IAC is set up by Trevor Pearce at Prince Rupert in 1980 to service the local fishing fleet with a single float-equipped Cessna 185.
Over the next 20 years, Pearce enlarges his business and adds five float-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers and a DHC-3 Otter. These are employed to operate charters of various kinds, including executive flights, flight-seeing, bush tours, sports fishing, and work in support of the forestry industry. The company’s aircraft also assist local charter boats by pointing out whale positions.
INLAND AIR LINES: United States (1938-1952). On July 1, 1938, Richard Leferink’s Wyoming Air Service is reorganized and renamed. Services are maintained linking Cheyenne with Great Falls via Casper, Sheridan, and Billings and with Huron, South Dakota, via Rapid City and Pierre. The fleet at this point comprises 2 Lockheed Model 9D Ori-ons and 7 Boeing Model 247Ds.
Scottsbluff is added as a stop on the Cheyenne-Huron route in August 1940 and during 1941 merger discussions are held with Mid-Continent Airlines. The latter are broken off following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.
Passenger boardings for the year total 12,086.
In April 1942, a contract is signed with the Army’s Air Transport Command to operate an all-cargo service within its five-state region and to Washington state. During the summer, flights are resumed to Denver.
Two Lockheed Model 18 Lodestars are received from Continental Air Lines during the first week of June to assist with the freight service and a Boeing C-73 (military 247D) acquired from the government is sold to Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) on July 28. Also in July, four company B-247Ds are turned over to the Army for conversion into C-73s and three are sold to the Canadian government.
On October 7, 1943, Inland transfers its Lockheeds to Western Air Lines and purchases two Beech C-17B Staggerwings from J. W. Marshall of Dallas, Texas. On June 1, 1944, Leferink sells 83.57% majority ownership to Western. The latter operates its new subsidiary as an autonomous division.
In January 1945, the carrier receives a Douglas C-53 (military DC-3), which allows it to sell the Beech equipment. The lone Douglas transport will fly all Inland services until April 9, 1952 when the subsidiary is merged into its parent.
INLAND EMPIRE AIRLINES: United States (1977-1983). J. Healy forms IEA at La Verne, California, in the spring of 1977 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo commuter flights, as well as charter sight-seeing services. Employing a fleet of 4 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, revenue frequencies commence on May 1, linking the carrier’s base with Fresno, Los Angeles, Ontario, Inyokern, Visalia, San Francisco, and Sacramento. In addition, tours are provided to the Grand Canyon and Death Valley. Operations continue apace in 1978 and four Fairchild-Swearingen Metro IIs join the fleet in 1979.
The company is purchased by Reno-based Air Chaparral in October 1980 and thereafter operates as a subsidiary. Enplanements in 1981, the first full year under new ownership, total 48,280. During 1982, 180-employee IEA initiates flights from San Francisco to Merced, Modesto, and Stockton, as well as from Merced to Los Angeles. The fleet is upgraded by the addition of eight Metro IIs; orders remain outstanding for eight more.
Passenger boardings climb to 94,332.
Following the collapse of Air Chaparral in 1983, Inland is operated a few months longer, but without the parent’s support it must cease operations. At the time of its failure on September 16, bookings are up 21.5% to a total of 52,000.
World History
