AAL, established at its namesake city on February 10, 1910, is the next-oldest airline in the world, after the German airship company Deutsche Luftschiffahrt Aktien Gesellschaft (DELAG). Itself not an operator, AAL, wishing to contribute to the stimulation of the local tourist trade, signs a contract with the French Societe Aeronautique Astra (SAA), based at Billancourt and Paris, for the provision of services in Switzerland by its subsidiary Compagnie Generale Transaeriennes, S. A., (CGT). Capitalization is acquired through a public float, with the municipality of Lucerne taking 250 shares.
On March 14, construction is begun on an airship hangar on the left bank of Lake Lucerne at Tribschenmoos, which is completed and turned over to AAL on July 14. Meanwhile, a nonrigid airship is designed by SAA Director Henri Kapferer and built for AAL by the Paris-based balloon manufacturer Surcouf; christened Ville de Pau, it is test flown on April 2. Once the maiden voyage is finished, the vessel is disassembled and shipped by rail to Switzerland; it is named Ville de Lucerne in ceremonies on June 21.
Pre-inaugural ceremonies occur before the Tribschenmoos hangar on the morning of July 24. Following speeches and the world premier performance of a new march, Propeller Klange: Luzerner Luftschiff-Marsch, the Ville de Lucerne, under the command of Henri Kapferer, lifts off for a 24-minute flight. Daily pleasure trips and excursions are flown under the command of CGT Chief Pilot Maurice Herbster over the lake until the middle of August, when the airship’s envelope becomes too weak to permit service with any loads.
Repaired with a new envelope from Paris, the Ville de Lucerne resumes operations on September 23. A week later, on September 30, the airship flies the 50-km. distance to Zurich in the first link between the two cities. AAL’s first season ends on October 9. Despite the late summer downtime, the company is able to mount 66 flights in 30 days, transporting a total of 235 passengers.
AAL and the SAA sign a new operating contract in early 1911. Although enhanced services are envisioned, they will not occur. Still, the Ville de Lucerne begins its summer flying season on June 21, making a total of 41 flights before its envelope again fails on July 17. While the airship awaits repairs, Herbster undertakes 42 flight-seeing trips, employing one each Wright and Farman biplanes launched from the hangar entrance. The summer season ends in September without the Ville de Lucerne having resumed operations.
Early in 1912, AAL also signs a contract with the Aerial Traffic Company, A. G. of Berlin, Germany, to operate a summer airship service employing Maj. August von Parseval’s semirigid PL VI. Equipped with a special electrical illumination system. It allows electrical displays to be shown on its envelope, somewhat in the manner of a modern Goodyear blimp. Because the Bavarian officer’s airship will not be available until late August, AAL and SAA again offer airplane flights. Capt. Herbster’s Farman and Wright biplanes are supplemented by a Voisin service offered by the Mulhausen-based company Aviatik.
From August 26 until September 25, the PL VI makes 24 flights in 21 days, carrying 160 passengers over 870 km. The planes of CGT and the Aviatik Company transport an additional 250 flight-seers in 93 trips.
With the increasing availability of fixed-wing aircraft and fiscal downturn in the airship service, AAL turns completely to aircraft to operate its 1913 season. Planes from both CGT and the Aviatik Company are again in operation over Lake Lucerne, with the highlight being an unsuccessful series of attempts to get a large Voisin floatplane, the Icarus, airborne. Meanwhile, the empty airship hangar is engaged by other local organizations. During the July-September period, a total of 250 flights are made, carrying 406 tourists.
The final season of 1914 begins on July 5 with a large air show. The outbreak of the First World War in August causes the company to cease flight operations immediately. In five years of service, the company, via its subcontractors, has flown a total of 883 passengers on flights almost evenly divided between airships (441) and aircraft (442). Still, the AAL remains alive on paper. Officers now rent out their hangar annually to the defense department until it is sold for SFr 10,000 on April 30, 1921.
With a settlement of SFr 126,709 upon its creditors, the AAL closes its doors on February 16, 1922; final liquidation of the last assets occurs on January 11, 1923.
AERO B VENEZUELA, S. A.: Venezuela (1976-1983). The charter carrier Aero B is formed at Caracas on April 29, 1976. Two Convair CV-340s are purchased from AVENSA (Aerovias Venezolanas, S. A.) in October 1977, allowing the airline to inaugurate nonscheduled all-cargo and passenger flights within Venezuela and the surrounding region on April 20, 1978.
In 1979-1981 the Convairs are replaced by 4 DC-6A freighters and 2 DC-6B passenger aircraft. Rising fuel costs and a lack of traffic in a sluggish national and international economy forces Aero B to cease flying in early 1983.
AERO BELAU: Palau (1980-1986). To provide scheduled commuter flights for citizens of Palau in the western Caroline Islands, AB is formed at Koror in the summer of 1982. The initial fleet comprises a single Cessna 207 and daily revenue services are inaugurated on October 1 to Angaur via Peleliu.
Orders are placed for a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander and in 19831984, flights are undertaken to Kayangel, Melekeok, and Ngeremlengui. Unable to retain its viability for lack of traffic, the carrier is forced to shut its doors in 1986.
World History
