Galaxy Air: a new Bout airline?

Source: http://yorkshire-ranter.blogspot.com/2007/09/pass-down-plane-please.html

Thursday, September 06, 2007

'Pass Down The Plane, Please'

"So, there's this new Kyrgyz airline called Galaxy Air; started by people from TAPOAvia in 2006. It has been on the EU blacklist since March, 2007, and it ain't coming off any time soon. On the 29th of August, its Ilyushin-18 EX-786 was seized by the Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. Why? Well, the 142 passengers, of whom 20 were standing in the aisle, had something to do with it. (Its nominal capacity is more like 100.) The fact one of the pilots passed out with hypoxia had something to do with it to.
I can't find a serial number for EX-786, but the other three aircraft at Galaxy are interesting. EX-601, Il-18 number 185008601, is ex-Santa Cruz Imperial and Phoenix Aviation. The other Il-18, ER-ICB, has been around the block a few times too, but nowhere so notorious. There's also a Bangladesh-registry 707..."

Notes from Webmaster:
EX-786 has been identified as former EX-201 IL-18V c/n 188011201. Depending on the source it has either been 'impuonded in Pakistan' or 'stored at Islamabad'. Here is EX-786 at Bishkek-Manas (FRU / UAFM), Kyrgyzstan on May 21st, 2007 on Airliners.net.
EX-201 has flown for a number of airlines: Ram Air, Phoenix Aviation, Daallo Airlines, Jubba Airways (possible on leases) and recently moved to Kyrgyzstan for IRBIS, allegedly a Victor Bout airline; EX-201 on airliners.net.
EX-601 (c/n 185008601) has been sighted in a new colourscheme in May 2007 at Bishkek. EX-601 on Airliners.net
ER-ICB was apparently leased by Galaxy Air and by the time of writing (nov.2007), returned to owner/operator Grixona, possibly stored at Chisinau-Kishinev (Moldova). ER-ICB at Airliners.net

Here is a fleetlist (on 18Mar09) as listed by www.aerotransport.org:

This would indicate that Galaxy Air has become a 'paper airline'..
IL-18 EX-786 went from Osh Avia to Anikay Airlines (reregistered EX-505), which has its homebase at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Osh Avia was placed on the EU Banlist 04Jul07, 11Apr08 & 24jul08. Based in Kyrgyzstan & founded in 2006. Still active?
Anikay seems to have been founded in 2003. The info below indicates operations have been stopped by revoking the AOC.
EX-505 was sighted at Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E. on 16Nov08 (carried no titles); stored?

As of 5 March 2007 the Air Operating Certificate (AOC) was withdrawn or revoked by national authorities (as reported by the EU). Quote: "The authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic have provided the Commission with evidence of the withdrawal of the Air Operator's Certificates of the following air carriers: Anikai Air, Country International Airlines, FAB Air, Kyrgyz Airways, Kyrgyz Trans Avia, Reem Air, Sun Light. These carriers certified in the Kyrgyz Republic have consequently ceased their activities" Unquote. [Source: www.sipri.org/contents/armstrad/Air_Cargo_Operators/Anikay_Airlines.html]

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