Wright Air Service
Wright Air Service is an American commuter airline based in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It was established by Al Wright and started operations in 1967. It is located off the east ramp near the Fairbanks International Airport.[2] The president of the company was Robert Bursiel, but the company was recently bought out by a new owner in 2017.
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Founded | 1967 | ||||||
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AOC # | HYTA069A[1] | ||||||
Operating bases | Fairbanks International Airport | ||||||
Fleet size | 21 | ||||||
Destinations | 18 | ||||||
Headquarters | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | ||||||
Key people | Matt Atkinson Lee Kenaston Brett Carlson | ||||||
Website | WrightAirService.com |
![](../I/m/Wright_Air_Terminal_at_FAI.jpg)
History
Bob Bursiel, former president, started as a pilot for Wright's in 1968. As the company grew, more aircraft joined the fleet. Bursiel then became the owner of Wright's in 1982, changing the company's focus from game surveys, short fields, and Trans-Alaska Pipeline construction support, to carrying passengers and mail to the remote villages of Alaska.[3]
Fleet
The Wright Air Service fleet includes the following aircraft:[4]
Plane Name | Number in Operation | Number of Passengers | Cruise Speed | Fuel Range | Load Limit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cessna Grand Caravan | 11 | 9 | 165 kts | 6 Hrs | 2000-2400 LBS |
Cessna 206 | 2 | 4 | 125 kts | 5 Hrs | 900 LBS |
Piper Navajo Chieftain | 2 | 8 | 175 knots | 5 Hrs | 1400 LBS |
Piper Navajo | 1 | 6 | 175 kts | 5 Hrs | 1200 LBS |
Helio Courier | 4 | 3 | 110 kts | 5 Hrs | 750 LBS |
Beechcraft Bonanza | 1 | 3 | 165 kts | 5 Hrs | 750 LBS |
On 7 July 2020, Wright Air acquired 4 Cessna planes at Ravn Alaska's bankruptcy auction.[5]
Destinations
![](../I/m/Loading_plane_at_Fairbanks.jpg)
![](../I/m/Unloading_our_plane_on_the_gravel_runway.jpg)
Wright Air Service operates scheduled passenger flights to the following locations in Alaska (as of July 2020):[2]
- Allakaket (AET) - Allakaket Airport (to Bettles, Fairbanks)
- Anaktuvuk Pass (AKP) - Anaktuvuk Pass Airport (to Bettles, Fairbanks)
- Arctic Village (ARC) - Arctic Village Airport (to Fairbanks, Fort Yukon, Venetie)
- Bettles (BTT) - Bettles Airport (to Allakaket, Anaktuvuk Pass, Fairbanks)
- Coldfoot (CXF) - Coldfoot Airport
- Chalkyitsik (CIK) - Chalkyitsik Airport
- Birch Creek (KBC) - Birch Creek Airport (to Fairbanks, Venetie)
- Fairbanks (FAI) - Fairbanks International Airport (hub)
- Fort Yukon (FYU) - Fort Yukon Airport (to Arctic Village, Birch Creek, Fairbanks, Venetie)
- Galena (GAL) - Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (to Kaltag)
- Hughes (HUS) - Hughes Airport (to Fairbanks, Tanana)
- Huslia (HSL) - Huslia Airport (to Fairbanks, Hughes, Tanana, Ruby)
- Kaltag (KAL) - Kaltag Airport (to Nulato)
- Koyukuk (KYU) - Koyukuk Airport (to Huslia)
- Lake Minchumina (LMA) - Minchumina Airport (to Fairbanks)
- Nulato (NUL) - Nulato Airport (to Koyukuk)
- Ruby (RBY) - Ruby Airport (to Fairbanks)
- Tanana (TAL) - Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport (to Fairbanks, Hughes, Huslia)
- Venetie (VEE) - Venetie Airport (to Arctic Village, Birch Creek, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon)
Wright Air Service also provides charter service.
References
- "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
- "Wright Air Service". Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- "Wright's History". Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- Aircraft available. Wright Air Service. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- "Ravn sells off dozens of small planes to Alaska companies". www.alaskapublic.org. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
External links
- Wright Air Service, Inc.
- Photo of Wright Air Service timetable
- Photo of Wright Air Service terminal in Fairbanks
- Wright Air Service photos