In July 2016, 225 Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners were in airline service: 170 in Americas, 28 in Asia Pacific & Middle East and 27 in Europe. Its airline operators with six or more aircraft were : 30: Ameriflight 25: Aeronaves TSM 20: Key Lime Air 20: Perimeter Aviation 16: Bearskin Airlines 12: Encore Air Cargo 10: Sierra West Airlines 9: Bemidji Airlines 3: Berry Aviation 8: SkyCare Air Ambulance 7: Toll Priority 7: Sunwest Aviation 6: Sharp Airlines 5: Denver Air Connection
Former and current Australian and New Zealand passenger airline operators
Australian Operators: Airnorth Australian airExpress Hardy Aviation Hazelton Airlines Kendell Airlines Link Airways (formerly known as Fly Corporate Air) MacAir Airlines Regional Express Sharp Airlines Skippers Aviation Toll
New Zealand operator:
Air Chathams Air New Zealand Link
Former U.S. and Canadian passenger airline operators
U.S. operators
A considerable number of commuter and regional air carriers previously operated Metro, Metro II, Metro III and/or Metro IV/Metro 23 aircraft primarily in scheduled passenger service in the U.S. and Canada.April 1, 1981 edition, Official Airline Guide (OAG) According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), these airlines included:
Air LA Air Link Air Midwest Air Oregon AirPac (Alaska-based air carrier) AirVantage Airlines Air Virginia (AVAir) (operated independently and also as American Eagle) Air Wisconsin Allegheny Commuter American Eagle Atlantic Express Atlantis Airlines Austin Express Big Sky Airlines Britt Airways California Air Shuttle Cascade Airways Cochise Airlines Comair (operated independently and later as Delta Connection) Commuter Airlines Conquest Airlines Continental Connection Delta Connection (operated by Comair and SkyWest Airlines) Denver Air Connection Empire Airlines (1976-1985) - acquired by Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989) Empire Airlines (based in Idaho) Freedom Airlines Gem State Airlines Golden Gate Airlines Horizon Air Imperial Airlines Inland Empire Airlines Landmark Aviation Air Cargo Lone Star Airlines Mesa Airlines Mesaba Airlines (operated as Northwest Airlink) Mid Continent Airlines (1980s - formerly AAA Airlines) Midstate Airlines Midway Connection (feeder service for Midway Airlines) Mississippi Valley Airlines (MVA) Northeast Express Regional Airlines Northwest Airlink Pacific Cal Air Peninsula Airlines (PenAir) Pioneer Airlines (1980s commuter air carrier) Resort Air (operated as Trans World Express) Rio Airways Scenic Airlines Scheduled Skyways (renamed Skyways) SkyWest Airlines (operated independently and later as Western Express and then Delta Connection) Sierra West Airlines Star Airways Sun Aire Lines Tejas Airlines Trans-Central Airlines Trans-Colorado Airlines (operated independently and also as Continental Connection) Transwestern Airlines Trans World Express (operated by Resort Air) Western Express (operated by SkyWest on behalf of Western Airlines) Wings West Airlines (initially operated independently and then as American Eagle)
Other small air carriers operated Metroliners as well.http://www.airliners.net, photos of Fairchild Metro aircraft operated by various airlines in the U.S.
In addition, Southern Airways, a local service airline that primarily operated McDonnell Douglas DC-9 jetliners before it merged with North Central Airlines to form Republic Airlines (1979-1986), operated the Metro II as a replacement aircraft type for its retired Martin 4-0-4 prop aircraft.https://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1978 Southern Airways system timetable
Canadian operators
In addition to current operators Bearskin Airlines and Perimeter Aviation, previous Metro operators in Canada included:
Air Montreal Air Toronto Alta Flights Canadian Western Airlines Carson Air Jetall Intair Inter-Canadien Provincial Airlines Quebecair (Quebecair Inter commuter division) Skylink Airlines Skycare Air Ambulance Soundair Sunwest Aviation. Southwest Air Tempus Air
Military operators
Colombian Air Force - 1 × Metro 23
Mexican Air Force - 4 × Metroliner III
Peruvian Air Force - 3 × Metro 23
Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard (TTAG) - 2 × Metro 23
Venezuelan Air Force - 2
Royal Oman Police
Former military operators
Argentine Air Force Argentine National Gendarmerie - At least one aircraft confiscated from drug smugglers operated in late 1990s .Several Metro IIs are used as training aids for instructing aircraft technicians serving in the Australian Defence Forces. They are owned by the RAAF but did not fly in ADF service
South African Air Force No. 21 Squadron SAAF
Swedish Air Force - 2 x Metro III and 1 x Metro-Merlin IVC
Royal Thai Air Force
References