Air Marshall Islands receives first Cessna SkyCourier

By Andrew Curran.

Air Marshall Islands has ferried in the first of two Cessna 408 SkyCouriers. The brand-new aircraft, V7-2613 (msn 11_408), arrived in the country on 29 April, having flown from Beech Factory Airport (BEC) via Las Vegas (VGT), Santa Maria (SMX) and Honolulu (HNL). Nevada-based Flight Contract Services flew the plane to the Marshall Islands.

At an event marking the aircraft’s arrival at Majuro (MAJ), Hilda C. Heine said modernising the national carrier was not just an aircraft upgrade, but a strategic investment in national unity and long-term resilience.

“For many years, our national airline struggled with an ageing fleet that was increasingly difficult to keep in the air,” Heine said. “And for many years, the ‘Air Maybe’ era was accepted as the status quo.

“With the arrival of this first Cessna SkyCourier, we begin a new chapter defined by action, not excuses.”

The aircraft were ordered in late 2024 in a two-aircraft purchase agreement with Textron Aviation.

SkyCouriers to replace aging Air Marshall Islands' Dorniers

A pair of ageing Dornier 228-212s currently make up Air Marshall Islands’ fleet. While some open-access databases list the airline as operating two DHC-8-100s, these are no longer in use.

“I will miss the bandages and tape that decorated the inside of those old planes,” Heine said of the existing aircraft. “At some point, they stopped looking like repairs and started looking like part of the interior design.”

The fleet upgrade is funded by a USD8.3 million United States Government grant and a USD20.3 million soft loan from Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund.

“We express our deep appreciation to the United States Government for its support… and to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for critical financial cooperation,” Heine said.

Air Marshall Islands flies to 23 airports across the country, although several of these airports are only served intermittently.

Heine said the 19-seat SkyCouriers are central to the Marshall Islands’ Agenda 2030 vision, which aims to make the country more connected, resilient and equitable, “where essential services reach every atoll and no community is left behind”.

 

“Reliable air service is central to that mission,” the president said. “These new aircraft strengthen our medical evacuation capacity, ensure timely delivery of supplies, support education and economic activity, and uphold the promise that every Marshallese family, no matter how remote, remains connected to opportunity.”

Government says the aircraft will pay for themselves

While the SkyCouriers carry the same number of passengers as the Dorniers, they offer greater cargo capacity. With improved reliability, reduced maintenance costs, and additional revenue from cargo, the Marshall Islands Government says it will be able to service the Taiwanese loan.

According to RNZ, the loan includes a five-year repayment holiday followed by a 20-year repayment period at an interest rate of 1.5% per annum.

“Servicing the Marshall Islands market can generate the revenue needed for loan repayment,” said Finance Minister David Paul. “The investment will pay for itself.”

The second SkyCourier is expected to arrive in about a month.

Photo: Office of President, Republic of Marshall Islands.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com