Adelaide-based regional operator Air South has boosted its passenger fleet with the acquisition of two 30-seat Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft.
The charter and fly-in/fly-out specialist has taken delivery of the first Brasilia (VH-YEG), with the second due to arrive in early 2015.
Director of Air South and sister carrier Rossair Mark Lindh says the Brasilia is an ideal aircraft for moving personnel and cargo on a larger scale to regional centres around Australia.
“The introduction of these aircraft gives companies and governments a real alternative to the traditional Australian airlines in transporting their people to regional areas,” Lindh said in a statement on Thursday.
“What the Embraer Brasilia aircraft delivers to our group is a balance of safety, speed, comfort and remote airstrip capability that complements our existing fleet performance, while offering additional customer capacity and level of service.”
Air South said the turboprops were able to fly 430nm with a full load.
The addition of the two Brasilia aircraft has lifted the Air South/Rossair fleet to 12 frames, including five nine-seat Cessna 441 Conquests, three 19-seat Beechcraft 1900Ds, one nine-seat Beechcraft King Air and a Cessna 404 Titan freighter.
South Australian Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis said the Brasilias would play an important role in the growth of the resources sector in the state.
“The expansion of the fleet showcases how valuable the supply chain is to the resources industry, given the continued development of the mining sector in South Australia and the need to transport workers,” Koutsantonis said.
