IOWA AIRWAYS: United States (1985-1994). Founded by Jack Schap as an associate of Tennessee Airways at Knoxville Airport in the summer of 1985, lA is equipped with 2 each Embraer EMB-110s and Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains. Daily roundtrip revenue flights commence on October 15 from a base at Dubuque to Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Omaha, and Moline. A total of 4,000 passengers are flown by December 31.
In early 1986, the commuter enters into a code-sharing agreement with the Chicago-based national carrier Midway Airlines. Two more Bandeirantes arrive to replace the Chieftains.
Enplanements for the first full year jump to 22,925.
A Piper T-1020 is placed into service during 1987. On June 15, the company joins with Fischer Brothers Aviation to form the Midway Connection and services are inaugurated to Waterloo, Iowa, Elkhart, Indiana, and Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Passenger boardings jump 27.1% to 29,141.
The fleet in 1988 includes 4 Bandeirantes and 1 Piper T-1020. These insure that customer bookings rise by 18.8% to 34,000.
Another good year is enjoyed in 1989 as enplanements for the 60-employee small regional increase 43.5% to 49,657.
The fleet is increased by two leased EMB-110s in 1990, including one obtained from Tennessee Airways. The code-sharing agreement with the Midway Connection ends on February 8. With the demise of its affiliated carrier, the fleet is cut in half during 1991, to 3 Brazilian turboprops.
Operations continue apace in 1992-1993 with 3 leased Bandeirantes, although only one is flown in early 1994 before the company shuts down.
IPEC AVIATION (PTY.), LTD. (INTERSTATE PARCEL EXPRESS COMPANY): Australia (1976-1993). A subsidiary of IPEC (Australia), Pty., Ltd., IPEC Airbridge (Pty.), Ltd. is formed at Melbourne and receives a license to operate in 1964. Due to import restrictions, the subsidiary is unable to acquire suitable freighters to operate a desired four-times-per-day, Bass Strait all-cargo service linking Es-sendon Airport with Launceston in Tasmania. When the possibility for acquisition of a large aircraft presents itself, the carrier is reformed as IPEC A. (retaining the Airbridge subtitle), a subdivision of Interstate Parcel Express Company and IPEC Holdings (Pty.), Ltd. in December 1976.
In 1977, IPEC purchases the Hawker Siddeley HS 650 Argosy 101 and Argosy 222 formerly operated by BBA Cargo (Pty.), Ltd. Simultaneously, the Tasmanian charter airline Fleet Air Services (Pty.), Ltd., together with its single Douglas DC-3, is purchased and merged.
Following almost a year of overhaul, the Argosies enter revenue service in January 1978, at which time the carrier employs 44 workers. Scheduled Melbourne-Tasmania freight flights commence on February 1.
FTKs operated total 8,986,000.
Even though a second Argosy 222 is acquired in 1979, the workforce is cut by 17.8% to 37. Both the Argosy 101 and DC-3 are withdrawn;
Improved systems and avionics in the larger Argosies allow an increase of cargo traffic by 10.9% to 9,984,000 FTKs.
The number of employees is cut a further 4.9% in 1980 to 39. IPEC A becomes a division of IPEC Transport, Ltd. and Philip Petersen, the aviation manager, becomes a divisional general manager. Singapore-based Kris Air (Pty.), Ltd. obtains the Argosy 101 while the Fleet Air subsidiary and its DC-3 are also sold.
A total of 7.84 million FTKs are operated, up 4.8%, and revenues climb 19.8% to $A4.1 million.
The workforce remains the same in 1981 and cargo advances only a minor 0.4% to 7.87 million FTKs, with most growth occurring in the fourth quarter. In 1982, the company expands its route network, adding such destinations as Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Sydney, Perth, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns.
Tonnage carried rises from 15,315 in 1982 to 26,806 in 1983. General Manager Dick Creakâs fleet now includes 3 Argosys and the employee population grows to 65.
Operations continue apace in 1984-1988 and a DC-9-33CF is added in 1989, the year Ron Taylor becomes general manager.
A second DC-9, a Dash-33RC, joins the fleet in 1990 and IPEC now has 2 jetliners, 2 Argosy 222s, and 1 Argosy 101.
Still, freight traffic declines 25.6% from the previous year, down to 8.95 million FTKs. Income exceeds costs and there are profits: $A500,000 (operating) and $A300,000 (net).
Company employment is cut 5.6% in 1991 to 84 and the fleet now includes 1 each, leased, DC-9-33CF and DC-9-33RC. The Argosies are now retired.
Cargo falls yet another 13.3% to 7.76 million ton-kilometers. Revenue swells 18.9% to $A22 million, but costs climb 32.8% bringing an operating loss of $$A1.9 million. The net loss is $A1.4 million.
The payroll rises 11.9% in 1992 to 94, but freight declines 19.2% to 6.7 million FTKs. The workforce at the beginning of 1993 totals 82. R. R. Tayles becomes general manager and the two DC-9-33Fs continue to visit Launceston, Hobart, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne until the company shuts down in April.
World History
