HELITRANS AIR SERVICE: United States (1989-1992). Longtime tour operator Helitrans, based at Los Angeles, makes plans in the spring of 1989 to offer a new helicopter scheduled airline service for the city. A fleet of 3 Aerospatiale A350D AStars is assembled to which is added Helitrans’ Bell 206L LongRanger. Simultaneously, joint-fare agreements are signed with two American and three foreign flag carriers: American Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways, Ltd. (2), Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd.
Roundtrip revenue flights commence on August 15, linking Los Angeles (LAX) with John Wayne Airport in Orange County, John Wayne to Catalina Island, San Pedro to Catalina Island, and Los Angeles (LAX) to Catalina.
Operations continue apace with no change into 1991. However, significant financial problems are encountered as a result of the recession and the carrier becomes the latest in a long line of scheduled rotary-wing failures when it folds in 1992.
HELLENIC AIR, S. A.: Greece (1992-1995). Established at Athens in 1992, HA must wait two years to begin regional services. When flights commence in 1994, only one British Aerospace (BAC) 1-11-500 is employed. Unable to achieve viability, the company shuts down in 1995.
HELLENIC AIRLINES, S. A.: Greece (1947-1951). The commissioners of the three branches of the Greek armed services plus the Civil Service Pension Fund (60% interest) join Scottish Airlines, Ltd., the air transport division of Scottish Aviation (40% interest), in forming this ambitious carrier on September 1, 1947. A leased Scottish Douglas DC-3 is employed for crew training, but while on a September 3 training mission, the plane, with eight crew, crashes near Hassani Airport (three dead).
In February and March 1948, a Scottish Airlines, Ltd. Consolidated Liberator II and two Douglas DC-3s are purchased and these are employed, beginning in February, to initiate scheduled services from Athens to Salonika, Larissa, Crete, and London. On September 14, eight armed Communists seize one of the Douglas transports, beat the crew, and force the aircraft to land in Yugoslavia. The plane, crew, and passengers are allowed to return the next day.
A DC-3 crashes near Athens on June 6, 1949 (22 dead). A second Liberator II is acquired in July, allowing the Greek airline to provide new or additional frequencies to Glasgow, Alexandria, Kavala, Janina, Nicosia, Paris, Tel Aviv, and London. Additionally, DC-3s are flown to the various islands in the Aegean.
The last Liberator II is withdrawn, together with Scottish Airlines, Ltd. involvement, in October 1950, having been replaced by DC-4s that allow new or more frequent flights to start to Rhodes, Cairo, and Cyprus. Unfortunately, these services are not financially viable.
The Greek government in July 1951 supervises a national airline realignment. Hellas is one of three carriers amalgamated into a new joint stock company under the banner of the country’s major local service operator, TAE Greek National Airlines, S. A.
HELLINIKI ETERIA ENAERION SYNGHINONION, S. A. (HEES): Greece (1931-1940). This company is formed at Athens in early 1931 to provide service along the coast and northwest to Janina. Four Junkers G.24 trimotors are obtained and services begin in mid-June. The first flight is made between Athens and Thessaloniki and an enthusiastic Prime Minister Eleutherios Venizelos is the first official passenger. Frequencies are expanded throughout the remainder of the decade.
By 1939, the fleet has been upgraded to include not only the original
G.24s but three new Junkers Ju-52/3ms; this year some 2,000 passengers are transported. When a new company, TAE Greek National Airlines, S. A., known officially as Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations Company (TAE), is formed in 1940, HEES ceases operations.
HELO AIR: Richmond Jet Center, 5733 Huntsman Road, Sandston, Virginia 23150, United States; Phone (804) 226-3400; Fax (804) 2263494; Http://www. heloair. com; Year Founded 1993. Helo Air is established at Richmond in 1993 to provide executive and small group passenger charters throughout the Washington, D. C. and Virginia metropolitan area, including the major airports of Washington, D. C. (DCA and IAD) and Baltimore (BWI).
By 2000, the company employs five pilots. From Richmond, it flies 2 Bell 206B JetRangers and 1 Bell 206L LongRanger; 1 JetRanger is also stationed at Washington, D. C. (DCA).
World History
