Notice: Changes coming to ZipanguFlyer.

Effective October 25th, 2015, ZipanguFlyer will be changing coverage.

Boeing 787-8s of ANA and JAL at Haneda. Directly and indirectly, the two major carriers together still control, or have influence over, all domestic slots at Japan's most important airport serving the capital. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Until now, this blog has covered most, if not all of the news of airlines registered in Japan. However, due to my lack of time, I will be narrowing down coverage to mostly LCCs and non-ANA/JAL carriers. Local commuter airlines flying only specific essential air links will also be omitted.

Airlines that will continue to be covered:
AirAsia Japan [DJ], AIRDO [HD/ADO] (d.b.a. Air Do), Fuji Dream Airlines [JH/FDA], IBEX Airlines [FW/IBX], Jetstar Japan [GK/JJP], Peach Aviation [MM/APJ], Skymark Airlines [BC/SKY], Skynet Asia Airways [6J/SNJ] (d.b.a. Solaseed Air), Spring Airlines Japan [IJ/SJO], Star Flyer [7G/SFJ], Vanilla Air [JW/VNL]

Airlines that will no longer be regularly covered:
Air Japan [NQ/AJX], All Nippon Airways [NH/ANA], Amakusa Airlines [AHX], ANA Wings [EH/AKX], First Flying [DAK], Hokkaido Air System [HC/NTH], J-Air [XM/JLJ], Japan Air Commuter [3X/JAC], Japan Airlines [JL/JAL], Japan Transocean Air [NU/JTA], New Central Airservice [CUK], New Japan Aviation [NJA], Nippon Cargo Airlines [KZ/NCA], Oriental Air Bridge [OC/ORC], Ryukyu Air Commuter [RAC], Toho Air Service [THK]

Topics of ANA and JAL are already well covered by various media, while demand for news regarding local niche commuter airlines has been minimal, at least in English.

In the meantime, I will be experimenting giving the blog a personal touch. Thank you for your support and understanding. Happy travels!

Ryukyu Air Commuter launches Q400 Cargo-Combi.

On September 30th, Ryukyu Air Commuter [RAC] disclosed that it will acquire five of the Bombardier DHC-8-400Q Dash 8 Cargo-Combi, becoming one of the new variant's launch customers. The contract was unidentified at the time of order at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2014. All five airframes will be delivered in combi configuration seating 50 passengers, with the first aircraft expected to arrive in December 2015, followed by crew training before entering service in April 2016.

A rendering of RAC's Bombardier DHC-8-400Q Dash 8 Cargo-Combi. (Image: Bombardier)

RAC currently operates a single 50-seat DHC-8-300Q alongside four 39-seat DHC-8-100Qs, and the new Q400s will replace these aircraft on a one-to-one basis. All five machines will be delivered by the end of FY2017. Based on list prices, the order is valued at approximately 168 million USD. "RAC shares a long history with Bombardier, collaborating together since 1997 when we first introduced Japan to the Dash 8 Series 100 aircraft. Since then, the Dash 8 has become the backbone of our efficient and productive operation," said Takashi Irei, RAC's President.

"Today we celebrate another first as we confirm that the Q400 Cargo-Combi aircraft is the ideal platform for our future fleet as we endeavor to offer comfort, reliability, and improved air transportation capabilities to our passengers, while supporting our local economies and communities with our extra cargo capability. Equipped with a new fleet, RAC looks forward to carrying many additional passengers as they enjoy travelling around Japan’s Okinawa islands,” Mr. Irei continued. RAC's Q400 Cargo-Combi will boast 23.4 cubic meters of cargo space, compared to 9.1 for the Q300 and 8.5 for the Q100.

Based at Okinawa/Naha [OKA/ROAH], RAC is a regional commuter airline connecting the remote islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago in southern Japan. It is 72.9% owned by JAL Group's Okinawan affiliate Japan Transocean Air [NU/JTA], 5.1% by the Government of Okinawa, and the remainder by local businesses.

Source: Bombardier, 2015 September 30th. (in English)
Source: Traicy, 2015 September 30th. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, 2015 September 30th. (in Japanese)

Ryukyu Air Commuter to fly island-hopping charters.

Starting today, Ryukyu Air Commuter (RAC) will be operating island-hopping charters in the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa prefecture, in the southernmost region of Japan. A De Havilland Canada DHC-8-100Q will operate a Okinawa/Naha (OKA/ROAH) - Kumejima (UEO/ROKJ) - Miyako (MMY/ROMY) - Ishigaki (ISG/ROIG) - Naha rotation in four days. RAC will operate 10 rotations between March 11th and 23rd.

De Havilland Canada DHC-8-103Q JA8973 taxies at Naha. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Flight schedule:
RAC3801 OKA 1215 - 1250 UEO DH1 March 11 - 20
RAC3803 UEO 1335 - 1425 MMY DH1 March 12 - 21
RAC3805 MMY 1450 - 1545 ISG DH1 March 13 - 22
RAC3808 ISG 1630 - 1735 OKA DH1 March 14 - 23

Now operated for seven consecutive years, these flights are part of a packaged tour arranged and sold by Tokyo-based travel agency Club Tourism International to visit the Kumejima, Miyako, and Yaeyama islands. About 300 participants will come from Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. Flight RAC3805 is expected to provide a sightseeing opportunity of the Yaeyama Islands before landing at Ishigaki.

RAC is a commuter airline connecting the Ryukyu Islands operating a fleet of one DHC-8-300Q and four DHC-8-100Qs. It is owned 72.9% by JAL Group's Okinawan arm Japan Transocean Air (NU/JTA), 5.1% by the Government of Okinawa, and the rest by local businesses.

Source: Japan Transocean Air, March 7th. (PDF; in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, March 10th. (in Japanese)