Built: 1991
S/N: 257
Status: Active
Operations:
EI-CFD like its sister ships was a straight out of production purchase by Aer Lingus for its Commuter fleet flying short domestic and UK hops. It also left the airline 4 years after its purchase in 1995. Like 2 of its 3 sister ships it ended up being sold to Detroit-based Northwest Airlink flying regional hops around small US cities as N257PX.
Our aircraft spent nearly exactly 1 year at Northwest Airlink before being sold to Australian carrier Kendell Airlines in 1996 as VH-EKX. It was best in South-East Australia, flying regularly from both Sydney and Melbourne to smaller destinations. The aircraft remained in Kendell until the company was merged with Hazelton Airlines.
The merger of Kendell Airlines and Hazelton Airlines resulted in what is now Australia's biggest regional airline outside the Qantas group, Regional Air Express, or as its more commonly known, REX. Thankfully, the aircraft remains there today as part of a thriving fleet of Saab 340s in Australia. The airline currently operates 50 Saab 340s flying to destinations throughout Australia, so the future is bright for our old aircraft in Australia, 19 years after its arrival there.
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