CLASSIC AIR. See BUFFALO AIRWAYS

CLASSIC AIR, A. G.: Ackerstr. 2, Buelach, CH-8180, Switzerland; Phone 860-4424; Fax 860-4707; Http://www. classicair. ch; Year Founded 1985. Classic Air is established at Grenchen on November 7, 1985, 50 years after the inaugural flight of the Douglas DC-3, to undertake nostalgic passenger charters with refurbished examples of “The Plane That Changed the World.” The first Douglas transport is ready to offer exclusive tour and passenger charters to various European destinations from Zurich Airport in 1986 and the initial months of service prove so successful that a second DC-3 is acquired in 1987.

Flights are operated without incident in 1988-1990. While over Heidelberg on a December 22, 1991 service from Frankfurt, a DC-3A with 3 crew and 29 passengers encounters turbulence; the Douglas transport makes a standard left turn to escape, but strikes a cloud-shrouded, tree-covered hill (28 dead).

Operations continue apace in 1992-1994, with a replacement DC-3 placed into service. A total of 9,000 passengers are transported during the latter year.

The workforce is reduced by 17.2% in 1995, falling to 29 while customer bookings are off 35.5% to just 6,200. The 2 Douglas transports remain in operation during the remainder of the decade.

CLASSIC AIR AVIATION SERVICES: 9, Frishman Street, Tel Aviv, 63578, Israel; Phone 972 (3) 527-4057; Fax 972 (3) 522-1648; Year Founded 1995. CAAS is set up at Tel Aviv in 1995 to provide aircraft leasing, passenger services specializing in refugee movements, and cargo services, primarily the delivery of automobile parts and perishables. In 1996, a single scheduled cargo route is opened to Liege. By 1998-1999, General Manager Joseph Ades fleet includes 1 each Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan and an Ilyushin Il-76.