AIR MANITOBA, LTD.: Canada (1993-1997). Based at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Northlands Air Manitoba, Ltd. is renamed in 1993. President/CEO Ken Bittle oversees a workforce of 100 and a fleet that includes 3 British Aerospace BAe (HS) 748-2As, 2 BAe (HS) 748-2Bs, and 1 each Cessna 208 Caravan I, Curtiss C-46F Commando, and de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102. Scheduled passenger services (and C-46F all-cargo flights) are undertaken throughout northern Manitoba and from Churchill to the Northwest Territories.
Flight 7N205, an HS 748-2A with 3 crew and 26 passengers, arrives at Sandy Lake from Winnipeg on a November 10 flight. At Sandy Lake, 22 customers deplane, while 4 remain aboard for a continuation of the service to St. Theresa Point, Island Lake, and back to Winnipeg. The turboprop fails its initial climb away from Sandy Point, impacts trees, and crashes 1 nm. N of the runway; there are no survivors.
The DHC-8-102 is leased to Air Alliance, Ltd. in 1994 and the Caravan I is replaced by a 748-2AF.
While on its initial climb away from Lokichokio on April 23, the No. 1 engine of a C-46F with two crew fails; unable to maintain its height, a forced belly landing is made, during which the Commando slides into trees. Although the aircraft is damaged beyond repair, there are no fatalities.
Services continue apace in 1995 and, in 1996 the four 748s continue to transport people and cargo to nine communities. Flights cease in 1997.
AIR MANOS, LTD.: 168-172 Old Street, London, England, EC1V 9RE, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (0) 20 7216; Fax 44 (0) 20 7972; Http://www. manos. co. uk/airmanos. html; Year Founded 1999. A subsidiary of the Greek travel group Manos, Air Manos is established at London (LGW) during the first quarter of 1999. Two Shorts 360-300s are acquired and, beginning on April 6, these undertake regularly scheduled flights linking the carrier’s base and Manchester with points in Greece.
AIR MARGARITA: United States (1993-1994). Air Margarita is established at New York in 1993 to offer services to Margarita. Revenue operations commence and continue with a single Boeing 727. A year later, a Douglas DC-9-14 is also employed. Unable to achieve economic viability, the company is shut down before Christmas.
World History
