Bergen Air Transport
Encyclopedia
Bergen Air Transport AS is an airline
based at Bergen Airport, Flesland
in Norway
. In addition to charter aviation and an aviation workshop, it offers a scheduled service between Bergen and Notodden Airport, Tuven
. The airline operates two Beechcraft B200 King Air
aircraft and one Cessna Citation CJ2. The airline was established in 1998, offering seaplane charter flights using Cessna 421
aircraft. The service to Notodden started in 2000; a Cessna 441
was acquired in 2003, and from 2006 the company has used two Beechcraft. The company is owned by Geir Hellsten and Håkon Lie-Nielsen.
and Notodden
. In 2007, it had a revenue of and a NOK 3.4 million profit.
, but was forced to give up due to lack of passengers.
A hangar was built at Bergen Airport in 2003, and at the same time the airline was certified as a mechanical aviation workshop. The following year, the Cessna 421 was replaced with a Cessna 441 Conquest II
. In 2006, two Beechcraft King Air were bought, and the last Cessna sold. On 20 November 2003, Notodden Airport was closed for all scheduled traffic by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, due to a lack of safety requirements. Bergen Air Transport was forced to reroute all its aircraft to Skien Airport, Geiteryggen
. Following an investment of NOK 500,000 from the airline and NOK 1.2 million from the municipality, which owns the airport, scheduled services commenced again. From 1 October 2004, NOK 250,000 was invested at Notodden Airport. Starting in October 2004, the airline also introduced security control of all passengers at Notodden Airport. In 2005, the company had a revenue of NOK 10.3 million; this increased to NOK 20.1 million in 2006, giving a profit of NOK 2.8 million, when the airline transported 2,841 passengers.
In September 2007, the company bought a new hangar at Notodden, giving it ample space for expansion, and new arrival and departure facilities. At the same time, the airline bought its first jet, a Cessna Citation CJ2. That year saw the airline transport 3441 passengers on 552 flights on the Bergen–Notodden route.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based at Bergen Airport, Flesland
Bergen Airport, Flesland
Bergen Airport, Flesland is an international airport located southwest of Bergen, Norway. Opened in 1955, it is the second-busiest airport in Norway, with 5,296,325 passengers in 2010. Flesland is operated by the state-owned Avinor...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. In addition to charter aviation and an aviation workshop, it offers a scheduled service between Bergen and Notodden Airport, Tuven
Notodden Airport, Tuven
Notodden Airport, Tuven is a municipal regional airport at Heddal in Notodden, Norway. The airport is mostly used for general aviation, and has extensive sailplane activity. Bergen Air Transport operates the airport's only scheduled route, six times per week to Bergen Airport, Flesland. In 2010,...
. The airline operates two Beechcraft B200 King Air
Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
aircraft and one Cessna Citation CJ2. The airline was established in 1998, offering seaplane charter flights using Cessna 421
Cessna 421
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3....
aircraft. The service to Notodden started in 2000; a Cessna 441
Cessna 441
-See also:-External links:* *...
was acquired in 2003, and from 2006 the company has used two Beechcraft. The company is owned by Geir Hellsten and Håkon Lie-Nielsen.
Operation
The airline operates two 12-seat Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft, and one seven-seat Cessna Citation CJ2 executive jet. It has its main operative base at Bergen Airport, Flesland, but also has facilities at Notodden Airport, Tuven. The company has ten pilots; its main services are private charter and aviation-mechanical services, but the company also operates a single scheduled service, with six weekly round trips between BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
. In 2007, it had a revenue of and a NOK 3.4 million profit.
History
Bergen Air Transport was founded in 1998 by Geir Hellsten and Håkon Lie-Nielsen, and commenced operations the following year. Initial operations consisted of charter services, using a Cessna 421B. In 2000, the company replaced this aircraft with a Cessna 421C, and started the scheduled route between Bergen and Notodden using the six-seat aircraft. In 2000, the company had eleven employees and in revenue. To begin with, it made four round trips per week, but in 2001 it chose to increase to five, after experiencing high cabin loads. It transported 1,000 passengers in 2000, and 1,500 the following year. During the summer of 2002, the company also attempted to fly from Notodden to Kristiansund Airport, KvernbergetKristiansund Airport, Kvernberget
Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget is a small size international airport located next to the small mountain Kvernberget, east southeast or from the town center of Kristiansund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway, opened in 1970 and caters to the county's northern district, Nordmøre. The airport...
, but was forced to give up due to lack of passengers.
A hangar was built at Bergen Airport in 2003, and at the same time the airline was certified as a mechanical aviation workshop. The following year, the Cessna 421 was replaced with a Cessna 441 Conquest II
Cessna 441
-See also:-External links:* *...
. In 2006, two Beechcraft King Air were bought, and the last Cessna sold. On 20 November 2003, Notodden Airport was closed for all scheduled traffic by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, due to a lack of safety requirements. Bergen Air Transport was forced to reroute all its aircraft to Skien Airport, Geiteryggen
Skien Airport, Geiteryggen
Skien Airport, Geiteryggen is an airport located 2.5 km southwest of the city centre of Skien, Norway. Skien Lufthavn AS operates the airport and this company is owned by the local municipality of Skien in the Grenland region. Services are provided by Danish Air Transport to Bergen and Stavanger...
. Following an investment of NOK 500,000 from the airline and NOK 1.2 million from the municipality, which owns the airport, scheduled services commenced again. From 1 October 2004, NOK 250,000 was invested at Notodden Airport. Starting in October 2004, the airline also introduced security control of all passengers at Notodden Airport. In 2005, the company had a revenue of NOK 10.3 million; this increased to NOK 20.1 million in 2006, giving a profit of NOK 2.8 million, when the airline transported 2,841 passengers.
In September 2007, the company bought a new hangar at Notodden, giving it ample space for expansion, and new arrival and departure facilities. At the same time, the airline bought its first jet, a Cessna Citation CJ2. That year saw the airline transport 3441 passengers on 552 flights on the Bergen–Notodden route.