Air Flamenco traces its history to Flamenco Airways, which was founded in 1976 by Rubén Torres.[2] The first aircraft used was thePiper Cherokee 6 with flights between the islands ofCulebra andVieques. Six months after initial operation they acquired their first twin engineBritten-Norman Islander with a capacity of 9 passengers. With this new aircraft their service expanded with more passenger routes and US postal service between the two islands of Vieques and Culebra and the main island of Puerto Rico. Within the following five years, the airline increased its fleet to 6 aircraft expanding its services and charter flights throughout the Caribbean Islands including US and British Virgin Islands.In 2009 the airline acquired 2 other Britten Norman Islanders for cargo flights.
Besides being operated in passenger service, versions of all three of types are flown in all-cargo configuration by Flamenco Cargo, a division of Air Flamenco.[3][4]
N902GD, a Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 Islander en route fromMayagüez to Isla Grande Airport, San Juan crashed.[5] The airplane, transporting a bank's financial documents, departed Mayagüez at 18:30 on 29 September 2004. En route the airplane approached and penetrated a level 4-5 rain shower. Control was lost and the plane crashed into the sea. There was one fatality.
N909GD, a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander, en route fromCeiba, PR toCulebra crashed on October 6, 2013, nearLuis Peña while flying newspapers from the main island. No passengers were on board, however, the pilot did not survive.[6]
N821RR, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-9 Islander, crashed during landing atCulebra Airport on February 15, 2022. The aircraft landed hard, and veered off the right side of the runway. The aircraft was written off due to structural failure.[7]
N916GD, a Short 360-300, made a gear-up landing atSt. Croix on May 14, 2024.[8][9]
N915GD, a Short 360-300, landed short of the runway atTerrance B. Lettsome International Airport in the British Virgin Islands on November 6, 2024.[10] The aircraft was undamaged, however multiple runway lights and fence posts were destroyed. An investigation by theAAIB was unable to come to a definitive conclusion due to lack of evidence and information.[11]
