MASwings
Encyclopedia
MASwings Sdn. Berhad is a regional airline operating the Rural Air Services (RAS) in East Malaysia
. It took over the RAS previously operated by FlyAsianXpress. The first flight was on 1 October 2007,which is also the anniversary of the founding of Malaysia Airlines in 1972. Its headquarters are in Jalan Airport in Miri
, Sarawak
. Previously its head office was located in the Beautiful Jade Centre in Miri.
MASwings is a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines
.
On 9 November 2007, MASwings (through its parent company Malaysia Airlines) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of 7 ATR 72-500s with options for 3 additional aircraft to expand its services in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. MASwings received delivery of the first aircraft in 2008, second 6 aircraft in 2009 and remaining 3 (optional) by 2010. On April 25, 2010, its last F50 (9M-MGF) was retired from service.
Note: Although Tanjung Manis now under the jurisdiction of Mukah Division, the airport still serves the part of the population of Sarikei.
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
. It took over the RAS previously operated by FlyAsianXpress. The first flight was on 1 October 2007,which is also the anniversary of the founding of Malaysia Airlines in 1972. Its headquarters are in Jalan Airport in Miri
Miri
Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. Previously its head office was located in the Beautiful Jade Centre in Miri.
MASwings is a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Malaysian Airline System Berhad , DBA Malaysia Airlines , is the government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu. It has its headquarters on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz...
.
Fleet
The MASwings fleet consists of the following aircraft (as on August 24, 2011):| Aircraft | In fleet | Order | Option | Passenger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHC-6 Series 300 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| ATR 72-500 ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology... |
10 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
On 9 November 2007, MASwings (through its parent company Malaysia Airlines) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of 7 ATR 72-500s with options for 3 additional aircraft to expand its services in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. MASwings received delivery of the first aircraft in 2008, second 6 aircraft in 2009 and remaining 3 (optional) by 2010. On April 25, 2010, its last F50 (9M-MGF) was retired from service.
Sabah
- Kota KinabaluKota KinabaluKota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
(Kota Kinabalu International AirportKota Kinabalu International AirportKota Kinabalu International Airport serves the city of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia. It is located about 8 km southwest of the city centre. It is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport, handling 4.8 million passengers in 2009...
) Secondary Hub - KudatKudatKudat is a town in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island. It serves as the administrative center for the Kudat Division, which includes the towns of Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu, and some offshore islands....
(Kudat AirportKudat Airport-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - Lahad DatuLahad DatuLahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It occupies the peninsula on the north side of Darvel Bay. Its population was estimated to be around 118,000 in 1991 and 156,059 in the 2000 census. Lahad Datu is surrounded...
(Lahad Datu AirportLahad Datu AirportLahad Datu Airport is an airport located 1 km from Lahad Datu, a town in the state of Sabah in Malaysia. It is near an orangutan rehabilitation center. The airport can accommodate ATR72 and smaller aircraft and the terminal can handle 100,000 passengers annually...
) - SandakanSandakanSandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
(Sandakan AirportSandakan AirportSandakan Airport is a domestic airport that serves Sandakan, a city in the state of Sabah in Malaysia. It is located about 13 kilometers from the town. In 2005, the airport handled 621,513 passengers and registered 10,876 flights.-Airlines and destinations:...
) - TawauTawauTawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:...
(Tawau Airport)
Sarawak
- Ba'kelalanBa'kelalanBa'kelalan is a group of nine villages in the Bario Highlands of Sarawak, Malaysia about above sea level and 4 km from the border with Indonesian Kalimantan. The villagers belong to the Lun Bawang tribe...
(Ba'kelalan AirportBa'kelalan AirportBa'kelalan Airport is an airport in Ba'kelalan, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-Incidents:* On 13 September 2008 a DHC-6 Twin Otter overshot the runway while landing. All fourteen people on board survived....
) - BarioBarioBario is a Malaysian village located in the centre of the Kelabit Highlands in the north east of Sarawak, very close to the international border with Indonesian Kalimantan, and 3280 feet above sea level. It is the main settlement in the Kelabit Highlands...
(Bario AirportBario AirportBario Airport is an airport in Bario, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - BintuluBintuluBintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of Bintulu District in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is about 650 kilometers from Kuching and about 215 kilometers from either Sibu or Miri....
(Bintulu AirportBintulu AirportBintulu Airport is an airport serving Bintulu, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. The airport is located 5.5 km southwest of the city, and although small, it is able to handle planes as large as a Boeing 747...
) - KuchingKuchingKuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
(Kuching International AirportKuching International Airport"RAF Kuching/RMAF Kuching" & "Kuching Airbase/Airfield" redirects here.Kuching International Airport is an international airport serving the entire southwestern region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is located 11 km south of Kuching city centre. The airport also shares its runway with the RMAF...
) Secondary Hub - LawasLawasborder=1 align=right cellpadding=1 cellspacing=0 width=260 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"|+Lawas...
(Lawas AirportLawas AirportLawas Airport is an airport serving Lawas, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.Currently,a plan had been made to relocate the current airport to a new area,since the current area is considered unsafe .The proposed new airport will be able to accommodate ATR 72-500 aircraft...
) - LimbangLimbangLimbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The division has an area of 3,978.1 square kilometers, and a population of 42,600...
(Limbang AirportLimbang AirportLimbang Airport is an airport serving the town of Limbang, in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. The airport is 6 kilometres from the town centre. The airport opened on the 15 July, 2004, and is capable of handling 250,000 passengers per year. It is able to handle large turboprop aircraft such as...
) - Long Akah (Long Akah AirportLong Akah AirportLong Akah Airport is an airport serving Long Akah in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - Long Banga (Long Banga AirportLong Banga AirportLong Banga Airport is an airport serving Long Banga, a village in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-History:The airport was a small grass airstrip until 1965. During 'confrontation' [with Indonesia] the British Army established a forward base here and improved the airstrip with the aid of a small...
) - Long Lellang (Long Lellang AirportLong Lellang AirportLong Lellang Airport is an airport serving Long Lellang in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - Long Seridan (Long Seridan AirportLong Seridan AirportLong Seridan Airport is an airport serving Long Seridan in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - MarudiMarudi, SarawakMarudi is a town on the Baram River in the north of Sarawak which borders the state of Sabah in Malaysia and the small country of Brunei. Marudi is a quiet river town situated inland from Miri, similar in size to Kapit though nowhere near as busy. Its main attraction is yet another of the Brooke...
(Marudi AirportMarudi AirportMarudi Airport is an airport in Marudi, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad...
) - MiriMiriMiri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
(Miri International Airport) Main Hub - MukahMukahMukah, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District in Mukah Division, Sarawak. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2.5 hours by road from the town of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The...
(Mukah AirportMukah AirportMukah Airport is an airport in Mukah, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.As of April 2009, the federal government allocated RM200 million for a new airport in Mukah. This new airport will replace the old one as it is only capable of handling helicopters, light aircraft and can barely cope...
) - MuluGunung Mulu National ParkGunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
(Mulu AirportMulu AirportMulu Airport is an airport in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia and gateway to the Gunung Mulu National Park. There are resort accommodations at the National Park, but the nearest villages are Long Terawan, downstream 21.7 km to the west, and Long Atip 26.1 km to the south...
) - SibuSibu, SarawakSibu is an inland town, and the capital of Sibu District in Sibu Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, some 60 kilometres from the ocean and approximately east-north-east of the state capital Kuching...
(Sibu AirportSibu AirportSibu Airport is an airport located in Sibu, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. In 2010, the airport handled 1,009,002 passengers on 18,985 flights and also handled 1,133 metric tonnes of cargo....
) - SarikeiSarikeiSarikei is a town, and the capital of the Sarikei District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. It is located on the Rajang River, near where the river empties into the South China Sea. The district population was 56,798...
(Tanjung Manis AirportTanjung Manis AirportTanjung Manis Airport is an airport located in Mukah Division, Sarawak. Although Tanjung Manis is now under the jurisdiction of Mukah Division, the airport also serves for Sarikei Division as well....
)
Note: Although Tanjung Manis now under the jurisdiction of Mukah Division, the airport still serves the part of the population of Sarikei.
Accidents and Incidents
- September 13, 2008 - A de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
(9M-MDN) as MASwings flight 3540 overshot the runway while operating a flight from MiriMiriMiri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
to Ba'kelalanBa'kelalanBa'kelalan is a group of nine villages in the Bario Highlands of Sarawak, Malaysia about above sea level and 4 km from the border with Indonesian Kalimantan. The villagers belong to the Lun Bawang tribe...
via LawasLawasborder=1 align=right cellpadding=1 cellspacing=0 width=260 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"|+Lawas...
. There were 2 crew (pilots) and 12 passengers on board and all of them survived the crash. The flight departed Lawas AirportLawas AirportLawas Airport is an airport serving Lawas, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.Currently,a plan had been made to relocate the current airport to a new area,since the current area is considered unsafe .The proposed new airport will be able to accommodate ATR 72-500 aircraft...
at 08:45 and crashed during the landing in Ba'kelalan AirportBa'kelalan AirportBa'kelalan Airport is an airport in Ba'kelalan, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.-Airlines and destinations:-Incidents:* On 13 September 2008 a DHC-6 Twin Otter overshot the runway while landing. All fourteen people on board survived....
at 09:34 local time. The aircraft landed on a paddy field about 10 meters off the runway and came to rest about 768 meters from the point where it touched down. It was the first non-fatal incident for MASwings. The next day, a group of investigators was sent to investigate the incident.
- August 24, 2011- MASwings de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
(9M-MDM),operating as MH3516 from Miri to Lawas crash-landed 5 meters short off the river at the end of the Lawas AirportLawas AirportLawas Airport is an airport serving Lawas, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.Currently,a plan had been made to relocate the current airport to a new area,since the current area is considered unsafe .The proposed new airport will be able to accommodate ATR 72-500 aircraft...
runway.The incident has caused all flights to and from Lawas was cancelled,as the airport was forced to close down.However,all 18 persons on board the aircraft survived,with no serious injuries.This incident was the 2nd in the MASwings Twin Otter fleet; the previous one occurred at Ba' Kelalan nearly 2 years ago,which the aircraft involved (9M-MDN) forced to be retired from service.