Orca is no longer

[goldeneagle]

These two companies...Orca and KD, do not have caravans...t

You must be new around here. There is plenty of history for the van between YVR and YAZ, but that was a couple operators back in the long line of YVR south side operations that have come and gone. I've watched the parade for nigh on 35 years now, and in the process have learned something, it's very easy to predict 'who is next to go'. The sequence is always the same, they start with cabin class twins, usually piston, occasionally they skip that step and go strait to the kingair. The death knell sounds when they buy the first metro. Saw this happen the first time with Burrard Air back in the early 80's, and the pattern has continued ever since. Burrard had a pair of islanders, then added the ho, then the metro, then the shutdown. There is a long list of names, many of which I cannot even remember,, but one thing stands out, when they buy the first metro, that clock is ticking, usually takes a year, sometimes two, but the bankruptcy liquidation becomes inevitable at that point.

[Zaibatsu]

They don’t have Metros, either.

[Diadem]

They don’t have Metros, either.

They bought three the first time they took over the Dynamex contract, back in 2011 or 2012 or so. Apparently they're ended up using one for parts, and then two for parts, and then when they took the contract over again they couldn't even get the third one running. It was out on their apron up to at least a couple of years ago.
You're really new here, aren't you?

[Zaibatsu]

But then... shouldn’t they have been bankrupt four years ago?

They still don’t (present tense, not past) have Metros.

My point is, the failure of a company is rarely tied to a specific aircraft type. Look at Perimeter and Bearskin and Carson. Each have been successfully running Metros in all different roles for decades.

No, the common denominator of the south side shit show is going after passenger markets PASCO won’t touch with a ten foot pole and trying to make up for it with cheap aircraft and cheap pilots. Bank data is dying, Carson, Skylink, Morning Star, and even Flightcraft have all of the light cargo, medevac requires expensive aircraft and higher experience, and ad hoc charter needs bigger and faster planes (CMA, NCA, R1, 4N, and the rest).

[YVRLTN]

But then... shouldn’t they have been bankrupt four years ago?

They still don’t (present tense, not past) have Metros.

My point is, the failure of a company is rarely tied to a specific aircraft type. Look at Perimeter and Bearskin and Carson. Each have been successfully running Metros in all different roles for decades.

No, the common denominator of the south side shit show is going after passenger markets PASCO won’t touch with a ten foot pole and trying to make up for it with cheap aircraft and cheap pilots. Bank data is dying, Carson, Skylink, Morning Star, and even Flightcraft have all of the light cargo, medevac requires expensive aircraft and higher experience, and ad hoc charter needs bigger and faster planes (CMA, NCA, R1, 4N, and the rest).

I think what Diadem is saying is not against the Metro as an aircraft specifically, but they the pattern of failure is stepping up from what was (marginally) profitable ie flying hos.

Those Metro's were all dogs, looked OK externally. 'IOA is now on the Skylink ramp, as I said rumor is it now belongs to them but it still has an engine missing and the CCARCS shows as dereg from Orca back in Aug.

The other two 'IOB & 'IOC were outside, then went into the hangar and AFAIK they have not left, though both are now registered to Skycare of YXL a couple of weeks ago, so if they have gone and I havent noticed.

As to routes Pasco wont touch, the only two they operate from YVR south is YAZ - which they will now operate from April - and Qualicum which has always been more than covered by KD and is too small for a 1900. Cant see Pasco being interested in YXX to the island, there is IAX over there too. Who will surely step into any void left by Orca - such is the merry go round.

And havent Carson scrapped / parked many of their Metros? They sure dont have the operation they used to.

And Orca are still flying, seen the 99 WIK and a couple of hos today.

[EGPWS]

They are flying still, yes. See VCE and WIK and a couple of 'hos taxi past every day.

IOB was flown away, not sure what happened to IOC. IOA is still sitting at Skylink...

[boeingboy]

IOB was the first to fly again back in Dec 2015 and flew for about 6 or 7 months after a 6 month overhaul. IOC was 2 weeks away from flying again when they decided to pull the plug on the metro program as they had no mechanics that could maintain them and no pilots that could fly them. They have both flown away to the new owners back east a while ago and IOA is being made able for a ferry flight last I heard.

[privateer]

I remember when Orca got the bag contract in Alberta from Sunwest and they did such a poor job that it ended up going back Sunwest. Maybe their Ho’s had too much rain water in them.

Sunwest has been a long time Metro, Caravan, and Ho operator and they were very good at it, although not cheap. Safety and maintenance always was first. Hopefully Integra can show the YVR South side a thing or two.

[YVRLTN]

I remember when Orca got the bag contract in Alberta from Sunwest and they did such a poor job that it ended up going back Sunwest. Maybe their Ho’s had too much rain water in them.

Sunwest has been a long time Metro, Caravan, and Ho operator and they were very good at it, although not cheap. Safety and maintenance always was first. Hopefully Integra can show the YVR South side a thing or two.

Its not 2005 any more, "YVR South side" is basically just Orca & Skylink now, unless you are going to include KD, Pasco and NT/CMA. Carson operate a pair of Metro's for Fedex, otherwise its just medevacs. IAX are hardly YVR, though have been covering for both Orca & Skylink over peak times, plus their own charters and the "schedule" which is not a schedule.

[privateer]

More like 2013 bud.

[yycinformer]

Little birdies are telling me Integra is gonna be running a jetstream to Tofino by the end of the month

[YVRLTN]

Jetstream was in and out of YVR today. Also an Integra sign up next to the Orca one at their check in counter at YVR south term

[EGPWS]

Will be keeping an eye out for Jetstreams...not a very common sight around YVR.

Still just as many Orca (Integra?) owned planes in and out every day. Looks like ops are continuing unabated.

[Its What I do]

jetstream all white on the south terminal ramp.............just an fyi around 1130am -12 today

[YVRLTN]

The J31 is running to YAZ, but there are still some ho flights too. So are Orca now operating on the Integra OC or whats the story?

[altiplano]

What's the Jetstream's single engine service ceiling?

[oldtimer]

Many years ago someone from southern Alberta tried to run Jetstream's out of Penticton but scuttlebutt has it that TC shut them down because of a lack of the airplanes lack of one engine inoperative performance and/or a lack of a one engine inoperative emergency plan. But Air BC successfully ran Jetstreams in BC for years so me thinks it can be done but me also thinks the operator also has to have a one engine inoperative departure plan. I think Integra is or was part of the BarXH operation based in YXH and as such has had experience with the Jetstream airplane. Just a thought.