Home News Local news Catch a Taxi – An Air Taxi, That Is

Catch a Taxi – An Air Taxi, That Is

0

May 6, 2005 –– If all goes according to plan, getting to and from St. John will get a little easier once St. John Air Taxi takes to the skies.
"Our goal is November," chief executive officer David S. Brown said Friday.
The company will fly a Grumman Goose that can land in the water as well as on land. This means the plans can fly from places like St. John, which has no airport, to airports as well as other locations with no airports.
Brown said the company will start out by offering air taxi services, but hopes to move to scheduled service in a year by adding two planes. It will also continue the air taxi service once scheduled service begins.
The air taxi will be pricey, with the fare running $800 to $900 for an hour of flight time. However, the company's Grumman Goose carries eight people, so larger parties traveling to San Juan Airport may find this a bargain.
Kathy Demar, who manages vacation villas on St. John, said Friday that the air taxi idea just might fly. She said it would have particular appeal for guests connecting in San Juan and even for some of her well-off guests arriving at Cyril E. King.
"Some come in on their own planes," she said
She said that some of her guest are now opting for the water taxi from St. Thomas to St. John rather than the taxi and ferry route because it reduces the aggravation factor.
Brown said the scheduled service will run in a continuous loop that connects St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas.
"It will be like a street car for the Virgin Islands," he said.
If you miss a flight, Brown said, one will be along shortly.
He said the company will offer discounted fares to church and school groups so they can more easily get from, for example, St. John to St. Croix.
He said the company still needs to finalize a lease with the V.I. Port Authority for a spot at the seaward entrance to Enighed Pond and secure a minor Coastal Zone Management permit for a ramp and staging area. Brown said the company will operate out of a small kiosk at the Pond Mouth site.
Port Authority director Darlan Brin said Thursday that the agency was working out the details with St. John Air Taxi.
He said the company plans to do maintenance on St. Croix to cut down on the noise problem for Enighed Pond neighbors. Brown said the company will also have its administrative office on St. Croix because St. John doesn't have enough space.
Brown said the planes will only fly from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. to keep noise had a minimum.
"And we can't do night landings," he said.
He said it will not operate Sunday mornings so church goers won't be disturbed.
Brown is in this venture with Hamm Cottrell, who lives in Rhode Island but is moving to the Virgin Islands.
He said Kenney Gibson is the chief operating officer and chief pilot.
Brown said he holds a pilot's license.
He said he also plans to open Brown Aviation so he can become the Grumman Goose distributor for the Caribbean.
He said since St. John Air Taxi will land at airports, he doesn't see the company as competition to Seaborne Airlines, which flies pontoon planes and can only land in the water.
Brown, 40, lives on Lovango Cay with his wife Adriana and five-month-old daughter, Isabella.

Back Talk

Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name, and the city and state/country or island where you reside.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here