Skippers Aviation

Skippers Aviation is a Perth-based charter and regional airline serving remote Western Australian communities, mining sites, and resource operations. The fleet is diverse -- Cessna 441 Conquest IIs, Dash 8-100s, Dash 8-300s, EMB-120 Brasilias, Metro 23s, and Fokker 100s -- reflecting the range of missions Skippers undertakes. Some routes need an 8-seat Cessna to reach a remote community airstrip; others need a 100-seat Fokker to shuttle miners. Skippers matches aircraft to mission.

The airline has been operating since 1990 and is a fixture of WA's remote aviation landscape. Like Alliance, Skippers serves the FIFO market extensively, but it also operates scheduled regional services to towns like Meekatharra, Wiluna, and Laverton -- places that are genuinely remote, where the nearest major town is hours of dirt-road driving away. Skippers holds government contracts for subsidised air services to these communities, ensuring connectivity that commercial demand alone wouldn't support.

The fleet diversity is Skippers' defining feature. The Fokker 100 (about 3 aircraft) is the largest type, carrying 100 passengers in a 2-3 configuration for high-demand charter and FIFO routes. The Dash 8-100 and Dash 8-300 (about 4 aircraft combined) carry 37-50 passengers in 2-2 configurations and handle mid-range regional routes. The EMB-120 Brasilia (about 3 aircraft) carries 30 passengers in a 1-2 layout for smaller regional services.

The Metro 23 (about 3 aircraft) carries 19 passengers in a 1-1 layout for the lowest-demand scheduled routes and charters. The Cessna 441 Conquest II (about 3 aircraft) carries 8-10 passengers for the most remote community services and medical evacuation. This fleet mix means Skippers can put the right aircraft on any route -- from an 8-seat Cessna to a dirt strip in the Pilbara to a 100-seat Fokker for a major mine site changeover. All aircraft are maintained to CASA standards at Skippers' Perth maintenance facility.

The cabin experience varies dramatically depending on which aircraft you're on. The Fokker 100 is a proper regional jet with 100 seats in a 2-3 layout, reasonable pitch, and a cabin that feels like a standard airline experience. The Dash 8 variants have 2-2 seating (no middle seats), turboprop noise, and a functional regional cabin. The EMB-120 Brasilia has 30 seats in a 1-2 layout with high prop noise but short flight times. The Metro 23 is 19 seats in a 1-1 layout -- narrow, basic, and utilitarian. The Cessna 441 is essentially a private aircraft.

Across all types, expect no seatback entertainment, no WiFi, and minimal or no cabin service. These are working flights -- most passengers are FIFO workers or regional community members who fly these routes regularly and have low expectations for frills. What Skippers delivers consistently is reliability and safety in challenging operating environments. The crew are experienced in remote WA flying, which requires skills (short strips, high temperatures, crosswinds, remote navigation) that mainstream airline pilots rarely encounter.

On the Fokker 100, avoid the middle seat (column C) in the 2-3 layout. Front rows (1-5) are quieter with the rear-mounted engines. On the Dash 8 variants, the 2-2 layout means all seats are window or aisle. Front rows are quieter and ahead of the propellers. On the EMB-120, seat A (single column, left side) is the premium position. On the Metro 23 and Cessna 441, the aircraft are small enough that seat selection has minimal impact.

The general principle across all Skippers aircraft is to sit as far forward as possible for the quietest ride and fastest deplaning. On turboprop types (Dash 8, EMB-120, Metro 23), the propeller zone (mid-cabin) is the noisiest section. On the Fokker 100, the noise is concentrated at the rear where the engines are mounted. Window seats on the left side often give better views of the WA landscape on approach to regional airports. If you fly Skippers regularly for FIFO work, requesting the Dash 8 or E190 over the Fokker is worth the effort for the 2-2 seating comfort advantage.