New name, logo for Gulfstream in post-bankruptcy rebranding

For the second time this year, the airplanes flying into the Havre City-County airport will be sporting a new name.

It's not a new company that will be getting the Essential Air Service subsidy, as it was this spring, but a "rebranding" by current service provider Gulfstream International Airlines.

Gulfstream announced this week that it will be referred to as Silver Airways, with a new logo and new planes, starting on Thursday.

The change is a part of the airline's plan to recoup from its bankruptcy, filed last autumn.

As a part of the bankruptcy, Victory Park Capital, a Chicago-based investment firm, "acquired select assets from the former Gulfstream International Airlines, " according to a press release announcing the change, and became VPAA Co. doing business as Gulfstream.

This week Darrell Richardson, CEO of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -based airline, said he is excited about the change.

"Starting in May, we hit the ground running with a mandate to transform this airline from top to bottom, " Richardson said.

"Our goal: to create the dream airline — one that's financially sound, safe and professional, but also fun to fly and a great place to work. Adopting the Silver Airways brand is the latest step. "

The release goes on to explain the new logo "is derived from the spinning propeller blades of a turboprop engine like those found on the aircraft that comprise the Silver Airways fleet. "

The Saab planes are a new addition to the company, with "the first of six recently purchased" making its way into the airline's stable.

"The notion of encouraging our passengers to embrace the turboprop as a preferred aircraft type was very important in the development of our new brand, " Richardson said. "People are often surprised to learn how fuel efficient, quiet, comfortable and reliable modern turboprops like the Saab 340 really are. Turboprops are our lifeblood, so the more we can get passengers to love them, the more they'll love flying with us. "

Gulfstream took over the EAS contract in May when former subsidized carrier Great Lakes Airlines had their contract renewal rejected by the Montana EAS board, after repeated cancellations and delays frustrated many would-be customers, including some of those same board members.

Ridership since the Gulstream took over and the change cancelled the new Havre-Denver flights that Great Lakes attempted has been low.