Turboprop charter operator
Formed as a collaboration between two niche Tasmanian operators, Tasmanian Seaplanes (better known as Above & Beyond Tasmania), and Tasmanian Air Tours, TrackAir Tasmania is a small charter set-up, flying a Cessna 208 around the state on a variety of missions.
The story so far
Fitting perfectly within the operations of Tasmanian Air Tours, a helicopter operation, and Above & Beyond Tasmania, a Seaplane operator, the joint venture between the two, TrackAir Tasmania, a fixed wing landplane operator, was launched in early 2020 with a sole Cessna 208.
The Fleet
VH-SHW is a 1995 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, owned by NSW based Blue Sky Airways and operated as TrackAir Tasmania’s sole aircraft.
| VH-SHW specifications | |
|---|---|
| Model | Cessna Aircraft Company 208B |
| Engine | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A |
| Propeller | Hartzell Propellers HC-B3MN3 |
| Range | 730nm |
| Service Ceiling | 25000ft (with oxygen) |
| Wingspan | 15.8m |
| Length | 12.7m |
| Cruise Speed | 170kts |
| Max Payload | 1800kg |
| Passengers | 9 |
Operations
As a charter operator, TrackAir Tasmania have no scheduled destinations, but the versatility and ruggedness of the Cessna 208 allow them to operate to virtually any airstrip in the state. According to Henry Ellis, Tasmanian Seaplanes’ Managing Director, some of the most popular charter destinations are Flinders Island, King Island, Friendly Beaches, and Melbourne, among others. On top of this, TrackAir offer a number of tours, to Bruny and the east coast.
The Future
As TrackAir has only been in operation for 6 months there’s not an awful lot to write about,. Despite that, with international flights to begin soon, TrackAir’s base at Hobart, rather than Cambridge, means they are well placed to cash in on the inevitable influx of tourists. Unfortunately, as of January 2021, it appears that TrackAir’s website has expired, and their sole aircraft, VH-SHW has returned to Blue Sky Airways, suggesting that the collaboration has ended. I’d like to thank the team at TrackAir for being incredibly helpful and willing to answer all my questions.
- For more information
- https://www.trackairtas.com.au/
- https://www.facebook.com/trackairtasmania
This is the first in a series of posts on Tasmanian based Airlines and Operators that I will be covering, and regularly updating on my site.