4X-AHA "Eilat" was the 1st DHC- 7 delivered new to Arkia on September 29, 1981. Two more new built airframes followed shortly afterwards, with 4X-AHB (c/n 64) and 4X-AHC (c/n 82) joining Arkia's fleet in October 1981 and May 1982 respectively. Ten additional Dash 7's (registered 4X-AHD through 4X-AHM) were bought or leased 2nd hand, the last two entereing service with Arkia in June of 1996. By early 2011, the one's not having already been sold earlier were either broken up in SDV or TLV, except 4X-AHG (c/n 33), which was sold to Canada in airworthy condition as C-GNUY.

This 1977 built DHC-6 was Arkia's sole Twin Otter and flew for the airline between April 1989 and May 1997. Founded in 1949 as Eilat Airlines, Arkia's initial main purpose has been, as the name suggested, to serve the domestic Tel Aviv - Eilat route. Later, additional domestic destinations were added, and Arkia did operate many different a/c types, mainly in small numbers. Arkia's most popular and longest serving a/c type was the four engined DHC-7 Dash 7, of which the airline did operate no less than 13 airframes between September 1981 and early 2011, a span of almost three decades.

now with Cobham Aviation as VH-IQA

left the fleet 2022 - now with Loganair as G-LMRV

another arrival from Tel Aviv

approaching Eilat from the south

Arkia's DC-3/C-47's helped keeping Israel's southernmost city - Eilat - connected to the rest of the country in the late 1950's / early 1960's. However, the airframe shown here never carried the registration 4X-AES, which did exist though but had c/n 11923 (USAAF FY 42-92154 > RAF FL562 > HB-ATO > NC74136 > OO-AFB > to Israel DF) and then to Arkia between April 2, 1957 and June 26, 1966. The history of the airframe shown here is best described at http://www.dc-3.co.za/dc-3-individual-aircraft-history/cn-6223.html . "4X-AES" has since been moved a few miles north to the new Eilat Airport LLER.

This airframe was only 6 month old when this picture was taken on approach to the old airport at Eilat. Israir was founded in 1989 as Kanfei HaEmek (Valley Wings) and in 1996 changed to its current name Israir Airlines. The airline concentrates on the domestic tourism sector but also has a few international destinations in it's program, the latest being Dubai after a peace agreement was reached with the UAE.

Ex N17808/F-WQCY, registered 16th Aug 1997 and withdrawn from use LLSD (Tel Aviv Sde Dov) May 2009, scrapped

Delivered new 12th May 1982 and leased to Skyline Nigeria as 5N-BDT March 2002-June 2003. Withdrawn from use LLSD (Tel Aviv Sde dov) June 2003 and scrapped