would have been had the controls been operated correctly.cite web|url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/G-BVOV%20%20Section%203.pdf |title=Conclusions |publisher=Air Accidents Investigation Branch |accessdate=2008-09-02]

AOC Suspension

On the 4 May 2006 at 20:00 the airline's Air Operators Certificate was suspended by the CAA for reasons that were unspecified, the carrier were no longer continue to operate services. However, the CAA specified that should its requirements (as aforementioned they were not specified) be met the airline's AOC would be reinstated. On 11 May 2006, Administrators were appointed. As a result of the fleet grounding the firm were unable to generate any money to run the business. [ [http://aviation-safety.net/news/newsitem.php?id=1636 News about AOC being retired from Emerald Airways] ] The AOC was revoked at the request of Emerald Airways on 7 August 2006.cite web|url=http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/G-BVOV%20%20Section%201.pdf |title=Factual Information |publisher=Air Accidents Investigation Branch |accessdate=2006-09-02]

Hubs

Emerald Airways main base was Liverpool John Lennon Airport and it had hubs at Coventry Airport, Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA), Pisa, Ruzyně International Airport, Prague, Vienna International Airport and Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Paris.

Fleet

The Emerald Airways fleet included the following aircraft (at August 2006) [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006] :

*1 Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Series 1
*14 Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Series 2A
*5 BAe ATP
*1 Shorts 330-200
*4 Shorts 360-100
*6 Shorts 360-200

References