History
Big Sky (IATA code GQ) was launched in September 1978 with a small fleet of Cessna 402s and Handley-Page HP.137 Mk 1 Jetstreams to replace the Twin Otter service discontinued by the original Frontier Airlines which linked Billings, Montana to small towns in central and eastern Montana, northern Wyoming, and far western North Dakota. This route was pioneered by Northwest in the early 1930s and it was only fitting that Big Sky had good interline connections with NWA both at its main base of Billings as well as its eastern terminus of Bismarck. Metroliners were added in 1980.
They picked up the Essential Air Service (EAS) funded Bismarck – Jamestown – Minneapolis/St. Paul route when Air Wisconsin dropped it, starting service June 15, 1981. While serving MSP, GQ was handled by Republic and advertised its good connections with RC.
Looking to build its presence at MSP, Big Sky also submitted an EAS subsidy proposal to serve several markets in South Dakota that Republic Airlines was seeking to discontinue. In a display of confidence, Big Sky added Huron, Brookings, and Mitchell, SD to the route map in its October 1981 schedule indicating “applications pending, service inauguration subject to government approval”. As it turned out, EAS service to these cities was initially provided by Northern Airlines, and then by Mesaba.
After a few months of service at MSP, Big Sky experienced a severe cash flow strain and petitioned the CAB for an immediate increase in its subsidy for its flights to Jamestown and Devils Lake. Although the CAB granted Big Sky’s request, it also decided to invite proposals from other airlines to provide replacement service.
After a protracted and contentious selection process, the CAB chose Mesaba Airlines to replace Big Sky in both Jamestown and Devils Lake with flights to MSP. The transition to Mesaba took place on December 1, 1983, marking the end of Big Sky’s brief service to Minnesota. GQ concentrated instead on building a small regional hub at Billings.
Big Sky formally became a Northwest Airlink carrier in September 1985, painting the Red Tail on new Metroliners as well as some Cessnas. In 1988-89 GQ would also pick up new BAe Jetstream 31 turboprops but these were not sustainable for the system’s traffic. The Northwest contract would run through 1990, after which Big Sky reverted to its own identity and Essential Air Service focus, but remained a WorldPerks partner through the ’90s. (They also struck up a loose marketing arrangement with the re-born Frontier Airlines.)
Seeking growth, in late 1998 the carrier picked up the EAS routes from bankrupt Exec Express II (Lone Star) and Aspen Mountain Air out of Dallas/Ft. Worth, opening up a southern division and routing aircraft back to Montana for service via Denver. These services would fluctuate depending on what the EAS contracts specified. EAS flying out of Seattle/Tacoma was also begun in the early 2000s.
Mesaba’s holding company, MAIR, having divested its AirTran subsidiary, acquired Big Sky in 2002, as a growth vehicle to diversify its portfolio and pursue agreements with other airlines. Under Mesaba Holdings, Big Sky updated its 19-seat fleet from aging Metroliners to newer Beech 1900Ds and installed a new management team.
Instead of once again linking GQ up with Northwest, Big Sky ran a marketing partnership with America West (who never flew into Billings, and had minimal presence at Dallas/Ft. Worth.) This was not a successful alliance.
Mesaba itself had to declare bankruptcy in October 2005 (and was sold outright to Northwest in April 2007), so MAIR needed Big Sky to grow. A small operation with one Beech 1900D was started from Chicago Midway Airport to Springfield, IL and Eau Claire, WI in 2006-07. In December 2006 it made an arrangement for GQ to fly its 1900Ds out of Boston on behalf of Delta, starting in April 2007. (Flights from Delta’s Cincinnati hub were also announced for EAS destinations Jackson, TN; Cape Girardeau, MO; and Owensboro, KY to begin in November 2007, but these never commenced.) After ramping up in Spring 2007 to serve ten destinations in the Northeast, a confluence of factors – bad weather, disappointing revenue, and high fuel prices – forced the company to end its Delta Connection operations in January 2008, leaving just the Montana business. However, on March 8, 2008 GQ flew its last services into Billings, followed by liquidation of its assets.
Route Maps
Timetables
Aircraft
We are looking for photos of GQ’s Cessnas and first-generation Jetstreams. We are also seeking pictures of Big Sky’s Metroliners from the 1980s-90s. We do have a few photos of the Jetstream 31 craft used in the Airlink era.
Beech 1900D frames were brought on after the carrier’s Airlink years.
Financial / Annual Reports
GQ figures were included in Mesaba Holdings’ reports from 2002 onward. The company was privately held beforehand.
Employee Newsletters
We are seeking any communication pieces to post on this site.
Marketing Materials
Here too, we are hunting for anything in the way of ticket jackets, inflight magazines, local advertisements or flyers.
