Air Vegas
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Sid Petty |
| Defunct | 2004-09-30 |
| Headquarters | North Las Vegas, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Grand Canyon, United States |
| Products | Scenic flights, charter flights |
Air Vegas operated as an airline with its main office situated at the North Las Vegas Air Terminal in Nevada. The company focused on providing scenic flights from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Originally, its operations were based out of McCarran International Airport and Henderson Executive Airport. During the early 1990s, it was ranked among the 50 leading U.S. regional and commuter airlines based on passenger boardings.
History
Established in 1971 by Sid Petty, Air Vegas specialized in aerial sightseeing tours and charter flights primarily serving the Grand Canyon area. Its main competitors included Scenic Airlines and Lang Air, which later became Vision Airlines. The initial aircraft lineup consisted of two Cessna 207s, one Cessna 337 Skymaster, and a Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza. By 1975, the fleet had grown to five planes, eventually expanding to twenty by 1997.
Throughout the 1980s, Air Vegas conducted tours using Cessna 402 aircraft, with Sid Petty personally flying a Beech Baron 58 from McCarran’s commuter terminal during peak demand periods. After the 1986 mid-air collision over the Grand Canyon, new FAA safety regulations (SFAR 50) were introduced to improve flight safety standards. In reaction to these changes, Air Vegas joined forces with other operators to create a "Tour Operators Alliance" aimed at addressing the regulatory challenges impacting their services.
In the 1990s, Air Vegas upgraded its fleet to faster Beechcraft C99 planes and transitioned from operating under CFR 14 Part 135 air taxi regulations to the more rigorous Part 121 airline standards, thereby enhancing safety protocols. Around 1993, the airline was carrying close to 55,000 tourists yearly on Grand Canyon excursions, with a majority being international travelers.
By the early 2000s, Air Vegas had shifted its base of operations to North Las Vegas Airport and continued flying Beech 99 aircraft until it discontinued service on September 30, 2004—approximately sixteen months following the passing of its founder Sid Petty.
Fleet
The aircraft operated by Air Vegas included:
- Two Cessna 206 models (Cessna 207 Stationair)
- One Cessna 337 Skymaster
- One Beech A-36 Bonanza
- Cessna Model 402 (Cessna 402 Businessliner)
- Nine Beechcraft C99 (Beech 99) as of September 2004