Island Airways is a small
passenger airline
An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in whic ...
based in
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlevoix ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County. The population was 2,348 at the 2020 census. Charlevoix is mostly surrounded by Charlevoix Township, but the two are administered autonomously ...
. It provides services to
Welke Airport and
Charlevoix Municipal Airport.
History
The airline began in 1945 as McPhillips Flying Service. In 1975, Welke Aviation was started in competition with McPhillips. The two companies merged in 1983, and Paul Welke bought out his partners in 1989. In 2001, Welke was instrumental in the location and rescue of a family that had been on a charter flight that crashed on approach to Beaver Island. In 2013, the
Michigan Aeronautics Commission gave Welke an award in recognition of Island Air's long history of service.
"Aeronautics Commission honors two northern Michigan aviators, National Cherry Festival Air Show Committee"
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstat ...
, September 13, 2013.
Fleet
* Britten-Norman Islander
* Piper Apache PA-23-160
* Piper Aztec PA-23-250
Destinations
* Welke Airport (Beaver Island, Michigan)
* Charlevoix Municipal Airport
References
Regional airlines of the United States
Companies based in Michigan
Transportation in Charlevoix County, Michigan
Airlines based in Michigan
Airlines established in 1945
1945 establishments in Michigan
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