Gem State Airlines
Gem State Airlines was a United States airline founded in 1978 in It carried passengers for 11 months, from December 1978 to November 1979, and merged in January 1980 with Air Pacific to become Golden Gate Airlines. Founded by Thomas D. "Tom" Soumas, Jr. (b. 1953) of Coeur d'Alene, its primary investor was Justin S. Colin a New York financier. Idaho's nickname is the Gem State, with origins back to its territorial years. Fleet. Gem State operated the following turboprop aircraft: