Airways concerning a takeover the stock of moribund Paradise Island Airways. The same day, a new USAirways subsidiary, Potomac Air, is established to operate in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions as part of the larger merger proposal between its parent and United Airlines. If government regulators approve the amalgamation, Potomac Air will become DC Air. It will be a separate company established by the partners to resolve antitrust concerns occasioned by the position of USAirways as the leading carrier at Washington’s Reagan National Airport and of United Airlines, a major operator in and out of Dulles International Airport. Robert Johnson, USAirways director and Black Entertainment Television founder, will own the new regional, which, it is hoped, will immediately begin serving 43 cities out of Washington, D. C. (DCA). If the arrangement is struck down, Potomac will continue as a new “USAirways Express” carrier.
A deal between the major and Gulfstream is struck on August 24 under which USAirways acquires 100% shareholding in PIA. On October 2, Merv Griffin’s old commuter is merged into Potomac Air, giving it an automatic Part 121 operating certificate. In the interim between the two dates, a headquarters and operational base is established at the Roanoke International Airport maintenance base closed by USAirways Chairman Stephen M. Wolf when he took over the company in 1996.
A workforce of 120 is now built up under the direction of executives seconded over from Allegheny Airlines (2) and PSA Airlines. Two de Havilland Canada DHC-8-200s currently operated by Piedmont Airlines (2) are wet-leased, with plans to obtain others. Initially, a start-up date of November 12 is forecast. Left unresolved is the mechanics of a potential merger with DCAir, the company being set up to take over the majors’ routes from Washington, D. C. DCAir owner Johnson now indicates that he is negotiating to sell up to 49% of his carrier to another airline, probably American Airlines, which would then lease to DCAir the planes and crews necessary for operations.
Initial planned destinations from the Washington, D. C. (DCA) base include Baltimore/Washington, Charleston, West Virginia, Greens-boro/High Point, White Plains, and Roanoke. As up to six more turboprops are acquired from Piedmont Airlines (2), routes will be extended to Allentown, Charlotte, Green ville/Spartanburg, Knoxville, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Pittsburgh, Richmond, and the West Virginia communities of Greenbrier/Lewisburg, Clarksburg, and Morgantown.
As the year ends, the deadline for federal antitrust regulators to rule on the United-USAirways merger is moved from January 16 to April 2, 2001. Nevertheless, company employees look forward to Potomac Air’s inaugural DHC-8-200 “USAirways Express” service to be made from Washington, D. C. (DCA) on shared Piedmont Airlines (2) routes to Charleston, West Virginia Greensborgo/High Point, and White Plains on January 5.
POWELL AIR, LTD.: Canada (1960-1985). Powell Air is founded at Powell River, British Columbia, by Daryl L. Smith in 1960 to provide extensive seaplane charter operations with a fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers and DHC-3 Otters. In addition, charter and contract service flights are also undertaken to local and provincial destina-tionIn 1980, two decades after start-up, Powell is also offering scheduled services to Vancouver Island and Sechelt. Thirty-three employees are responsible for a fleet that comprises 3 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, 1 PA-23 Aztec, 3 Beavers, and 4 Cessna 180s. In 1981, the Convair CV-440, formerly operated by Kelowna Flightcraft, Ltd., is purchased for use on the Vancouver service. That route is maintained until late 1984, when it is purchased by Air BC, Ltd. The Convair is sold and in 1985, the carrier itself is sold to Pacific Coastal Airlines, Ltd.
POWELSON AIR SERVICE: United States (1938-1939). Established at San Juan in October 1938, Powelson is the first airline established on the American dependency of Puerto Rico and the first to fly in the Greater Antilles east of Cuba.
Partially scheduled flights are inaugurated to Ponce and are maintained until June 1, 1939. At this point, the operation is purchased by newly formed Caribbean-Atlantic Airlines (Caribair).
World History
