MTM is established at Munich Airport in 1980 to provide domestic, regional, and worldwide executive and passenger charters, plus air ambulance flights. Operations continue apace over the next 20 years and by 2000 the company employs 20 pilots and flies from 3 bases.
Two Learjet 55 Longhorns are flown from Munich, along with one each Canadair 600 Challenger, Beech Super King Air 200, and King Air 90. Another Longhorn is stationed at Frankfurt and a fourth at Cologne.
MUK AIR, A. S.: Copenhagen Airport South, Dragoer, DK-2791, Denmark; Phone 45 3282 0000; Fax 45 3282 0078; Http://www. muk-air. dk; Code ZR; Year Founded 1979. Privately operated Muk Air Taxi is established by former Cimber Air, A. S. pilot Knut Lindau as an air taxi service at Farum in early 1979. Employing 1 Cessna 402 and 1 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, Managing Director Lindau’s carrier begins unscheduled flights in July, with special emphasis on the daily delivery of the Det Fri Aktuelt newspaper from Copenhagen to Jyllands-Posten. In later years, the newspaper service is extended to Aarhus, Aalborg, Karup, and Billund.
Late in 1981, it is decided to undertake scheduled services and the fleet is expanded by the addition of three Piper PA-31-350 Navajo
Chieftains and a Beech 99. Beginning in spring 1982, the Beech is used to offer scheduled weekday international flights connecting Aalborg with the southern Norwegian city of Kristianstad. Also in 1982, an agreement is concluded with the national post office for the transport of mail between Copenhagen and Ronne. The post office contract will later see the company making nightly roundtrips to Aalborg, Billund, and Aarhus, with an average of 22.7 tons of mail delivered every 24 hrs.
The workforce totals 10 in 1984. A Partenavia P-68B is added in 1986, but this is traded in on an Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante in 1987. In 1988, the corporate image is upgraded and name is changed to reflect the airline’s increased interest in scheduled operations. Another Ban-deirante is added in place of the Beech 99 and a Navajo Chieftain. New markets entered include Goteborg and Copenhagen.
In 1989, a third Bandeirante joins the fleet, along with three Fairchild-Swearingen Metro Ils and a Fokker F.27s. Scheduled flights are initiated to Ronneby and Ronne.
Just after takeoff from Orsnkolosvik, Sweden, on January 21, power is lost to the No. 1 engine of a Swearingen Metro with 2 crew and 15 passengers. The crew returns to the point of origin for an emergency landing, but touches down 30 m. left of the runway. Although the plane must be written off as a result of the ensuing wreck, there are no fatalities.
The destroyed Metroliner is replaced in 1990 with a Shorts 330. Service is launched to Oslo and Aberdeen.
A second Shorts 330 is purchased in 1991 and is used to begin flights to Stavanger and Trondheim. Airline employment declines by 2.3% to 83 while enplanements total 20,000.
The fleet in 1992 includes 1 each Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante and Swearingen Metro and 2 EMB-110P2s and Shorts 330s. Flights to Bremen commence.
Service is begun to Newcastle and Leeds/Bradford in 1993.
Airline employment stands at 85 and enplanements total 19,646.
President Lindau adds five more employees to his workforce in 1994 and replaces his Metro with a Shorts 360. Additionally, the company name is shortened to Muk Air, A. S.
New scheduled routes are inaugurated from Copenhagen to Kaunas and Palanga and, as a result, passenger boardings accelerate 23.8% to 25,781.
The fleet is significantly increased in 1995 and comes to include 4 Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes, 1 Shorts 330, 2 Shorts 360s, and 1 leased British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31. Enplanements reach 33,009.
Airline employment is reduced 18.2% in 1996 to 90 and customer bookings increase 37.8% to 53,069.
Destinations visited in 1997-1998 include Aalborg, Aarhus, Bomholm, Bremen, Cologne, Kristianstad, Leipzig, Oslo, Skovde, and Trolhattan. Passenger boardings during the former year swell 12.5% to 59,705; they will increase by 29% in 1998, reaching 65,000.
Airline employment by the beginning of 1999 has been increased by 22.2% to 110. Passenger and express and mail services are continued during the remainder of the year and into the new millennium, with neither incident nor headline.
MULTITRANSPORTE AEREO, C. A.: Base Francisco de Miranda-Aeroclub, Hangar 1, Fila D, Caracas, 1060, Venezuela; Phone 58 (2) 92 72 74; Fax 58 (2) 99 36 121; Year Founded 1982. Formed to offer fleet management and Western Hemisphere passenger charter flights, General Manager Carlos Llorente Maldonaldo’s company grows rapidly after its founding in 1982.
By 2000, Maldonaldo oversees the scheduling of a large fleet that includes 6 Grumman 690B Turbo Commanders, 2 each British Aerospace BAe (HS) 125-400F Hawkers and Cessna 550 Citation Ils, and 1 each Beech 400A Beechjet, Beech Super King Air 200, Super King Air 300, and Swearingen Merlin.
MUNZ NORTHERN AIRLINES: United States (1938-1983).
Founded by Bill Munz at Nome on July 4, 1938 as Northern Airways, the air transport division of his FBO, this charter operation undertakes its first flight to Taylor later in the month. Employing light aircraft, Munz provides a variety of nonscheduled passenger and cargo flights to Seward Peninsula, Norton Sound, Yukon Delta, and St. Lawrence Island destinations over the next quarter-century. The corporate identity is changed to MNA in 1962.
The decision is taken to offer scheduled commuter flights in early 1965 and these third-level services commence on March 1. Aircraft types dedicated to the new service include Aero Commander 680s, Cessna 206s, Aermaccchi AL60s, and Stinson SR-9CMs.
Destinations visited regularly over the next decade include the bush communities of Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Gambell, Savoonga, Brevig Mission, Port Clarence, Tin City, Teller, Stebbins, Wales, Elim, Alakunuk, Kotlik, Emmonak, Bethel, Selawik, Koyuk, Kivalina, Ambler, Shungnak, Kiana, Kobuk, Cape Lisburne, Noorvik, Point Hope, and Buckland.
During the early 1970s, the carrier enters into a subcontract arrangement with Wien Alaska Airlines. The first of an order for 10 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders is received in 1972 and is christened Kiana.
By 1976, airline employment is 24 and the fleet includes 3 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, 3 Aero Commander 680s, 2 Cessna 206s, and 1 Dornier Do-28-D-1.
Enplanements total 6,000 and 32,000 FTKs are operated.
Enplanements in 1977 total 11,460, a 91% boost resulting from the company’s entry into new subcontracts with Alaska Airlines and Great Northern Airlines. Operating income is $1.7 million from which a $140,000 net profit is realized.
The number of employees is increased by 48.5% in 1978 to 49. Following President Carter’s signing of the Airline Deregulation Act in October, several new routes are started from St. Mary’s.
Passenger boardings skyrocket by 103.3% to 44,041 and freight traffic is also up 29.7% to 583,000 FTKs. Revenues jump 70.6% to $2.9 million and expenses are up by 70% to $2.55 million. Operating profit accelerates 75% to $350,000 and net income increases by 61.1% to $225,000.
The workforce is cut by 28.6% in 1979 to 25. The reduction in force is a direct result of a traffic decline caused by withdrawal from a subcontract previously flown on behalf of Wien Air Alaska.
Customer bookings decline by 13.6% to 38,219, while freight is off by 8.3% to 7.57 million FTKs. Revenues are level with the previous year, but expenses jump 12.5% to $2.89 million. The operating profit declines by 84.6% to $55,000 and a $179,000 net loss must be accepted.
The fleet in 1980 includes 6 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, 2 Aero Commander 680s, and 1 Dornier Do-28. The company withdraws from its subcontracts with larger airlines and reverts to air taxi status.
Consequently, enplanements plunge 80% to 7,754 and cargo falls 69.8% to 2.3 million FTKs.
The fleet of the 25-employee carrier in 1981 comprises 10 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, 2 Dornier Do-28 Skyservants, and 4 Aero Commander 680s.
Delinquent in filing its traffic reports with the CAB after September, Munz’s final records reveal that enplanements for the year are 9,300.
The recession greatly impacts the company’s passenger traffic during the next two years.
Customer bookings drop 30.8% to 6,414 in 1982. Cargo, on the other hand, is a bright spot, accelerating 37.8% to 3.1 million FTKs. On revenues of $2.4 million and expenses of $1.8 million, profits are earned: $547,000 (operating) and $168,000 (net).
Enplanements plunge 50% in 1983 to 3,000. Unable to fiscally continue in the face of such figures in a time of economic downturn, Munz agrees late in the year to its takeover by and merger into Unalakleet-based Ryan Air.
MURMANSK AIRLINES (MURMANSK AVIATION COMPANY): Murmansk Airport, Murmansk, 184364, Russia; Phone 7 (8152) 583405; Fax 7 (8152) 566855; Code MNK; Year Founded 1992. A 1992-reformed division of Aeroflot Soviet Airlines, Murman-skoe GAP, under the leadership of Director General Yuri I. Solodilov, maintains scheduled passenger and cargo services over trunk and regional routes out of the north Russia city, famous during World War II as a destination for Allied North Atlantic convoys.
Murmanskoe is the first ex-Aeroflot unit to purchase an aircraft employing bank loans rather than waiting for the government to redistribute airliners from the old Soviet airline. By 1994, the company’s fleet includes a mix of Antonov An-2s, Tupolev Tu-154Ms, and helicopters, including Mil Mi-2s and Mi-8s and Kaman Ka-32s.
Flights continue in 1995-1997 , with a fixed-wing equipment complement of 4 Tu-154Ms, 3 An-2s, and many helicopters: 12 Mi-2s, 9 Ka-32s, and 4 Mi-8s. Unable to maintain its economic viability, the company is declared bankrupt by the government late in the year. Majority (60%) shareholding is now taken by the Russian Aviation Consortium.
Director General Sikidukiv remains in charge of the renamed enterprise and service is continued. On May 12, 1998, one of the Tu-154Ms makes a safe emergency landing at Murmansk Airport after experiencing engine troubles. Although traffic figures are not provided, it will later be noted that the company has lost $80 million on the year.
Destinations visited on a scheduled basis at the beginning of 1999 include Anapa, Krasnodar, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. On September 16, the airline, which now flies four Tu-154Ms, is placed up for sale; it is hoped that its sale will raise $3 million. During the fall, the fleet dwindles to 3 Tu-154Ms, 4 An-2s, 4 Mi-8s, and 7 Mi-2s.
On December 28, a 50% stake in Murmansk Airlines is sold to the RAO Noriisk Nickel subsidiary Severonikel—created especially to acquire the airline’s assets—for $5.1 million. It is understood that the energy concern has outbid a $5-milllion tender from Baltinvestovsky backed by Pulkovo Airlines and a $3-million offer from Atlant Soyuz.
At the beginning of 2000, Severonikel and its regional government partner establish the joint concern Murmansk Aviation Company to operate the airline as a subsidiary under the acting leadership of Alexander Tarantov. One of the Tu-154Ms is almost immediately sold, for $2.5 million.
On March 10, the Russian media report by that the carrier’s entire fleet has been grounded. It is also noted that negotiations are underway that would have Pulkovo Airlines step in and take over the concern from its new owners. Murmansk’s new owners and Pulkovo are, however, unable to come to an arrangement and discussions end.
Over the next several months, Murmansk flounders. During the summer, negotiations are conducted between the carrier and Sibaviatrans concerning possible help from that airline in resolving Murmansk’s dismal operating situation. The talks come to nothing because Sibavia-trans is not interested in purchasing the expensive Tupolevs, wanting only to lease the Antonov biplanes and a number of helicopters. The company’s Web site soon shows most of the helicopter fleet up for sale, as well as both Tupolevs (one for $2.1 million and the other for $2.2 million).
Sibaviatrans now opens an office at Murmansk and begins to operate its own return service from that point to Moscow. Executives on the scene now also avail themselves of opportunities to further assess Murmansk Aviation’s small fleet. Although inter - and intra-regional flights continue, they remain unprofitable.
A large number of flight crew, discharged at the time of the takeover, write to President Vladimir Putin and Duma Chairman Gennady Se-leznez on October 11 openly complaining about and detailing the airline’s poor state of affairs. Although this gambit has no effect, some movement is noticed in November when Sibaviatrans renters the story.
In mid-November, Murmansk and Sibaviatrans conclude a strategic partnership. Under its terms, Sibaviatrans leases three An-2s, all of the Mi-8s (only one of which is serviceable), and two Mi-2s, agreeing to overhaul the grounded helicopters. These are employed by Sibaviatrans to operate Murmansk Airlines’ routes.
Despite this revival of fortune, the bankrupt carrier now finds itself with a Rbs 14.5-million tax bill from the Russian federal government. In late
December, CEO Tarantov flies to Moscow where he will attempt to obtain additional financing from the carrier’s creditors committee. He also opens negotiations with the federal tax authorities in an effort to reduce Murmansk’s liability, the exact amount of which is disputed. If he is successful in his various rounds of talks, Norilsk Nikel and other investors and creditors, to say nothing of the taxmen, will, hopefully, be repaid.
World History
