SWIFT AIR: United States (1982-1984). Swift Air is set up at South Bend, Indiana, in late fall 1982 to offer scheduled passenger and cargo services to Sturgis and to Chicago’s Meigs Field. Employing a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, daily roundtrips are duly inaugurated and are maintained into 1984.
SWIFT AIR SERVICE: United States (1962-1967). Swift is established at San Diego in 1962 to provide revenue air taxi flights to Catalina Island and Las Vegas employing a single Grumman G-73 Mallard.
Operations continue apace until the amphibian is lost in a 1967 accident.
SWIFTAIR, S. A.: Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 14PL, Fin de Semana, Madrid, Spain; Phone 34 (91) 329 4693; Fax 34 (91) 329 5720; Http://www. swiftair. com; Code SwT; Year Founded 1986. SEUR Service Urgent establishes this carrier at Madrid in 1986 to operate scheduled domestic cargo services on its behalf, together with air ambulance and air taxi flights. Revenue operations commence with a fleet of 5 Convair CV-580s, 4 Fairchild Dornier Metro IIs and 4 Metro IIIs. Over the next decade, the fleet is increased through the acquisition of 5 additional CV-580s, 1 each Metro II and Metro III, and 2 Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias.
In the years after 1996, the company mission is expanded into international cargo charter. The fleet is upgraded by the addition of four Boeing 727-200Fs (two each Dash-224AFs and Dash-277AFs), which are employed to offer freight flights on behalf of DHL Worldwide Express to the U. K, Belgium, and Germany. A fifth B-727, a Dash-223AF, is delivered on May 1,2000. It is followed by a sixth and seventh, both Dash-264AFs. In November, a new, modified DHL color scheme is unveiled on two trijets.
SWIFTAIR CARGO, LTD.: Canada (1980-1983). Abbottsford, British Columbia-based Conair Aviation, Ltd., an aerial spraying and fire bomber operation, applies to the government in the summer of 1979 for permission to operate an all-cargo service. Swiftair Cargo, Ltd., jointly owned with Frontier Helicopters, Ltd., is established by Conair owner Les Kerr the following summer of 1980. Employing 2 Douglas DC-8-33Fs, reverse course night cargo services are inaugurated on September 15-16 from Abbotsford to Montreal via Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto.
Significant competition is encountered from Air Canada, Ltd., Northwest Territorial Airways, Ltd., and Purolator Courier. Financial difficulties in the sluggish economy ensue and a proposed bailout by Pacific Western Airlines, Ltd. in March 1982 does not occur.
Operations cease on May 11 when the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce takes the carrier into receivership. One DC-8 is sold immediately and the second in May 1983.
SWIFTE AIRE LINES: United States (1969-1981). Swifte Aire Service is organized by Charlie Wiswell at San Luis Obispo, California, during the first quarter of 1969. The new operator inaugurates Piper PA-23 Aztec flights to Catalina Island on March 20 and to Las Vegas on October 1. Operations continue apace in 1970-1971.
Following a slight name change in early 1972, the carrier begins scheduled de Havilland DH 114 Heron intrastate California passenger services to such destinations as Los Angeles, Bakersfield, San Jose, and Fresno. Operations by the six British-built aircraft continue apace in 1973 and in 1974, enplanements total 92,244.
Airline employment in 1975 stands at 110. Passenger boardings accelerate 6.6% to 98,762.
The number of employees is increased by 20% in 1976 to 145. Four more Herons join the fleet as the company completes the paperwork necessary to become an FAR 121 operator. Orders are placed for four Nord 262 turboprops, two of which are delivered by year’s end.
Customer bookings jump 30% to 128,686 while freight traffic rises 46% to 18,360 FTKs.
Enplanements in 1977 total 172,020, with capacity allowed by the arrival of two more Nords. On revenues of $4.74 million, a $311,000 net loss is suffered.
In 1978, the year the Airline Deregulation Act becomes federal law, the company boards 209,270 passengers, a 17.8% boost. Revenues advance 29.5% to $6.14 million and expenses are held to $5.93 million, leaving an operating profit of $203,000. The net loss is cut to $145,000.
Airline employment is boosted by 20.7% in 1979 to 274 and the fleet now includes 3 F.27s, 4 Nord 262As, and 3 DH-114 Herons.
Shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles (LAX) on March 10, Flight 1235, a Nord 262A with three crew and four passengers, loses engine power and ditches into Santa Monica Bay, off Del Rey, California (three dead).
Customer bookings jump 12.4% to 235,000. Operating income grows by 39.3% to $8.42 million while expenses are held to $7.9 million. As a result, a $517,000 operating profit is realized and a $249,000 net gain is achieved.
The employee population rises 3.4% in 1980 to 275. Unfortunately for Swift Aire, recession and competition in the tough California commuter market, along with rising fuel costs, begin to cause significant financial difficulty. The balance sheet is not helped by the costs involved in taking over Golden Gate Airlines, which is allowed to function as a subsidiary.
With the delivery of three F.27-600s, Swifte Aire becomes the first U. S. airline to operate a factory-delivered, Fokker-built F.27. The units also have the distinction of being the first new aircraft of their type to be sold in North America.
Passenger boardings rise 16.2% to 273,116 and cargo grows by 30.8% to 170,000 pounds, revenues advance only 47.1% to $12.2 million, while expenses skyrocket 66.8% to $13.2 million. The year’s $2.7-million loss portends disaster unless immediate success is had in what has become a big-stakes game.
The cards do not fall correctly in 1981. When the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike during the summer forces Golden Gate Airlines out of business, Swifte Aire, the financially weak parent, is forced to quit as well. Even though Swifte has thus far transported 165,045 customers (down 40%) and 26,000 pounds of cargo (down 45.5%) on the year, at the time of its demise on September 18, its cash flow situation is so desperate that no other option exists.
World History
