AirCal

From Dominion of British Columbia
AirCal
Headquarters Newport Beach, California, USA
IATA code OC
ICAO code ACL
Call sign AIRCAL
Hubs John Wayne (Orange County) Airport, Santa Ana (main)
Los Angeles Int'l Airport, Los Angeles
William P. Hobby Airport, Houston
Focus cities Blaenau Int'l Airport, Blaenau
Reno/Tahoe Int'l Airport, Reno
San Francisco Int'l Airport, San Francisco
Mineta Int'l Airport, San Jose
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara
Grant McConachie Int'l Airport, Vancouver

AirCal is an airline based in the state of California in the United States. It operates scheduled flights primarily within the continental United States, but also flies to Anchorage, Alaska, and has extensive operations to British Columbia.

History

Established in 1967 as Air California, the airline was renamed AirCal in 1981. In 1981 it acquired and absorbed Texas-based Muse Air, giving it a strong presence in the Texas market and destinations in Florida, Louisiana, and Illinois.

AirCal in British Columbia

AirCal's connection to BC began in 1973, when Air California placed its first order with De Havilland BC for the DHBC-7 Trident 7E trijet airliner, and between 1974 and 1980, De Havilland delivered a total of 25 Trident 7Es to AirCal; the last were retired in 2013. Pleased with the Trident and having established a relationship with DHBC, AirCal became an early customer for the DHBC-9 Kehloke 1, acquiring a total of 25 between 1986 and 1993, and then went on to become the North American launch customer for the Kehloke 2. Fourteen were delivered new to AirCal, and the airline had held options on a further thirty, but production was terminated in 1993, after Boeing's takeover of DHBC; AirCal accepted Boeing's offer to convert the Kehloke options to a Boeing 737 variant, choosing the 737-700. AirCal eventually acquired all 24 Kehloke 2s that were built, and for a time, over two-thirds of AirCal's fleet were DHBC products. The last Tridents were retired in 2013, and the last Kehloke 1s in 2019; eleven Kehloke 2 remain in service, with retirement foreseen by the end of 2024.

AirCal began its first BC service in 1975, between Los Angeles, California, and Vancouver, then added a San Diego service in 1984, followed by the Los Angeles–Blaenau and Los Angeles–Victoria routes in 1986. Since 1991, there is a winter-only service between Vancouver and Palm Springs, California. Since the turn of the 21st century, AirCal have greatly expanded their operations into BC, at present serving seven cities in the Dominion. The most recent routes are the seasonal flights between Valemount and Reno, Nevada, and Santa Ana, California, both launched in 2019.

Fleet

Current

Historic

BC-made aircraft

Note: a green background indicates an aircraft in service, a yellow background indicates a retired aircraft, and a pink background indicates an aircraft lost in an accident.

Type Registration C/n Blt Acquisition Disposal
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N770AC C1355 1974 1974, delivered new 2003, sold to West Caribbean Airlines (Colombia)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N771AC C1371 1974 1974, delivered new 2007, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N772AC C1372 1974 1974, delivered new 2006, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N773AC C1477 1975 1975, delivered new 2006, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N774AC C1478 1975 1975, delivered new 2004, sold to Dubrovnik Airline (Croatia)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N775AC C1479 1975 1975, delivered new 2004, sold to Dubrovnik Airline (Croatia)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N776AC C1539 1976 1976, delivered new 2004, sold to Dubrovnik Airline (Croatia)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N777AC C1540 1976 1976, delivered new 2008, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N778AC C1541 1976 1976, delivered new 2008, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N779AC C1604 1977 1977, delivered new 2007, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N780AC C1605 1977 1977, delivered new 2009, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N781AC C1606 1977 1977, delivered new 2007, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N782AC C1619 1978 1978, delivered new 2009, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N783AC C1620 1978 1978, delivered new 2009, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N784AC C1626 1978 1978, delivered new 2009, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N785AC C1629 1978 1978, delivered new 2004, sold to Allegiance Air (South Africa)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N786AC C1653 1979 1979, delivered new 2004, sold to Allegiance Air (South Africa)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N787AC C1654 1979 1979, delivered new 2008, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N788AC C1692 1979 1979, delivered new 2010, sold to NAG National Airways Gabon (Gabon)
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N789AC C1694 1979 1979, delivered new 2011, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N790AC C1710 1980 1980, delivered new 2013, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N791AC C1711 1980 1980, delivered new 2013, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N792AC C1734 1980 1980, delivered new 2013, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N793AC C1736 1980 1980, delivered new 2012, retired
DHBC-7E Trident 7E N794AC C1738 1980 1980, delivered new 2013, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N901AC C1942 1986 1987, delivered new (ordered by Eastern, ntu) 2015, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N902AC C1943 1986 1987, delivered new (ordered by Eastern, ntu) 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N903AC C1944 1986 1987, delivered new (ordered by Eastern, ntu) 2015, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N904AC C1991 1987 1987, delivered new 2016, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N905AC C1992 1987 1987, delivered new 2015, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N906AC C1993 1987 1987, delivered new 2016, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N907AC C2013 1988 1988, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N908AC C2023 1988 1988, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N909AC C2024 1988 1988, delivered new 2015, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N910AC C2039 1989 1989, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N911AC C2040 1989 1989, delivered new 2016, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N912AC C2041 1989 1989, delivered new 2016, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N913AC C2059 1990 1990, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N914AC C2078 1990 1990, delivered new 2015, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N915AC C2079 1990 1990, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N916AC C2087 1991 1991, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N917AC C2109 1991 1991, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N918AC C2110 1991 1991, delivered new 2018, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N919AC C2127 1992 1992, delivered new 2018, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N920AC C2137 1992 1992, delivered new 2017, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N921AC C2138 1992 1992, delivered new 2019, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N922AC C2143 1993 1993, delivered new 2019, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N923AC C2144 1993 1993, delivered new 2019, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N924AC C2160 1993 1993, delivered new 2018, retired
DHBC-9A Kehloke 1 N925AC C2161 1993 1993, delivered new 2019, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N950AC C2094 1991 1991, delivered new in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N951AC C2099 1991 1991, delivered new 2021, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N952AC C2100 1991 1991, delivered new in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N953AC C2128 1992 1992, delivered new in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N954AC C2129 1992 1992, delivered new 2022, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N955AC C2130 1992 1992, delivered new in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N956AC C2148 1993 1993, delivered new 2020, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N957AC C2149 1993 1993, delivered new in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N958AC C2150 1993 1993, delivered new 2022, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N959AC C2168 1993 1993, delivered new 2023, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N960AC C2169 1993 1993, delivered new 2022, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N961AC C2170 1993 1993, delivered new 2022, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N962AC C2173 1993 1993, delivered new (ordered by Western Airlines (USA)) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N963AC C2174 1993 1993, delivered new (ordered by Western Airlines (USA)) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N990AC C2119 1992 1997, bought from Sabena (Belgium) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N991AC C2131 1992 1997, bought from Sabena (Belgium) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N992AC C2132 1992 1997, bought from Sabena (Belgium) 2021, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N993AC C2171 1993 1997, bought from Sabena (Belgium) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N994AC C2172 1993 1997, bought from Sabena (Belgium) in service
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N995AC C2042 1989 2000, bought from South African Airways (South Africa) 2021, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N996AC C2061 1990 2000, bought from South African Airways (South Africa) 2020, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N997AC C2151 1993 2000, bought from South African Airways (South Africa) 2021, retired
DHBC-9B Kehloke 2 N998AC C2152 1993 2000, bought from South African Airways (South Africa) in service

Routes

Entries with a green background indicates a destination in British Columbia. "Domestic" refers to services within the United States; "Continental" refers to services between NAFTA signatories (BC, Mexico, Canada, and the United States).

Airport Service area Destination Notes
Abbotsford, British Columbia (XAB) Continental Palm Springs (PSP) Seasonal
Reno (RNO) Seasonal
Anchorage, Alaska, USA (ANC) Domestic Los Angeles (LAX)
San Francisco (SFO)
Austin, Texas (AUS) Domestic Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Midland/Odessa (MAF)
Bakersfield, California, USA (BFL) Domestic Los Angeles (LAX)
Bellingham, Washington, USA (BLI) Domestic Reno (RNO) Seasonal
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Bishop, California (BIH) Domestic Los Angeles (LAX)
Blaenau, British Columbia (XBL) Continental Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
Palm Springs (PSP) Seasonal
Reno (RNO)
San Diego (SAN)
Santa Ana (SNA) Seasonal
Brownsville, Texas, USA (BRO) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Burbank, California (BUR) Domestic Monterey (MRY)
Oakland (OAK)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Continental Vancouver (XVR)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada (YYC) Continental Reno (RNO)
Chicago (Midway), Illinois, USA (MDW) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas (DFW) Domestic Austin (AUS)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Lubbock (LBB)
Tulsa (TUL)
Fresno, California, USA (FAT) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Houston (Hobby), Texas, USA (HOU) Domestic Austin (AUS)
Brownsville (BRO)
Chicago–Midway (MDW)
Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
Fresno (FAT)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
McAllen (MFE)
Midland/Odessa (MAF)
New Orleans (MSY)
New York–LaGuardia (LGA)
Orlando (MCO)
San Antonio (SAT)
Tampa (TPA)
Tulsa (TUL)
Continental Blaenau (XBL)
Prince George (XPG)
Kelowna, British Columbia (XKL) Continental Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
Reno (RNO) Seasonal
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (LAS) Domestic Austin (AUS)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Midland/Odessa (MAF)
San Jose (SJC)
Long Beach, California, USA (LGB) Domestic Fresno (FAT)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Oakland (OAK)
Portland (PDX)
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Jose (SJC)
Seattle (SEA)
Los Angeles, California, USA (LAX) Domestic Anchorage (ANC)
Austin (AUS)
Bakersfield (BFL)
Bishop (BIH)
Chicago–Midway (MDW)
Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
Fresno (FAT)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Monterey (MRY)
New Orleans (MSY)
New York–LaGuardia (LGA)
Oakland (OAK)
Orlando (MCO)
Palm Springs (PSP)
Portland (PDX)
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Antonio (SAT)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Seattle (SEA)
South Lake Tahoe (TVL)
Continental Blaenau (XBL)
Kelowna (XKL)
Prince George (XPG)
Vancouver (XVR)
Victoria (XVI)
Lubbock, Texas, USA (LBB) Domestic Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
McAllen, Texas, USA (MFE) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Merced, California, USA (MCE) Domestic Santa Ana (SNA)
Midland/Odessa, Texas, USA (MAF) Domestic Austin (AUS)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Monterey, California, USA (MRY) Domestic Burbank (BUR)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
San Diego (SAN)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (MSY) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Orlando (MCO)
Tampa (TPA)
New York (LaGuardia), New York, USA (LGA) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland, California, USA (OAK) Domestic Burbank (BUR)
Fresno (FAT)
Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Monterey (MRY)
Ontario (ONT)
Portland (PDX)
Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
South Lake Tahoe (TVL)
Continental Blaenau (XBL)
Kelowna (XKL)
Ontario, California (ONT) Domestic Oakland (OAK)
Palm Springs (PSP)
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Jose (SJC)
Orlando, Florida, USA (MCO) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
New Orleans (MSY)
Palm Springs, California, USA (PSP) Domestic Los Angeles (LAX)
Ontario (ONT)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Continental Abbotsford (XAB) Seasonal
Blaenau (XBL) Seasonal
Vancouver (XVR) Seasonal
Pasco, Washington, USA (PSC) Domestic Santa Ana (SNA) Seasonal
Portland, Oregon, USA (SEA) Domestic Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
Reno (RNO)
San Diego (SAN)
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Barbara (SBA) Seasonal
Seattle (SEA)
Prince George, British Columbia (XPG) Continental Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA) Seasonal
Reno, Nevada, USA (RNO) Domestic Bellingham (BLI) Seasonal
Fresno (FAT)
Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
Ontario (ONT)
Portland (PDX)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Seattle (SEA)
Spokane (GEG)
Continental Abbotsford (XAB) Seasonal
Blaenau (XBL)
Calgary (YYC)
Kelowna (XKL) Seasonal
Prince George (XPG)
Valemount (XVL) Seasonal
Vancouver (XVR)
Victoria (XVI)
Sacramento, California, USA (SMF) Domestic Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Ontario (ONT)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Seattle (SEA)
San Antonio, Texas, USA (SAT) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Los Angeles (LAX)
San Diego, California, USA (SAN) Domestic Monterey (MRY)
Portland (PDX)
San Francisco (SFO)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Seattle (SEA)
Continental Blaenau (XBL)
Vancouver (XVR)
San Francisco, California, USA (SFO) Domestic Anchorage (ANC)
Burbank (BUR)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Reno (RNO)
San Diego (SDA)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Seattle (SEA)
South Lake Tahoe (TVL)
San Jose, California, USA (SJC) Domestic Bellingham (BLI)
Burbank (BUR)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Ontario (ONT)
Portland (PDX)
Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Santa Barbara (SBA)
Seattle (SEA)
South Lake Tahoe (TVL)
Continental Vancouver (XVR)
Santa Ana, California (SNA) Domestic Bellingham (BLI)
Fresno (FAT)
Merced (MCE)
Monterey (MRY)
Oakland (OAK)
Pasco (PSC) Seasonal
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Spokane (GEG)
Continental Blaenau (XBL) Seasonal
Prince George (XPG) Seasonal
Valemount (XVL) Seasonal
Vancouver (XVR)
Victoria (XVI)
Santa Barbara, California, USA (SBA) Domestic Monterey (MRY)
Oakland (OAK)
Palm Springs (PSP)
Portland (PDX) Seasonal
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Diego (SAN)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Seattle (SEA) Seasonal
South Lake Tahoe (TVL) Seasonal
Seattle, Washington, USA (SEA) Domestic Long Beach (LGB)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Portland (PDX)
Reno (RNO)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Diego (SAN)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Barbara (SBA) Seasonal
South Lake Tahoe, California, USA (TVL) Domestic Los Angeles (LAX)
Oakland (OAK)
San Francisco (SFO)
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Barbara (SBA) Seasonal
Spokane, Washington, USA (GEG) Domestic Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Tampa, Florida, USA (TPA) Domestic Houston–Hobby (HOU)
New Orleans (MSY)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA (TUL) Domestic Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
Houston–Hobby (HOU)
Valemount, British Columbia (XVL) Continental Reno (RNO) Seasonal
Santa Ana (SNA) Seasonal
Vancouver, British Columbia (XVR) Continental Burbank (BUR)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Palm Springs (PSP) Seasonal
Reno (RNO)
San Diego (SAN)
San Jose (SJC)
Santa Ana (SNA)
Victoria, British Columbia (XVI) Continental Los Angeles (LAX)
Reno (RNO)
Santa Ana (SNA)