SIH is founded by the Tursem Group of Tour Operators at Antalya on November 1, 1994 to provide international passenger and cargo charters. Shareholding is specifically divided between Tursem Turistik Hizmetier Mumessillik ve Ticaret, A. S., Intersem Mumessillik ve Dis Ticaret A. S., Haluk Semiz, Mujde Semiz, and Nedim Gurbuz, the latter being named chairman.
Adi Cavas is appointed managing director and over the next six months he assembles a workforce of 320 and orders 3, later 4, McDonnell Douglas MD-83s. During the production period for the jetliners, he also arranges to lease a pair of Boeing 757-236s from Sunway Airlines, A. B. Revenue flights commence on April 8, 1995.
Services continue during the remainder of the year and in 1996. During these years, destinations visited include Aalborg, Aarhus, Bergen, Berlin (Schoenfeld and Tegel Airports), Billund, Birmingham, Bodo, Bristol, Cardiff, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dalaman, Dusseldorf, East Midlands Airport, Edinburgh, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Goteborg, Hamburg, Helsinki, Humberside, Isle of Man, Istanbul, Izmir, Joensuu, Jonkoping, Jjvaskjla, Kajaani, Kalmar, Kokkola, Kristiansand, Kuopio,
Lappeenranta, Leipzig, Liverpool, London (CTN, LGW, and STN), Lulea, Malmo, Manchester, Munich, Newcastle, Nuremberg, Orebro Bofors, Ostersund, Oulu, Pori, Rovaniemi, Savonlinna, Stockholm (Ar-landa Airport), Stuttgart, Tampere, Turku, and Teesside.
At the end of September, a company MD-83 causes significant concern. Upon its departure from Turkey, from intermediate points in Germany, as well as its landing at its ultimate destination of Kajaani, Finland (near the Arctic Circle), loud bangs from repeated compressor stalls of the left engine are heard. As the aircraft attempts to depart for Turkey with 137 vacationers aboard, the left compressor stalls again on the taxiway, forcing it to return to the block. An inspection shows numerous fan blade cracks in the left engine, leading Finnish authorities to ground the plane and seize its flight data recorders.
Just after landing at Joensuu, Finland, an intermediate stop on an April 10, 1997 service from Jyvaskyla to Antalya, Turkey, an MD-83, with 166 passengers overruns the runway and comes to a stop just before hitting an airport perimeter fence. No injuries are reported.
Over the next two quarters, numerous safety violations by this airline’s MD-83s are recorded, particularly in Scandinavia. In Sweden, one of the jets lines up to land on a country road instead of the runway at Ostersund, only changing at the last moment. Similar near misses occur at the airports of Kajaani, Kuopio, and Oulu in Finland and at Kris-tiansand, Norway.
Following the bankruptcy of Sunways Airlines, A. B. in Sweden in September, this company is shut down in October by the national banks that are acting in the bankruptcy proceedings.
SUNWEST AVIATION: Santa Ynez Valley Airport, P. O. Box 960, Santa Ynez, California, 93460, United States; Phone (800) 293-2437; Http://www. silcom. com/~sunwest; Year Founded 1987. Alan and Janet Jones, lifelong residents of the Santa Ynez Valley, establish this concern in 1987 as a family operation to provide flight management services for local aircraft owners. Over the next 14 years, the company employs workers at bases in both Santa Barbara and San Luis counties and develop into the largest charter operator on the central California coast, incorporating additional aircraft, a flight school, car rentals, and a maintenance shop into its growing family.
By 2000, the light aircraft operator provides daily return Sun West Shuttle flights to and between San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, San Jose, Oakland, and Sacramento. Also offered are Cessna 172 scenic flights and banner-towing for the entire central coast. On-demand charters remain a company speciality and are fully promoted on the company’s Internet homepage.
SUNWEST HOME AVIATION, LTD.: 230 Aviation Place, N. E., Calgary, Alberta T2E 7G1, Canada; Phone (403) 275-8121; Fax (403) 275-4637; Http://www. aso. com/seller/9297; Year Founded 1999. During the spring of 1998, merger discussions are begun between Gordon Laing, who together with his wife and several partners own Calgary-based Sunwest International Aviation Services, Ltd., and his chief pilot, Mark Eberl, and Richard Hotchkiss who, with three partners, own cross-field competitors Home Aviation, Ltd.
Sunwest had been founded in 1986 when the Laings purchased and renamed Skocdopole Brothers Aviation, Ltd. Over the next 12 years, the firm builds up a significant maintenance business and operates charters with a fleet that has come to include 7 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, 4 Fairchild Metroliners, and 1 each Beech King Air 100, Learjet 55, and Cessna Citation II.
Home, which is also flying executive and small group passenger charters with 1 each Beech Super King Air 200, Learjet 35, and Cessna Citation II, had been created in the early 1990s as the charter division of Home Oil Company, Ltd., and had had its own corporate flight unit for some years. In 1996, Home Oil is sold to Anderson Exploration, Ltd., which in turn sells Home Aviation, Ltd., together with its Beech Super King Air 200 and Learjet 55, to Richard Hotchkiss and three partners. By 1997, Home, which is operating from a leased Esso Avitat hangar, is flying passenger and cargo charters with 8 aircraft and has added 1 Cessna Citation II.
Although discussions between the two concerns continue into the summer, they end abruptly in August after Gordon and Kathy Laing are killed in an accident.
Southwest and Home resume amalgamation discussions in January 1999. On June 24, a merger is completed and the two concerns become Sunwest Home Aviation, Ltd., with Eberl and Hotchkiss as joint managing directors.
The fleets are combined and Home Aviation’s leased hangar is turned back to Esso Aviat. Work, completed a few months later, immediately begins on a 14,000-sq.-ft. addition to Southwest’s southwestern-most hangar and office complex. In addition to an increased charter schedule permitted under an international license granted by the Canadian Transportation Agency on July 9, the new company expands its aeromedical services. It participates in the Human Organ Procurement and Exchange (HOPE) Program and also provides flights on behalf of the Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS).
During the summer, employing two newly acquired Fairchild Metro 23s, the company introduces replacement services for Canadian Airlines, Ltd. from Calgary to Medicine Hat and Cranbrook. The business fleet is enhanced by the addition of another Learjet 35 as well as a British Aerospace (HS) Hawker 800. The company also manages the Eurocopter AS-350B operated by Herman Lorenz of Hi Wood Helicopters, Ltd.
In addition, the company flies and maintains several historic aircraft, including a company-owned Beech 3NM Expeditor and local architect William Boucock’s Boeing 75 Stearman.
SUNWEST INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SERVICES, LTD.: Canada (1986-1999). Privately owned SIAS is created at Calgary, Alberta, in 1986 when Gordon and Kathy Laing and their partners purchase and rename Skocdopole Brothers Aviation, Ltd. Over the next 12 years, the revitalized concern builds up a business offering passenger and cargo services to various exploration and energy firms. It also operates air-ambulance flights.
By late 1997, the company occupies 2 self-contained hangars totaling 32,000-sq.-ft. at Calgary Airport, near the Aero-Space Museum of Calgary. Here, aircraft maintenance and avionics work is performed under contract. Commuter facilities are also provided to a regional airline.
The workforce totals 55 at the beginning of 1998 and the fleet numbers 7 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, 4 Fairchild Metroliners, and 1 each Beech King Air 100, Learjet 35, and Cessna Citation II.
During the spring, merger discussions are begun between Gordon Laing and his chief pilot, Mark Eberl, and Richard Hotchkiss, who, with three partners, owns cross-field competitors Home Aviation, Ltd. Home is also flying executive and small-group passenger charters and cargo flights with a fleet of 8 aircraft, including 1 each Beech Super King Air 200, Learjet 55, and Cessna Citation II. In August, Gordon and Kathy Laing are killed in an accident and all merger discussions are postponed.
Southwest resumes amalgamation discussions with Home in January 1999. On June 24, a merger is completed and the two concerns become Sunwest Home Aviation, Ltd., with Eberl and Hotchkiss as joint managing directors.
SUNWORLD INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: 207 Grandview Drive, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, United States; Phone (606) 3310091; Fax (606) 578-1178; Http://www. sunworld-air. com; Code SM; Year Founded 1996. This charter operator is established at Cincinnati in early 1996 by William Yung, owner of the Columbia Sussex Corporation, which holds hotel properties in the U. S. and Caribbean. On April 29, the company announces plans to inaugurate daily $99 roundtrips from Akron-Canton Regional Airport to Newark (EWR) with a single Boeing 727-251 first flown by Northwest Airlines.
Delays in obtaining DOT and FAA certification cause the carrier to postpone its service launch three times until the end of May. Nonsched-uled flights to additional domestic points and international services from “The Queen City” to Grand Cayman start in July.
Although traffic figures are not released, the carrier admits to losses of $582,000 (operating) and $2 million (net) on operating income of $2 million.
Service continues in 1997. Enplanements total 47,000 and operating revenues reach $6.34 million, but expenses climb to $8.72 million. Consequently, the operating loss grows to $2.37 million, while the net loss hits $2.6 million.
Sunworld barely hangs on during 1998. Customer bookings drop 10.3% to 28,000. Revenues, on the other hand, increase by 27.1% to $8 million, while expenses are held to $7.82 million. There is a $246,000 operating profit and a small $60,000 net gain.
By the beginning of 1999, the workforce has been increased by 57.5% to 63.
Passenger boardings skyrocket 163.6% to 116,000. A total of 67 workers are employed at the beginning of 2000, a 6.3% increase over the previous 12 months.
Just after takeoff from Greensboro, South Carolina, on September 8, one of the carrier’s two B-727-251As, on a charter with the North Carolina A & T football team aboard, develops engine trouble and is forced to return to its point of origin. A safe emergency landing is made.
Overall customer bookings during these 12 months jump 35.8% to
167,000.
SUNWORLD INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS: United States (1981-1989). Jetwest International Airways is organized and incorporated at Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 4, 1981; however, after a long, financially required gestation period, company officials of the privately held carrier change the corporate identity to Sunworld International in early 1983.
With significant investment from George Sage’s Providence, Rhode Island-based Bonanza Bus Lines, the management team is led by Presi-dent/CEO Larry Decker, Executive Vice President Myron Reynolds, Vice President-Operations Les Ferguson, Vice President-Maintenance Jack O’Dell, and Vice President-Finance Robert Sherer, all of whom began their airline careers with Bonanza Air Lines.
Employing a pair of former Continental Airlines Douglas DC-9-14s, one of which is leased, twice-daily roundtrip flights are inaugurated over a Las Vegas to San Jose via Ontario route on May 27. By year’s end, the network has grown to seven cities, including Oklahoma City and Phoenix.
Two more airliners are acquired and 105,432 passengers are transported.
Sunworld withdraws from Tulsa in March 1984 because of a fare war in that market and returns its leased DC-9-14 on May 13. Other than Tulsa, traffic for the large regional is good elsewhere.
During the company’s first full year, a total of 362,506 customers are flown. Unfortunately, finances are not as kind and losses of $560,000 (operating) and $533,000 (net) are posted.
Airline employment in 1985 increases 78.4% to 339 and as the year dawns, the four DC-9-14s are providing scheduled service to seven cities in four states—California, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Arizona. The fleet is improved by the addition of two leased Boeing 737-300s. Spokane, Portland, and Omaha join the route network.
Passenger boardings leap upward by 71.7% to 555,670 and revenues jump 72.5% to $41.3 million. With costs held low, the operating profit swells to $2.52 million and net gain reaches $2.46 million.
The payroll is increased again in 1986, up 20.7% to 403. On April 1, flights begin to Los Angeles (LAX) and to Milwaukee. In late May, two more B-737-300s arrive under charter, along with a pair of DC-9-31s leased from Trans Australia Airlines (Pty.), Ltd.
The year’s enplanements increase again, rising 42.1% to 790,149. Although figures are not provided, financial losses are suffered.
The workforce grows another 14.9% in 1987 to 463 and the carrier is restructured during the first quarter. In August and September, the carrier begins service from Seattle to Las Vegas, Reno, Oklahoma City, Tucson, San Diego, and Ontario, California.
Having lost a head-to-head competition with America West Airlines, headquarters for President Thomas Voiz’s charter operations are transferred from Las Vegas to Reno and the leases on the four B-737-300s and two DC-9-31s are terminated. A British Aerospace BAe 146-300 is leased from Royal West Airlines during the month for initiation of a service from Reno to San Diego via Las Vegas and Ontario.
Employing the four original DC-9-14s and the BAe, Sunworld is able to increase its traffic by 21.8%, as 962,343 passengers are flown. It is not able to reverse its economic downturn.
On January 14, 1988, the financially strapped airline halts all scheduled services except a single route between Las Vegas and Oklahoma City. A few charters are offered. The company files for Chapter XI bankruptcy reorganization in April. During the first 9 months of the year, a total of 52,713 passengers are transported.
Unable to reorganize and gain new capitalization through a merger with the U. K. carrier Paramount Airways, Ltd., the carrier is finally shut down for good on November 7. Some $16 million in debt, the carrier’s assets are liquidated in 1989 to partially satisfy creditors.
World History
