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Fly My Sky
IATA ICAO Callsign
ILD (Island)
Founded1998 (as Great Barrier Xpress)
2007 (as Fly My Sky)
Ceased operations2021
Hubs
Fleet size4
Destinations3
Parent companyCommercial Helicopters Ltd.
Headquarters Auckland, New Zealand
Website http://www.flymysky.co.nz

Fly My Sky was a small airline based in Auckland, New Zealand. It operated between Auckland, Matamata and Great Barrier Island. The airline went into liquidation at the end of June 2021. [1] The airline evolved out of the now also defunct Mountain Air. [2]

History

Islander ZK-PIY flying in 2012
Islander ZK-EVO in a unique scheme. This aircraft replaced one damaged in a landing incident at Okiwi.

In 1998, Mountain Air added two Britten-Norman Islanders and two Piper Aztec aircraft to its fleet and extended its services to provide New Zealand-wide charter flights. Scheduled services were also developed to provide several flights a day between Auckland Airport, Whangarei and Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf branded as Great Barrier Xpress. The Whangarei service was withdrawn in 2008. In 2019, flights to and from Matamata were initiated.

The airline served both Great Barrier airports, Claris and Okiwi. [3] Special window kits were put into the two Islander aircraft to provide more windows so passengers could have better views. Two more Britten-Norman Islander aircraft were added to the fleet in 2006 and 2007.

In June 2008, Mountain Air rebranded Great Barrier Xpress as Fly My Sky. [4]

Fly My Sky attempted to restart Whangarei operations in October 2018, however the service failed due to lack of patronage and frequent cancellations and ceased in June 2019. [4] In November of the same year, the airline started daily flights to Matamata for tours of the Hobbiton movie set. [5]

On 20 March 2020, the company operating Fly My Sky, Commercial Helicopters Limited, was sold. [4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, Fly My Sky was operating an extended daily schedule into Okiwi Airfield as an essential service. [6] Normally the airfield is only operated to subject of demand. [7]

In late June 2021, the airline went into liquidation and ceased all operations.

Fleet

Operations

Fly My Sky previously operated out of Auckland Airport and flew scheduled daily flights to the following destinations:

As of 2020, Fly My Sky was the only operator to Okiwi Airfield. [7]

Fly My Sky also supported parachute training for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) at RNZAF Base Whenuapai. [8]

Accident

  • In January 2013 a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft was written off after a rough landing at Okiwi airport. The airline's CEO said the incident was caused by wind shear. [9] [10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Anthony, John (30 June 2021). "Company behind Auckland airline Fly My Sky in liquidation". Stuff.
  2. ^ "Fly My Sky - Our Story - Fly My Sky". Fly My Sky. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Airline flights Great Barrier Island and Auckland > Timetable & Fares". Fly My Sky. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Steve L (20 November 2011). "3rd Level New Zealand: Fly My Sky". 3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com.au. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Daily Flights to Hobbiton". Fly My Sky. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Okiwi Airfield: Supporting Great Barrier Island under Alert Level 4". Auckland Transport. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Timetable - Fly My Sky - Great Barrier Island Flights Timetable". Fly My Sky. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  8. ^ "About Us". Fly My Sky. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Rough landing grounds plane". Stuff.co.nz. 31 January 2015.
  10. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Britten-Norman BN-2B-26 Islander ZK-DLA Okiwi Station Airport". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 31 May 2020.

External links

Media related to Fly My Sky at Wikimedia Commons