Pilot pursues new airline in York County
A former Pan Am pilot is attempting to raise $50 million to launch a new airline that could be headquartered in York County.
Anthony Gilham, an English pilot who previously flew for Pan American Airways Corp., is seeking the $50 million to buy and expand an existing unnamed airline that operates Boeing 737s and 767s, begin a passenger and cargo service out of Portsmouth International Airport, and a container manufacturing service. He said the project could bring 1,000 jobs to the region. Gilham has registered his company, Quest Airlines LLC, in Berwick.
However, Gilham does face some hurdles to get his airline off the ground. Gilham says major banks in the region deny having the liquidity to finance such a startup. Michael Jenkins, an associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, says Quest Airlines is eligible for loan guarantee backing to $25 million, should the upstart find a bank to enable those loans. Gilham says he is continuing discussions with potential financers.
Gilham has proposed setting up its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Sanford if it relies on the loan guarantee administered through Maine branches of the USDA, but would site its headquarters at the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, N.H., if other financers come forward that are not dependent on the loan backing. The company's aircraft would fly out of Portsmouth International Airport in either case, he says.
Gilham says Quest Airlines has received continued support from Sen. Olympia Snowe and Maine representatives Brian Whitney and Peter Morin, and the office of Gov. John Baldacci.
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