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| Founded | 1929 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) | ||||||
| Fleet size | 13 | ||||||
| Parent company | Ameriflight | ||||||
| Headquarters | Manchester, New Hampshire | ||||||
| Key people | Paul Halter | ||||||
| Website |
wiggins-air | ||||||
Wiggins Airways is an American cargo airline based in Manchester, New Hampshire, United States, operating from Manchester–Boston Regional Airport. It is a subsidiary of Ameriflight.
History
Wiggins Airways was founded in 1929, by E.W. Wiggins, operating out of Manchester, New Hampshire. Wiggins Airways was bought out by its employees in the creation of an Employee Share Ownership Plan in 1985. Wiggins currently employs over 160 people.
In December 2014, Ameriflight acquired Wiggins Airways (48 aircraft and 100 employees), which resulted in Ameriflight becoming the largest regional air cargo carrier in the world, with 218 aircraft in its fleet. [1] [2] Ameriflight elected not to continue to operate Wiggins' FBO and airline service departments, resulting in these departments being sold to Signature Flight Support. [3]
While Signature Flight Support operates fueling and deicing services to aircraft flying into Manchester Boston Regional Airport, Wiggins Airways does maintenance on their fleet, as well as servicing the airlines that serve the airport and general aviation aircraft.
Routes
Wiggins Airways flies across New England and other Northeast states from its base in Manchester utilizing a fleet of Beechcraft Model 99.
Fleet
As of March 2024 [update] Wiggins Airways operates a fleet of 13 aircraft. [4] These aircraft operate as feeders for UPS Airlines.
| Aircraft | In fleet | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raytheon Beech B99 | 13 | UPS livery | Total | 13 | ||
Incidents and Accidents
- On August 22, 2023, while operating a training flight from Lewiston-Auburn Airport, Wiggins Air Flight 634 crashed in a wooded area in Litchfield, ME. [5] The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft Model 99. The aircraft was totally destroyed after entering a steep dive while conducting training, almost disintegrating on impact. Both occupants were killed on impact.
- Jan 26, 2024: A Wiggins Airways Beech C99 cargo flight from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to Presque Isle International Airport crashed in Londonderry, NH into wooded terrain, severely injuring the sole pilot on board. [6] After takeoff it broadcast an emergency transponder code then flew erratically for 16 minutes before crashing. The pilot's door had become detached, resulting in control difficulties, and the pilot was unable to contact ATC.
References
- ^ "Wiggins Airways". Airliner World: 15. January 2015.
- ^ "Wiggins Acquisition Goes Ahead". Airliner World: 14. December 2014.
- ^ "Signature Flight Support to acquire Wiggins AirWays FBO at Manchester Airport".
- ^ "Fleet & Network". Wiggins Airways. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/ntsb-preliminary-report-fatal-plane-crash-litchfield-auburn/97-b5bfdc76-964c-4879-ab6b-a88145600cd6
- ^ https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/351173
