Empire Airlines  Piper PA-31-310   Navajo  N546BA                           (c/n   31-709)

                              

                                  Empire Airlines was a regional casrrier founded by Paul Quackenbush at the Oneida County Airport
                                  in Utica, New York.originally based in Utica, New York.  Scheduled operations began in 1976 with
                                  a single Piper PA-23-250 Aztec.  This was augmented in 1977 with three Navajos, one of which is
                                  seen above at Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York in January 1979 in this nice shot
                                  by Howard Chaloner.   Initial services were flown between Utica and Syracuse.  As cities were aband-
                                  oned by Allegheny, Empire was quick to pick them up.