Feet wet

Air Whitsunday, the longest running tour and transport operation in the Whitsundays, will soon celebrate its 40th birthday and it will do so in style, with the company calling for all past employee to contact it and become involved in its celebrations.

“Next year Air Whitsunday celebrates its 40th year of operation and together with the founder of Air Whitsunday, Kevin Bowe, and a group of key past Air Whitsunday employees we are planning a weekend of celebrations over 20-21 April,” Jade Korosec of Air Whitsunday says.

“Commencing at Happy Bay on Long Island, the spot where our first tour took flight and then continuing at Whitsunday Airport there will be multiple events for staff to attend. What we are really looking forward to is bringing together as many past employees of Air Whitsunday as possible for a major reunion. Over the past40 years Air Whitsunday has had over 100 pilots fly for the company and if we could get just half of these pilots together along with past operations and administration staff we will be delighted. ” Air Whitsunday currently operates two DHC-2 Beavers (VH-AWI and VH‑AWD ) and two Cessna 208 Caravans (VH-PGB and VH-PGT). A third Beaver (VH-AWY) is undergoing rebuild and it’s hoped to have the aircraft on line for the 40th anniversary celebrations.

The amphibian aircraft operate to Whitehaven Beach and Hardy Reef as well as resorts such as the world famous Hayman Island, providing easy and swift access to the beaches and reef. A morning flight out of Brisbane by Jetstar or Virgin to Proserpine can see the jaded traveller relaxing and having lunch on Whitehaven Beach or snorkelling on Hardy Reef from a semi-submersible.

Unlike most of their counterparts providing ecotourism along the east coast, the Whitsunday floatplanes operate from land bases, providing easy and speedy access to the many attractions of the Whitsundays.

Air Whitsunday also operates its own maintenance base at Whitsunday airport where it has the former Sydney-operated Beaver VH-AQV available for a rebuild.

The DHC-2 Beaver has operated in the Whitsundays for decades and continues to form the backbone of most major floatplane operations on the east coast of Australia, from Hobart (VH-AQU), to Sydney (VH-AAM, VH-NOO and VH-SWB) the Whitsundays and Cairns (VH-CXS and VH-IDO).

In discussions with operators and visitors alike it’s clear the six-passenger Beaver is a favourite.

“De Havilland Canada Beavers are robust machines built for the tough open water conditions,” says chief pilot for AirWhitsunday, David Macfarlane.

“Being cost-effective they make sense from a commercial point of view and they keep the customers happy with their large scenic viewing windows and slower speed to take in the sights. A nostalgic aircraft that is extremely capable, very balanced, a pleasure to fly and not overly complex. ” The newer player in the Whitsundays is the Cessna Caravan with three aircraft operating in the region. Macfarlane describes Caravan operations thus: “What the Beaver lacks in complexity the Cessna Caravan certainly makes up for. . . however, the Cessna also makes up for all the frustrations that we often feel towards the Beaver. A modern turbine aircraft and ample shaft horsepower makes water takeoffs a breeze, even when there is no wind.

“It is a much smoother and quieter aircraft that allows passengers to interact with each other during the flight and during those tropical periods in the Whitsundays when the airconditioning is a blessing to both our guests and our pilots. ” Either machine offers a great way to reach this region’s world famous reef, beaches and resorts.