Unity Airlines expands fleet

September 26, 2024 9:47 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Charles Hakwa.

Unity Airlines welcomed a new addition to its fleet, a BN2 Britten Norman Islander registered YJ-009.

Unity Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Deamer said that this aircraft was the best choice for Vanuatu.

At that time, the aircraft was only capable of flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), during daylight hours and in good weather. However, Deamer mentioned that it would soon be upgraded to operate under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at night and in adverse weather conditions.

Unity Airlines added an Aero Commander to its fleet last year; however, the aircraft had not yet entered service, as Deamer explained that they are still waiting for parts to arrive from America.

Deamer acknowledged the recent replacement of the navigation aids at Port Vila airport; however, he pointed out that Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni Ranges (VOR) and Non-Directional Beacons (NDB) are not new technologies.

He also noted that most places worldwide had moved away from relying on them, as most pilots then used Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) approaches to land in bad weather.

Since Air Taxi operations were put on hold, Unity Airlines has been busy carrying out medical evacuation (medivac) flights and has also been engaged in on-demand charters.