Calypso Airlines

[menegaux]

Saw a post regarding airlines in and out of the Abaco's and Calypso was mentioned negatively. Looking for feedback on Calypso, we are confirmed with them out of FLL in April, I also saw that they may be illegal? Anyone have any info. on them?

[Jack Frost]

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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 15


http://coconuttelegraph.net/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif Accident?
Accident?
It is ashame that the DOT, FAA and the Bahamian Aviation officials do not put some teeth into their bark or bite. Illegal and not fit charter companies pop up as quick airlines that sell cheap tickets by the seat and confuses the consumers by breaking the Law and Fitness tests. They paint there planes nice and Bright and have attractive counters. The consumer believes that someone high up is watching to make sure they are legal and safe when indeed no one cares until it is to late and someone has died. Only a few are real, and some don't even have there own Aircarrier Certificates, they simply borrow some other companies authorities.
As to the last accident and it's unfortunate loss of life. This carrier was actually a legal carrier but has had numerous accidents and incidents with multiple Fatalities. Why are they still flying? Why don't the Bahamian Goverment stop there access? Accidents will happen but when there is a trail or certain track record that repeats itself what is the majic number of life loss that is great enough to make the authorities act? It unfortunatly lies on the consumers back to do their job. Yes the small carriers are good for competetion and keep the larger regional airlines in check as to thier fares getting out of control. Make sure that they are a legal Scheduled Airline and not just a charter airline by asking them when you book with them. There is a difference! If this DOT report does not put light on the subject of this particular carriers mode of opertion then why have an FAA or DOT at all. Its like having a policeman that does nothing when faced with investigating a career criminals crime or a fireman that keeps putting out fires set by a repeated arsonist when they have licensed him to do so. Hey feds wake up and do your JOB! It should not be our job to dig and dig to see if we are indeed being carried by safe and competent carriers.
Jack

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http://coconuttelegraph.net/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 10-21-2004, 11:54 AM
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Empower yourself!
How about looking out for your self. All this talk about the FAA, BAA, DOT etc is not the point the way I see it. Relying on these people to protect you seems silly. Why not ask people who know a little about the subject, like pilots. I haven't met too many pilots that won't talk about flying. Learn about the aircraft you will be boarding. Ask around about the different carriers. Why put your life in someone elseÕs hands without acquiring some basic knowledge about flying yourself. It seems to me like you could significantly increase your chances of arriving safely by learning about the subject and making informed choices instead of relying on someone else to look out for you.

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Some do it right
I am a private pilot, and for many years owned and flew light twins. I am very familiar with the limitations of these aircraft and know that the safety margin is highly dependent on excellent maintenance, and operational discipline. After seeing several crashes of light twins in charter and commuter ops in Abaco, I resolved to fly only the carriers that utilize turbine powered aircraft (which are flown by two pilots and are much more reliable). However, in a rush trip after Hurricane Jeanne I did fly over on Calypso. I found their equipment and operation to be first rate, and wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.

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http://coconuttelegraph.net/forums/images/statusicon/post_old.gif 10-21-2004, 01:48 PM
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When you go to the emergency room and a Doctor appears you assume since the hospital let him set up shop there that he is legal and certified. When you go to the Dentist office to have your teeth cleaned you assume since he or she is working there that they are certified. Do you have to be a doctor or a dental professional in these 2 examples to remain safe? I could go on and on.
The goverments of both the US and Bahamas pay people very well who are suppose to look out for your safety. Good for you that you are a private pilot and know how to fly. Why dont you visit the DOT website and see how the Airline you talk about (first rate)and are impressed with got a present from the DOT for impersonating an Airline with proper certification. And you were impressed. I have over 13000 hours in numerous types, categories and classes both turbine and recip heavy and light Aircraft and I have to look close to see who is real. The airports dont even look that close at whats setting up as to there legal or illegal activities. Come on now how is the layman going to tell the difference until a death has occured. It is the Feds responsibiliy!
Jack

[Jack Frost]

Call the Department of Transportation (US) to see if they are legal to sell tickets. Show them your ticket and ask if it is from a carrier that has passed their fitness test as required by law. Ask the Airline that sold you the suspect ticket to show you thier commuter authority as granted in thier Operation Specifications ect ect.Check to see if they have commuter route Authority from the Bahamians for scheduled service on that route. Check them all out as your safety depends on it! In the Abaco's, even celebrity's with body gaurds have been fooled by illegal operators and have paid the ultimate price.
Jack

[Abacoparrott]

depended on the government to help me with my decisions, I would consider both the government and myself......socialist. A lot, but certainly not all, of the folks who work for the government, simply couldn't make it in the real world of profit and accountability.........this board is a lot better barometer for the airlines than the "government" will ever be.....Ken

[JoeG]

I flew w/Calypso last year and will be on them again in January. There were no problems with safety; some slight delay on the way over - but that's endemic with island transportation. (Going over, those delays are tolerable, but on the return you just always, always have to factor in at least three hours - four would be better - for layover time in Florida; and the island carrer doesn't matter - that's just the way it is! I found Calypso as professional as any of the other "charter" outfits I've flown down there. As for maintenance, compliance with safety regs, etc., I'm no pilot so I can't judge that. I'm sure the turbo's, plus two pilots, are safer, but you have to accept the limited schedules there. I guess it depends on your risk tolerance; for me, this one seems relatively low. (I feel I was at greater risk this morning on the way into my office from a couple of drivers on cell phones, eating breakfast, one checking make-up in the mirror, etc.)

[menegaux]

for the info. Glad to see some other people had good experiences and the note from the pilot was nice to see. Jack Frost had me a little worried there for a second, seems like a "passionate" kind of guy.

[Jack Frost]

Not trying to be to passionate about flying but I realize the Airlines have my families life in thier hands for a short period of time. Just figured out this last year which carriers were legal and which ones were impersonating Airlines. Many borrow other charter companies authorities and do not have legal rights and have not passed fitness to fly as a scheduled airline. The bar is set very high for the legal airlines to hold these authorities which protect us (the public). If one wants to fly on carriers that cannot or have not reached this certification then it is there choice. I simply have tried to inform and educate the travelors to the Abacos. I believe the legal list of carriers to the Abacos starts with American Eagle, Gulfstream, Island Express, Bahamas Air, Florida Coastal, And Vintage Jets and props. Anyone know if there are more to add to my list for legal scheduled Airlines?
Jack.

[menegaux]

Jack,


I went on the DOT web site yesterday to try and find info about Claypso. It is not a user friendly site and I was unable to get anything good or bad. On the Calypso web site it does list their certificate number and state the following:

"Calypso is the exclusive booking agent for on-demand charter service under Twin Air Inc. 135 Air Carrier Certificate #EYLA783D."

Does this mean they are a legal carrier?

[Jack Frost]

What that means is they are using Twin Airs charter authority to fly. They do not have thier own and to add to it I believe Twin Air is not a legal scheduled commuter Airline by definition. They are a 135 charter carrier. For what its worth.
Jack

[OCTOPUSSY]

Amen! Jack has some words of wisdom and others have some valid highlights to the topic here, but the bottom line is BE CAREFUL! Yes, It is up to the governments to oversee all airlines, however, as law enforcement is to oversee the laws...sometimes some things just happen despite the best of intentions to put checks and balances in place to protect you and I.
Jack is on target with the "legal" airlines and the names that he mentions are valid and have "proven" their safety of operations by jumping through many hoops set up by the government to see if those airlines are fit for service. This process is sometimes lengthy and always difficult and that is the intention, but again...we've all been taught..."let the buyer beware", so don't be afraid to ask questions. If something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. If it doesn't sound right when you are given information, be inquisitive if not downright nosey. After all you are paying for it. Risk is inherent in many things including aviation, but keep the odds in your favor by being satisfied you are traveling on a safe, legal and otherwise "approved" air carrier.

As for Calypso...I think they are currently going through some "issues" with the FAA and this may be why they have the statement "Calypso is the exclusive booking agent for on-demand charter service under Twin Air, Inc. 135 Air Carrier Certificate #EYLA783D". Consider staying away until the muddy water clears.
Best of luck to you all! Happy Holidays to Everyone!

[COVCI]

Twin Air, Inc. is an on-demand charter service. This means that they fly under FAR 135 as an ON DEMAND Charter service. The FAA flight certificate number is legitimate and is for Twin Town Leasing Co., INC, d/b/a Twin Air, Inc.

From where I sit, Jack Frost's posts sounded as if an ON DEMAND charter service was less than acceptable for passenger transportation. While that may be Jack's opinion, I believe the FAA standard for operating under FAR 135 as a PASSENGER ON DEMAND CHARTER operator is held to the same standard as those under FAR 119.

The FAA Certificate number; EYLA783D, was issued over 40 years ago on 03/11/1964. This information can be confirmed by anyone who wants to make a call to the Fort Lauderdale Flight Standards District FAA Office at 954-635-1300.

Now...the legal stuff is out of the way.

I have used Calypso on a half dozen occasions in the last year and got what I paid for...ON DEMAND Charter service from FLL to Marsh Harbor and back.

If you want to fly only on scheduled flights, of course you have the right to do so, but there are other LEGAL options.

Just my 2 cents.

Chris
COVCI

[hooksmee]

We have flown Calypso Air several times and have had no problems--have found them to be one of the most reliable small, on demand airlines going to MHH--always have been MOST cooperative and informative over the phone and at the terminal. We will use them in again January.

Robert and Melinda Symmes

[menegaux]

As my money is already spent, I am glad to see so many positive comments about Calypso. The info. Jack provided was eye opening nonetheless and at least I learned a thing or two about just not aking for granted that the airline I am flying on knows what they are doing. Good to see Calypso does. Happy Holidays everyone. Don't know where everyone lives but up here in the "Miami of the North", Buffalo, NY it has been below freezing for the better part of a week now and we have about a foot of snow on the ground, what I would give to be on Tahiti Beach right now!


Jason

[Jack Frost]

Having flown a bit I beg to differ that there is a big difference between Scheduled Airlines and charter carriers. Some charter carriers flying to the Bahamas recently were fined by the US DOT for impersonating a scheduled carrier. If there was not a big difference then why the big fines. Some don't have there own authority to fly so they hop from one to anothers certificate to keep in the air. We have all watched them market and operate as the real thing. Let the consumer beware.
For starters how about the insurance requirements for scheduled carriers that are over double the cost for carriers like Island Express (scheduled airline) as compared to Charter carriers (Blue, YELLOW, green xyz) that operate as if they were scheduled carriers. Charter companies have less requirments and cost. Charter carriers can use a pilot that has just 500 hours total flying experience for VFR charters. Scheduled carriers must use ATP (Airline Transport Pilots) rated pilots that have a minumum of 1500 hours (three times more), pass a tougher tolerence checkride as opposed to commercial pilots and have a long list of other credentials regardless of IFR or VFR flight. What about the Aircraft they fly? They all seem to be of the same vintage and airframe time and mostly consist of Cessna 402's and Pipers. However the schedule carriers aircraft are under a aging aircraft inspection program that the feds require to monitor and make sure there is not corrosion in safety strutural areas of concern. Charter carriers are not required to have these inspections. In our salty environment I believe this is important,
I could go on and on. There is a big difference in many areas of concern for charter companies as opposed to scheduled Airlines. We all recognize that there is room for improvement among all of them including there schedules integrity. For what it is worth, my 2 cents.
Jack!

[Abacoparrott]

Menegaux, I have been visiting Abaco since the mid nineties and flown over approx 20-25 times. I have never taken a major airline......only the Cessna 402's. I used to fly myself around a bit.......solo, cross-country, etc. so I am NOT a professional pilot by any means but I DO prefer the smaller planes. It's fun, easier to board, faster customs clearance due to only 9 souls on board. If you calculate the total number of seats that the "majors" fly on a daily basis to Abaco and compare it with the total number of seats provided by the "illegal' 402 lines, I think that you will come to the conclusion that the smaller lines fly more folks to Abaco then anyone........and we're still breathin'.......Enjoy Calypso......Ken

[Keys George]

We rode over with the head of the airline and his wife after the hurricane. Truly wonderful people who helped greatly with the relief effort. Being regular passengers on their own airline, I would believe they are highly safety conscious! Also, equipment in top shape with well seasoned pilots.

[Horsefeathers]

We have traveled with them MANY times. I don't know where the "illegal" comes from--how negative rumors fly! We flew with them in November, and again this month back & forth to Marsh. We enjoy flying with them. You should have no problem.