Daily incoming freight will be available for pickup by 6 a.m. Cut off for outgoing packages and cargo is 3:15 p.m. For more information about Alpine Air’s cargo service, call Dart at 936-5821, or stop at Kamuela Shell service station
BY BOBBY COMMAND
WEST HAWAII TODAY
bcommand@westhawaiitoday.com
It operates out of a filling station in a little town, but the small businesses of North Hawaii are growing more dependent on it to survive in this modern world.
Alpine Air Hawaii now uses a fleet of twin-engine Beechcraft to provide daily air cargo service to Waimea and the surrounding communities of Hawi, Honokaa, and Waikoloa, linking the Kohala communities with Honolulu, Lanai and Molokai.
Founded in 1975 by Eugene Mallette in Provo, Utah, Alpine Air Express is an air cargo and transportation logistics company, which provides competitively priced scheduled air cargo flights throughout the western and southwestern United States and Hawaii.
David Dart, Alpine Air Hawaii’s station manager, said residents of fast-growing North Hawaii traditionally had to drive to Hilo or Kona to send or receive air cargo. Dart said this local service can be a significant business advantage.
“Current Alpine customers such as Kamuela NAPA are now able to have overnight parts at their store before they open saving their customers a three- or four-hour wait,” he said.
Alpine Air has been flying into Waimea with the U.S. mail since April 2004, when the Postal Service chose the company to provide the service.
“At that time we received the entire contract for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii,” said Dart. “We were given 17 days to get our planes from Mainland to Hawaii and begin delivering mail at every air stop in the state plus have ground crews in place. It was quite an accomplishment.”
Since then, Alpine has signed a new contract that has removed Hilo, Kona and Maui from their routes.
The company has nine aircraft, comprising Beechcraft 1900s, which can carry up to 6,000 pounds of cargo, and Beechcraft 99s, which have a capacity of 3,500 pounds. It operates seven days a week for incoming cargo and every day but Sunday for outgoing cargo.
Alpine Air Hawaii carries various small parcels, but has also moved such things as hospital beds and movie equipment. “We can handle anything from agricultural items to personal business goods,” he said. “I’m surprised at the amount of business between Hawaii Island and Molokai.”
If the plane is a full charter, Dart said the company will fly to any airport in the state.
In addition to the mail and the air cargo, Alpine Air flies charters for other carriers including UPS, maintains aircraft owned or operated by other companies, and operates a first officer training program. “This allows local pilots to build hours and increase their type rating,” said Dart, a University of Hawaii graduate and small businessman in Alaska and Hawaii. “We’ve helped a lot of Hawaii pilots.”
Alpine Air’s 28 aircraft fleet also provides air cargo transportation services in Montana, North and South Dakota and Washington. It transports mail, packages and other time-sensitive cargo between cities in the western portion of the United States including Hawaii. The company also provides full aircraft charter services to other cargo carriers.
Dart said there is a wide market for air cargo because it offers prompt and quick service.
“People say we’re getting the Hawaii Superferry,” said Dart, who has extensive experience shipping goods around the world. “But if it’s time sensitive, then the Superferry may take too long, and if it isn’t time sensitive, then it’s cheaper to send by barge.”
Dart said another advantage to Alpine Air is that it has hedged its fuel costs by purchasing ahead of time. “It’s really going to help us out a lot with keeping costs down.”
The company has 24 employees in Hawaii. Its chief pilot is Jason Webb and its director of maintenance is Bobby Seladis.
Daily incoming freight will be available for pickup by 6 a.m. Cut off for outgoing packages and cargo is 3:15 p.m. For more information about Alpine Air’s cargo service, call Dart at 936-5821, or stop at Kamuela Shell service station 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily at the corner of Mamalahoa Highway and Lindsey Road.
