US’s Grant Aviation takes over two charter carriers
Grant Aviation (GV, Bethel) has acquired two regional charter specialists, Bidzy Ta Hot’ Aana, Inc. t/a Tanana Air Service (Z3, Fairbanks Int’l), and its sister carrier Shannon’s Air Taxi (Dillingham), to improve the reliability of services in the Bristol Bay area in south-western Alaska.
“With this merger, Bristol Bay customers can expect Tanana Air Service and Shannon’s Air Taxi’s familiar service now backed by Grant’s reliability, affordable flights, and commitment to customer service. Grant plans to continue service on Tanana and Shannon’s previous routes, connecting residents and visitors alike with our network of destinations across Alaska,” the carrier said in a statement.
Grant Aviation added that it has extended job offers to employees from the two merged carriers.
“By teaming up, I’m confident that we will be able to grow and provide an even better service to Bristol Bay,” the owner of both Shannon’s Air Taxi and Tanana Air Service, Eric Shade, said. Shade will continue to manage the two carrier’s charter operations in addition to being a pilot.
Tanana Air Service terminated all of its remaining scheduled operations on January 1, 2022, ch-aviation research shows. Its fleet entails three Piper (single piston) PA-32s, a single Cessna (single piston) C207, and one Cessna (single turboprop) C208B. In turn, Shannon’s Air Taxi does not appear to have any aircraft registered under its name. The two air taxi operators would retain their focus on the Bristol Bay area, operating charter flights to destinations such as Dillingham, Ekwok, New Koliganek, King Salmon, Egegik, Igiugig, South Naknek, and Perryville.
Grant Aviation’s acquisition of Tanana Air Service has caused a number of issues related to the essential air services operated thus far by the former. The US Department of Transportation has ordered Tanana to maintain its EAS services to Perryville, South Naknek, Ekwok, Igiugig, Pilot Point, and Ugashik until a new operator is selected. All EAS contracts are scheduled to continue through November 2026. The carrier also had an EAS contract covering Egegik, but it has already been reallocated to Grant Aviation as of January 11, 2022, for which it will receive a total subsidy of USD932,000 for 3x weekly seasonal off-peak services to King Salmon through January 31, 2027.
Grant Aviation is a much larger regional operator with a fleet comprising three Beech (twin turboprop) King Air 200s, one Beech (single piston) S-35 Bonanza, fifteen C207s, one Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM P2002, four GA8s, and nine Piper (twin piston) PA-31s. It operates scheduled services throughout the Aleutian Islands, south-eastern, and eastern Alaska.