Organized in June 1973, SPIA provides commuter services in American Samoa from a base at Pago Pago. During the next decade, the company undertakes scheduled passenger flights to the Ofu and Tau Islands in American Samoa, Apia in Western Samoa, Ha’apia, Tongatapu, and Vava’u in Tonga, and to the Wallis/Fortuna Islands in French Polynesia. The fleet grows to include 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters, 2 Cessna 402s, and 1 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander.
Operations are undertaken without incident in 1974-1978.
A DHC-6-300 with 2 crew and 16 passengers is destroyed as the result of a bad landing at Tau, American Samoa, on November 5, 1979; there are no fatalities.
The company receives scheduled authority in late 1980. In February 1981, the first of four Boeing 707-320B Stratoliners become available and scheduled roundtrip flights are inaugurated to Honolulu on March 26. In the years following, the carrier expands its charter services to points in Canada, Europe, and the South Pacific.
Enplanements reach 110,000 in 1982, jumping 62.7% to 179,000 in 1983. Destinations served beyond the Pacific include Guam, Port Moresby in New Guinea, Honolulu, Anchorage, and Vancouver.
The payroll is boosted 57.9% in 1984 to 401 and the fleet includes 4 B-707-320Bs, 4 DHC-6-300s, and 1 Islander.
While on final approach to Tau, Manua Island, on a July 21 service from Pago Pago, the elevator control cable of a DHC-6-300 with 3 crew and 11 passengers fails. The aircraft hits the terminal roof with its left wing and crashes, hitting a nearby vehicle in the process; one person aboard is killed and the remaining 15 are injured, 7 seriously.
While making an unauthorized polar flight on September 30, a company Boeing with 200 people aboard, nearly becomes involved in an international incident when it strays off course over Norway. Norwegian F-16 fighter planes are scrambled and head off the jetliner, which is approaching within 15-minutes distance of Soviet airspace and a heavily guarded U. S.S. R. naval base.
On October 13, the FAA, citing that flight and others like it, as well as over 50 other violations mostly for safety, grounds the carrier by pulling its FAR Part 121 operating certificate. A court stays the grounding order on September 18 and SPIA resumes partial services in mid-October. The government takes the case to another court and obtains a ruling in its favor, which allows the FAA to re-ground the carrier on October 22.
For the 10 months of operations, the carrier’s bookings increase 14% to 204,337 and revenues improve by 10.2% to $31.4 million. Low costs allow an operating profit of $2.9 million and net gain of $2.5 million.
As 1985 begins, officials endeavor to clear up their difficulties with the FAA and to relaunch services. Boeing jetliner flights resume in February between Honolulu and Pago Pago and Papeete. A court on March 8 allows the B-707-320Bs to operate despite the FAA’s desire that they be required to stand down for noise-reducing engine modifications.
FAR Part 135 Twin Otter commuter operations are allowed to resume in March. Plans are made to inaugurate charter flights to Majuro, Jakarta, Kwajalein, Auckland, and Manila. As its Stratoliners are not hush-kitted and make too much noise, the government grounds the company again, this time on June 9.
As a result, the year’s passenger boardings plunge 712.1% to 55,000. Revenues fall 78.3% to $7.2 million, but expenses are low enough to allow an operating profit of $376,000. There is a net $82,000 net loss.
Early in 1986, the company attempts to obtain an FAA hush-kit exemption that will allow an April launch of its planned central and south Pacific operations. The favor is granted and a single B-707-320B undertakes regularly scheduled flights to Guam, Tahiti, and Pago Pago. In July, the company files for Chapter XI bankruptcy protection. As a result, it does not release any traffic or financial information.
In February 1987, the FAA grounds the carrier yet again, this time for maintenance and record-keeping violations. There is another appeal and the carrier is given another extension. The company is able to clear up some of its violations and continues Twin Otter operations in bankruptcy until December 20, 1988.
The inactive carrier that has refused to die so many times finally does so on January 17, 1989, when the DOT steps in and lifts both the airline’s operating certificate and exemption authority. From these actions there is no appeal and the bankruptcy trustee now oversees the Chapter VII liquidation.
SOUTH QUEENSLAND AIRWAYS (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (19391940). This little-known carrier is formed at Brisbane in the fall of 1939. Equipped with a de Havilland DH 84 Dragon, it begins flying a route to Toowoomba and Cunnamulla. Unable to succeed against larger competitors and fiscal difficulties, the operation is shut down on April 29, 1940.
SOUTH WEST AFRICAN AIRWAYS, A. G.: South West Africa (1930-1935). The postal authorities of the South West Africa (present day Namibia) government announce on February 4, 1930 that in order to provide feeder flights on the upcoming England-South Africa route of Imperial Airways, Ltd., they will soon commission the establishment of a weekly return airmail service between Windhoek and Kimberley. In early 1931, the colonial government requests that the German Air Ministry help it to establish an air service for South West Africa. The request finds favor and is passed over to the Junkers Company at Dessau, which has a history of not only building airplanes, but of starting airlines (sometimes as ready-made customers) as well. F. Hoepfner is sent down to take charge of this latest Junkers subsidiary.
Hoepfner arrives in late spring, along with a Junkers F.13 and two A.50s. At this point, it is learned that the planned expansion of the Imperial Airways, Ltd. African route is behind schedule. Instead of passing through the area in April, it will now be the end of the year. The colonial post office decides not to wait, but elects to push ahead with its own internal South West African service, which will be operated over three routes: Northern, Southern, and Coastal.
Once the service is organized and airmen are hired, including British chief pilot F. C. J. Fry, South West Airlines is officially founded on August 1. During the day, Capt. Fry inaugurates the Northern route, flying from Windhoek to Grootfontein via Okahandja, Omaruru, Otjiwarongo, and Taumeb. The first return flight over the route is operated two days later.
With Capt. A. O. Wright at the controls, the Southern route is launched on August 4. It is flown from Windhoek to Keetmanshoop via Rehoboth and Mariental. Wright flies back over the route on August 6.
The Coastal route is timed to connect with the incoming post delivered to Walvis Bay by mail steamers. Capt. Fry initiates this service on August 11, flying from Walvis Bay to Windhoek via Okahandja, Karib, and Swakopmund.
The last of the experimental flights over the Southern route is completed on December 4 and over the Coastal route on December 14.
On January 26, 1932, the first regular feeder flight is operated from Windhoek to Kimberley via Mariental, Keetmanshoop, and Upington. At Kimberley, mail going north is loaded aboard an Imperial Airways, Ltd. aircraft, while that going south is sent by train. Capt. Fry operates the last SWAA experimental service over the Northern route on February 15.
Flights continue in 1933-1935, during which years Fry and another pilot, Peter Falk, also are assigned to survey the territory, establishing airfields at small and bush communities. Tiring of its money-losing commitment and swamped with business from the new Third Reich, Junkers determines to close down its African airline.
On February 1 of the latter year, the company is purchased by South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. for R 14,000.
SOUTH WEST AFRICAN AIRWAYS, A. G.: South West Africa (1946-1958). In November 1946, G. T. “Porky” van Rooyan and Peter Falk, both of whom had been involved with South West African Airways, A. G., attempt to revive the name of that carrier for a new airline they have formed. Finding that the moniker is already in use, they must settle for the title South West Air Transport.
Having acquired several four-seat Ryan Navions, SWAT finally inaugurates regular services in 1949, linking Windhoek and Grootfontein via Otijwarongo, Outjo, and Tsumeb. The following year, the company begins a feeder affiliation with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd.
During 1950-1958, stops are also added at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The fleet is increased to include 7 Navions and 1 de Havilland DH 89A Dragon Rapide. Oxyx Aviation (Pty.), Ltd. is taken over in March 1959, at which time the company is reformed into Suidwes Lugdiens (Pty.), Ltd.
World History
