Founded at Beersheba in 1968, Elrom undertakes charter and air taxi flights into the Negev and, with a fleet of 5 Piper PA-34 Senecas and 2 Cessna 172s, continues to offer scheduled services linking its base with Haifa and Elat.
EMBRY-RIDDLE COMPANY: United States (1925-1932). On December 17, 1925, John Paul Riddle and T. Higbeen Embry form a Fixed-Base Operation (FBO) bearing their name at Cincinnati’s Lunken “Sunken Lunken” Airport. Initial capitalization is $10,000 and income is also received from the company’s distribution contract with the Fairchild Aviation Corporation.
When the U. S. Post Office requests bids for Contract Air Mail Route No. 24, Cincinnati-Chicago via Indianapolis in July 1927, the partners place an offer. The opportunity is duly won and the company’s three WACO 10 biplanes are employed to inaugurate the route, complete with several passengers and some air express, on December 17, the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight.
Operation of the mail route proves more costly than had been anticipated and the partners are forced to seek additional investment in 1928. In late spring, local interests contribute $90,000, but this is insufficient. Embry and Riddle seek outside help. Learning of the need, representatives from Curtiss approach the FBO; however, to head off this competitor, Sherman Fairchild convinces his board to make the needed investment. Indeed, not only would the manufacturer contribute but it would itself become a holding company for an airline system by financing (i. e., controlling) not only Embry-Riddle, but other operators as well.
Among other services provided by the Embry-Riddle partners from the beginning is a flying school that graduates an inaugural class of 27 students on July 29. Later in the year, Embry establishes a parachute division of the FBO to teach maintenance and jumping techniques.
With this idea firmly in mind, Fairchild and financial colleagues create The Aviation Corporation (AVCO) on March 3, 1929. Backed by Lehman Brothers and W. A. Harriman & Company, 10-million shares of stock are created; $2 million is subscribed at $17.50 per share, netting $35 million in working capitalization.
The first subsidiary acquired in May and some would say AVCO’s source of amalgamation inspiration, is Embry-Riddle, which is allowed to continue operations under its own name until a single operating subsidiary can be created for the holding firm.
The flight school is certified by the Aeronautical Section of the U. S. Department of Commerce in July, one of the first in the country to be so acknowledged.
On November 2, a WACO 10 piloted by Charles Vermilyea is en route from Chicago to Cincinnati when it unexplainably crashes at Indianapolis killing Vermilyea.
Upon the creation of American Airways in January 1930, Embry and Riddle balk, not wishing to sell their stock. Unable to halt AVCO’s subsidiary creation or absorption of their assets, they, nevertheless, hold onto their stock.
On October 30, a Pitcairn PA-6 Super Mailwing en route to Chicago from Cincinnati crashes at Indianapolis (one dead).
Company financial conditions in 1932 force a sale. During the two years, no less than six subsidiaries are created; however, when the company is dissolved, it is discovered that these have never been formed or financed.
Founders Embry and Riddle now end their relationship; the former moves to California while, in 1934, Riddle moves to Miami, taking the flight school with him.
In 1939, Riddle purchases the Embry-Riddle name from American Airlines and establishes, with new partner John G. McKay, the Embry-Riddle Corporation, which undertakes pilot training on behalf of the University of Miami.
In 1944, Riddle sells out to McKay, who, while providing pilot training to the military in World War II, changes the company name to Embry-Riddle International School for Aviation. Later, the company name is again slightly altered, to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
The college celebrates its sixtieth anniversary on July 25-27, 1986; cofounder Riddle attends the celebration at Daytona Beach, Florida, to honor a 1928 graduate.
In 1998-2000 Embry Riddle is the nation’s only fully accredited civilian college with an aviation theme. Courses are taught from campuses in Florida and also at Prescott, Arizona.
EMEK WINGS, LTD.: Israel (1989-1995). The airline division of Kan-fey-Ha’Emek Aviation is set up at Afula in 1989 to provide domestic passenger and cargo services throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories.
By 1994, the fleet includes 1 each Aero International (Regional) ATR72-320 and Shorts 360-300, plus 2 Shorts 330-200s.
In 1995, the corporate identity is changed to Israir, Ltd.
EMERALD AIR: United States (1978-1991). Privately owned Emerald is founded at Austin, Texas, in the summer of 1978 to offer scheduled cargo service to intrastate destinations. Revenue flights with two DC-9-15CF freighters commence in October.
During 1979, the first full year of service, a total of 3.43 million FTKs are operated by the firm’s 3 DC-9-15CFs.
Contract flights are undertaken for Purolator Courier beginning in July 1980. As a result, the number of FTKs operated skyrockets by 77.1% to 6.08 million.
A year later, in June 1981, the company begins scheduled passenger services, some of which are coordinated to feed Pan American World Airways (1) at the major’s Houston hub under the joint marketing arrangement Emerald/Pan Am Express. Three Fairchild Hiller FH-227s and a Grumman Gulfstream G-1C are employed on shorter segments and, on December 1, two DC-9-15CFs are diverted to begin passenger flights linking Austin with Houston, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Brownsville, San Antonio, and McAllen.
In addition to 36,157 passengers, the company also flies 2.9 million FTKs.
Emerald continues operations over a network which, in 1982-1983, comes to include not only its Texas destinations, but Omaha and Wichita as well. Aircraft employed include the original two freighters, plus four DC-9-14s, two Fairchild Hiller FH-227s, and a Grumman Gulfstream G-1.
Passenger boardings double during the former year to 87,362 as 17 million FTKs are also transported. Enplanements in the latter year balloon 203.2% to 264,905, while freight advances 15.8% to 19.79 million FTKs. Despite these traffic successes, stringent cost-cutting measures are taken after consecutive annual losses of $1.57 million and $297,000, respectively.
Service to Austin and San Antonio ends in June 1984, as does the relationship with Pan American World Airways (1). To this point, passenger boardings for the year thus far total 196,205, a 162.5% boost.
A new arrangement is begun with Braniff, Inc., in July, but cannot be exercised before Emerald, $25 million in debt, stops flying its scheduled services and files for Chapter XI bankruptcy on August 21. Under terms of its court arrangement, the company must file a reorganization plan but need not report its traffic and fiscal figures.
While reforming, the company continues to operate DC-9-14 charters, many to gambling casinos in Las Vegas and the Caribbean, in 1985. Many of these are subcontracts operated on behalf of other airlines such as Northeastern International Airlines and Resorts International Airlines.
In April, Wallace H. Graner succeeds T. R. McCauley as president/ CEO.
At year’s end, Emerald chooses to announce that a total of 173,000 passengers have been flown.
A contract is signed with Continental Airlines in the summer of 1986 and employing a DC-9-15, the company begins Continental’s Houston Proud Express shuttle service between International and Hobby Airports on August 18.
A DC-9-14 is wet-leased to the short-lived Air Puerto Rico.
Enplanements are level for the year and a $2.9-million operating loss is suffered.
The fleet in 1987 includes 2 DC-9-15Fs and 3 DC-9-14 passenger aircraft.
While continuing to operate in bankruptcy, the carrier increases its customer bookings by 117.8% to 252,353 and its freight traffic by 48.1% to 8.7 million FTKs. Revenues jump 43.5% to $16.2 million and expenses are kept low enough to allow an operating profit of $64,130. A net loss of $404,000 is suffered.
Airline employment is increased by 23.1% in 1988 to 160 and a fourth DC-19-14 joins the fleet.
The Continental Airlines contract is concluded on January 15; the major, seeking smaller aircraft, turns to Britt Airways for a shuttle service.
A reorganization plan is filed with the federal bankruptcy court in February and merger discussions are held with another bankrupt large regional, Royale Airlines.
Renewed emphasis is placed on long-haul charters; however, both passenger and freight traffic decay. Enplanements drop 18.7% to 205,000 and cargo is off by 83.5% to 1.44 million FTKs. Revenues improve by 23.2% to $20 million and allow operating income of $506,000. A net $19,000 profit is earned.
The workforce grows 37.5% in 1989 to 220.
On January 31, Royale Airlines grounds its turboprops, but continues to operate thrice-daily Shreveport to New Orleans flights with a Douglas DC-9-14 wet-leased from Emerald. The rental fee charged by Emerald allows it to gain control of Royale Airlines; however, the federal bankruptcy court now steps in and orders the 19-year-old regional liquidated. Emerald regains its Douglas jetliner and continues the New Orleans service under its own name. It also provides scheduled services throughout Louisiana.
At this point, Emerald begins discussions with Southern Jersey Airlines about a joint merger that will result in a new charter carrier to be known as Atlantic City Express.
Twice-weekly service commences in August from Orlando to New Orleans and to Patrick Henry, Virginia. The New Orleans service is halted in November, but twice-weekly nonstop charter flights are continued, beginning in October, from the Crescent City to both Atlantic City and Orlando.
Passenger boardings recover and move ahead by 40% to 19,663. Revenues move along by 10.7% to $22.13 million, but expenses are double that percentage, 10.8%, to $23.54 million. As a result, there is an operating loss of $1.4 million and net downturn of $1.85 million.
All five DC-9-14s are back in service during 1990.
The Atlantic City Express plan collapses and the carrier continues flights to the New Jersey gambling mecca under its own banner, transporting a total of 153,000 passengers.
One DC-9-14 is turned over to Intercredit Corporation in May.
The company enters Chapter VII liquidation and its assets, including its all-important operating certificate, is purchased by Jeffrey Chodorow and Arthur Cohen, who have plans to start a new Braniff. Emerald charters are operated throughout the remainder of the year and into the next.
Charter operations are shut down in May 1991, at which time the company’s certificates are officially transferred to the new ownership, which relabels the enterprise Braniff International Airlines.
World History
