Sleigh Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. Employing three Piper PA-31-310 Nava-jos, and a Cessna 404, the company provides scheduled passenger and cargo flights linking various destinations on the island of Tasmania and Tasmania with Melbourne. Specific destinations served include Devonport, Flindora Island, Hobart, King Island, Lauceston, Queenstown, Smithton, Strahan, and Wynyard. The company also supplies aircraft and pilots for the Tasmanian division of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
A de Havilland DH 114 Heron is purchased from Southern Airways (Pty.), Ltd. on March 29, 1983 and, prior to beginning service, is christened Spirit of Bass Strait. It is followed by three other Riley Heron 2Ds from Northern Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. between May and July, two of which are named the Nammo and the Spirit of Tasmania. Another Heron, carrying two crew and five passengers, makes a heavy landing at Launceston on August 4 and must be written off before it can be named. No injuries are reported in the incident.
Operations continue apace in 1984-1987, during which years three PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains enter service. In 1988, the fleet is revised; two older Navajos are withdrawn and replaced with a fifth Heron; the ex-Tongair machine is unnamed. During 1989, the Herons Spirit of Bass Strait and Spirit of Tasmania are withdrawn from service and broken up.
In 1990-1991, Managing Director Dallas Hay’s company returns to a three-ship Navajo component, while also adding an Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirante and a Shorts 360. Twelve weekly return flights are scheduled on the Launceston to Melbourne route. Enplanements in the latter year total 54,253.
The company still continues to fly the Nammo and two unnamed Herons, the last of their type in airline service, during 1992. Passenger boardings fall 19.1% to 43,094.
Operations continue in 1993-1994 and during the latter year, the fleet includes 3 Piper Navajo Chieftains, 1 Navajo, a1Fairchild Metro III, the Bandeirante, and the 3 Herons. Enplanements drop to 37,489. At the end of the year, the company enters into a commercial agreement with Tamair (Pty.), Ltd., which will see routes revamped and the Herons retired.
The EMB-110 and the Herons are placed into storage during 1995, while schedules and routes are altered. Passenger boardings inch up 1.2% to 37,944.
Operations continue apace in 1996. Unable to maintain economic viability, the company shuts down in February 1997.
AIRLINES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1981-1984). On July 2, 1981, MacRobertson-Miller Airlines (Pty.), Ltd., once an independent carrier by that name, but now a 536-worker subsidiary of Ansett Transport Industries, Ltd., parent of Ansett Airlines of Australia (Pty.), Ltd., is renamed Airlines of Western Australia (Pty.), Ltd. The change occurs in order to identify the airline more closely with its state service area. The transferred fleet comprises 7 Fokker F.28-1000s jetliners; orders are placed for 4 F.28-4000s, 2 of which are delivered by December.
Scheduled passenger and freight services are maintained from Perth to Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Broome, Carnarvon, Darwin, Derby, Gerald-ton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Learmouth, Newman, Paraburdoo, and Port Hedland. Combined passenger boardings under the new name and old are 364,100 and 6.78 million FTKs are operated.
The workforce is reduced 1.7% in 1982 to 527, even as 2 Fokker F.28-4000s are delivered.
Enplanements are up to 390,500, but cargo is down 5.3% to 6.42 million FTKs.
The employee population is cut another 3.2% in 1983 to 510; however, orders are placed for 2 British Aerospace BAe 146s. Customer bookings dip 1.8% to 383,500, while freight is off by 3.1% to 6.22 million FTKs.
The employee base is improved by 2.9% in 1984 to 525 as 2 more F.28-4000s and 2 British Aerospace BAe 146s arrive.
Enplanements jump 4.1% to 399,400, but cargo is down 2.3% to 6.07 million FTKs. In late December, the carrier is renamed Ansett W. A. (Ansett Western Australia [Pty.], Ltd.).
AIRLINK (PTY.), LTD. (1): P. O. Box 1208, Madang, Papua New Guinea; Phone 675 852-2933; Fax 675 852-2725; Http://www. airlink. com. pg/airlink; Code ND; Year Founded 1989. Colin V. Buhner forms Airlink at Rabaul, New Britain, site of a famous World War II Japanese naval base, in 1989 to offer regional passenger and cargo services. The new managing director’s lone Cessna 310 inaugurates scheduled services feeding Hazelton Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. from Dubbo in June 1990. In October, Bubner buys out all Talair (Tourist Airlines of Niugini [Pty.], Ltd.) assets in the New Guinea Islands.
The fleet is increased in 1992 to include 3 Cessna 310s and 1 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo. In 1993, the workforce totals 100 and the fleet includes 4 Cessna 404 Titan IIs, 1 Beech 58 Baron, 4 Cessna 402s, and 4 Pilatus-Britten-Norman PBN-2 Islanders. Operations continue to link Rabaul with Boang, Emirau, Kavieng, Londolovit, Manga, Malekolon, Mussau, Mamatanai, and Silur.
The fleet is altered in 1994 to include 2 Cessna 404s, the Baron, the Cessna 402s, 3 Islanders, 3 Embraer EMB-110P2 Bandeirantes, and 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200 Twin Otters. Heavy losses, including the destruction of four aircraft, are sustained when volcanoes on Rabaul explode.
Operations continue apace in 1995-1998, and airline employment reaches 130. Three Islanders join the fleet as replacement for those lost earlier. In late December 1998 Airlink begins to construct a homepage on the World Wide Web.
While en route from Hoskins to Kandrian in the province of West New Britain on February 3, 1999, an Islander, with 1 pilot and 10 passengers, crashes into a plantation in flat terrain SW of its point of origin. Witnesses report seeing the plane breakup in the air; there are no survivors from the company’s first fatal accident.
Less than six months later, on June 16, an EMB-110, with 2 crew and 15 passengers and en route from Nadzab to Goroka, crashes 12 mi. SE of its destination; again, there are no survivors.
Four weekly DHC-8-100 roundtrips from Darwin to Deli, East Timor, commence on May 2, 2000, increasing to twice-daily on July 31.
AIRLINK (PTY.), LTD. (2). See AUSTRALIAN AIRLINK (PTY.), LTD.
AIRLINK AIRLINE (PTY.), LTD.: South Africa (1992-1995). Airlink Airline (Pty.), Ltd. is formed at Bonaero Park, in the Transvaal, in 1992 to provide scheduled services between South Africa’s major cities. The initial fleet comprises 2 Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-300s, 3 Fairchild-Swearingen Metro IIs, and 8 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains. Taking over from the defunct Link Airways (Pty.), Ltd., the new third-level operator launches revenue services on June 10.
The Chieftains are removed in 1993 and are succeeded by a Dornier 228-100. Joint Managing Directors Barrie Webb and Rodger Foster oversee a workforce of 180 and provide flights linking their base with Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Maputo, Manzini, Maseru, Nelspruit, Phalaborwa, Pietersburg, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, and Umtata.
In 1994, orders are placed for 9 British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 41s with which to replace the ATRs. The company is renamed SA Airlink (Pty.), Ltd. in 1995.
AIRLINK LUFTVERKEHR, GmbH.: Salzburg Airport, P. O. Box 11, Salzburg, A-5020, Austria; Phone 43 (662) 850 863; Fax 43 (662) 850 864; Code JAR; Year Founded 1984. Airlink is established at Salzburg in 1984 to provide on-demand and group passenger charters to Eastern Europe, North Africa, and the Mideast. Flights continue over the next decade, and, by 1998-2000, General Manager Mrs. A. Wurzinger oversees the work of four full-time, and six part-time pilots. She also schedules 6 Cessna 421 Golden Eagles, 2 each Cessna Citation 551 Citation IIs, C-152s, and Piper PA-34 Senecas, plus 1 each Cessna 600 Citation I, Beech Super King Air 200, Beech King Air 90, and Piper PA-28R Arrow I.
AIRMARC AIRLINES: United States (1983-1984). The nonsched-uled Eastman Airways, based at Asbury Park-Monmouth in New Jersey, is reformed in November 1983 and renamed. Employing a fleet of Cessna 402s and Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, the carrier inaugurates scheduled commuter flights to the two major airports of New York City and to Boston. Operations are suspended in the spring of 1984 and not resumed.
AIRMARK AVIATION: United States (1992-1993). Airmark Aviation is established at Orlando in the spring of 1992 to offer passenger charter and inclusive-tour flights to destinations throughout the eastern U. S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. Two, later four, Boeing 737293s are leased from American Airlines and revenue services commence in June. A total of 30,000 passengers are flown by year’s end.
A total of 99,000 passengers are transported during the first half of 1993, but the airline is unable to maintain economic viability and ceases operations in July. On revenues of $6.6 million, losses of $1.3 million (operating) and $1.5 million (net) are suffered.
AIRMARK CORPORATION: United States (1980-1984). Airmark is established at Burbank, California, in October 1980 to offer executive passenger and cargo charter services to regional destinations. Employing a Grumman Gulfstream II bizjet, the company inaugurates services in May 1981.
In 1983, officials approach the CAB seeking authority to begin passenger tour and holiday flights from Los Angeles to New York, Houston, Honolulu, London, Dhahran, Tokyo, and Jeddah.
Certification is granted in 1984 and the 28-employee company purchases a Boeing 707 for the service. Service is, however, halted until installation of a hush-kit can be completed.
Serious cash-flow problems are now encountered and Airmark does not resume flying.
AIRNAUTIC AIRLINES, S. A.: France (1959-1964). The independent carrier Airnautic is established at Paris in the fall of 1959 to provide scheduled and chartered passenger and cargo services to destinations throughout France and West Germany. When its business in Saigon is completed, Aigle Azur Extreme Orient Airlines, S. A. (AAEO) sells its three remaining transports to the new entrant in November. These are the Boeing 307 Stratoliners once flown by Trans World Airlines (TWA) as the Cherokee, Apache, and Navajo.
Operations commence during the first quarter of 1960, and continue apace without incident until December 29, 1962. On that date, the former Navajo, en route from Nice to Bastia via Ajaccio with a crew of 3 and 24 basketball players as passengers, crashes near the 7,000-ft. level of Monte Renosa, Corsica; there are no survivors. The Cherokee and Apache fly on until the airline ceases operations in 1964.
AIRNET SYSTEMS (AIRNET EXPRESS): Port Columbus International Airport, 3939 International Gateway, Columbus, Ohio 43219, United States; Phone (614) 237-2057; Fax (800) 926-7283; Http://www. airnet. com; Code USC; Year Founded 1974. AS is
Founded by its President/CEO Jerry Mercer at Pontiac, Michigan, in 1974, and, for the remainder of the decade, transports cancelled checks on a point-to-point basis under contract to large banking institutions.
The company’s base of activities is moved to Port Columbus, Ohio, in 1980 and, in 1984, Mercer authorizes his small planes to begin the transport of other time-critical documents and small packages to on-demand locations throughout the U. S.
During the first five years of the 1990s, AirNet employs a variety of aircraft; the fleet by 1996 comprises 34 Beech 58 Barons, 20 Learjet 35AFs, 5 Learjet 25Fs, 14 Piper PA-60 Aerostars, 13 PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, and 10 Cessna 310s.
An initial public offering is successfully completed on May 31 as Air-Net begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ANS. During the next five months, two other small operations are taken over and merged: Dallas-based Midway Aviation and Express Convenience Center, a freight forwarder in Southfield, Michigan.
By fall, AirNet has expanded to five new communities and added 1,800 new customers. A total of 2.5 million shipments are delivered during the year.
In 1997 , two Learjet 35AFs are stationed at Miami (MIA) for flights to and from Latin America. The fleet, which now approaches 100 aircraft, is delivering 15,000 time-critical shipments each working day. The company is profiled in the April 28 issue of The Journal of Commerce.
On June 5, San Diego-based Pacific Air Charter and its 8 aircraft are purchased for $450,000. The acquisition increases AirNet’s existing 90,000-mi. route network by 5,000 mi. and expands the service base to 19 West Coast cities. As part of the takeover agreement, AirNet promises to continue operation of Pacific Air College, a significant flighttraining program.
At the beginning of 1998 the fleet includes 108 aircraft, including 28 Learjets. Over 100 cities in 40 states are visited. In addition, AirNet Express also operates ground pickup and delivery services throughout the nation, employing 350 independent agents and in excess of 110 company-owned motor vehicles.
In the spring, a letter of intent is signed for the acquisition of Boston-based Mercury Business Services, an express-delivery management company.
Flights continue during the remainder of the year and into 1999. While landing at Chicago (ORD) following a January 28 check flight from Columbus, Ohio, Flight 251, a Learjet 35AF with two crew strikes the runway with its right wing. Although the aircraft receives substantial damages, neither occupant is hurt.
The pilot of a company Beech 58 Baron, with a cargo of bank checks, is not so lucky. On July 17, 2000, en route to Hernando, Mississippi, from Memphis, Flight 484 crashes into Arkabutla Lake after reporting a in-flight electrical fire, killing its occupant.
AIRNEWS: United States (1949-1951). Established at San Antonio in early 1949, this all-cargo carrier is one of four to be awarded experimental five-year scheduled certificates on August 12, as a result of the findings in an air freight case held before the CAB.
Employing a pair of Douglas DC-3s, Airnews undertakes regular return flights to Corpus Christi until it ceases operations and yields up its certificate on October 12, 1951.
AIRNORTH (PTY.), LTD.: P. O. Box 39548, Winnellie, Northern Territory, 0821, Australia; Phone 618 (89) 452 999; Fax 618 (89) 453 559; Http://www. airnorth. com. au; Code TL; Year Founded 1994. Airnorth, Ltd. is established at Darwin in 1994 through the merger of Air North International (Pty.), Ltd. and the Skyport group. Managing Director Roger Leach’s enlarged company continues operations in the Northern Territory with a fleet that includes 1 Douglas DC-3, 1 Shorts 330, 1 Fairchild Metro III, 1 Metro II, 1 Cessna 441, 2 Cessna 404s, 10 Cessna 402s, and 3 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos. Traffic figures are reported through July and show a total of
55,000 passengers boarded.
A pair of Metro 23s are acquired in 1995 and enplanements total 42,497. Airline employment stands at 43 in 1996 and passenger boardings soar 20.4% to 53,388. During the year, the subsidiary Air Tiwi (Pty.), Ltd. is established at Darwin to fly scheduled, third-level services to three local destinations.
John L. Hardy is managing director in 1997 and airline employment stands at 43. Major activity in Timor Sea oil and gas exploration brings the company contracts with Shell Development, Santos, Woodside, BHP Minerals, BHP Petroleum, and Cultus Oil.
New scheduled feeder service is started to Gove on behalf of Ansett Australia (Pty.), Ltd. and regular charters are launched from Darwin to points in eastern Indonesia and Irian Jaya. Enplanements are reported down through June, off 7.7% to 58,382.
Scheduled destinations visited from Darwin, Alice Springs, and Katherine in 1998 include Bathurst Island, Burroloola, Elcho Island,
Garden Point, Gove, Hooker Creek, Kalkarang, Kings Canyon, Lake Evella, Maninghda, Ngukuur, Numbulwar, Ramingining, Snake Bay, Tennant Creek, Victoria, River Downs, and Yulara.
Enplanements for the first 6 months of the year total 86,400. Other highlights of the year include the takeover of Arnhem Air (Pty.), Ltd. and the addition to the fleet of 1 each Cessna 208 Caravan I and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia.
Airline employment in 1999 stands at 43 and the fleet now includes 2 Metro 23s, 1 Shorts 330-200, the Cessna Caravan and Embraer Brasilia, plus the former Arnhem fleet.
Traffic figures available through June show customer bookings up 20% to 108,000.
Flights continue in 2000. The company homepage on the World Wide Web now proudly proclaims that it has not had a major incident in 27 years of aviation.
AIRNOW: 1563 Walloomsac Road, Suite 1, William H. Morse State Airport, Bennington, Vermont 05201, United States; Phone (802) 753-5200, Code BE; Year Founded 1999. David Corey’s Business Air
Is renamed in 1999. Scheduled cargo charter and contract service flights throughout the nation and into Canada are maintained with a fleet of 11 Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante freighters.
AIRONE, S. p.A.: Italy (1947-1949). This small carrier is formed at Cagliari on April 14, 1947. Employing Fiat G.12s, it stretches three routes from that city during 1947-1948: to Rome and Turin via Alghero; to Naples and Palermo; and to Rome and Pisa via Olbia.
Like other postwar Italian independents, success proves elusive and thus, in 1949, the airline becomes one of three purchased by Avio Linee Italiane, S. A. and merged into the new Fiat-backed operation Avio Li-nee Italiane-Flotte Reunite, S. A.
AIRPAC AIRLINES: 7277 Perimeter Road, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States; Phone (296) 762-8006; Fax (206) 762-6357; Http://www. airpacairlines. com; Code RI; Year Founded 1976. Air-pac Airlines, not to be confused with the Alaskan operator Air Pac Airlines, is established at Seattle in 1976 to offer scheduled and contract cargo charters to Vancouver, British Columbia. Revenue operations are undertaken with a fleet that grows over the next decade to include 6 Piper PA-34 Senecas, 3 PA-31-310 Navajos, 1 Beech 18, and 1 Beech 99.
Freight services continue and, by 1989 the fleet is increased with leased equipment: one each Beech 99 and de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otter.
The Twin Otter is removed in 1990-1992; however, smaller aircraft are acquired. In 1993-1996, President Gregory S. Thompson’s fleet comprises 1 Beech 99, 8 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, 6 PA-34 Senecas, and 3 Cessna 404 Titans.
Flights are operated without incident in this period until late 1996. While en route from Seattle on October 8, a Piper PA-34 Seneca and its pilot disappear from radar. The wreckage and dead pilot are found near Cle Elum, Washington, 11 hours later. Investigation will reveal an inflight separation of the right wing and horizontal stabilizer.
Service is maintained without significant fiscal or operational change during 1997-2000. During these years, the fleet, which is flown by 15 pilots, is revised to include 1 Beech 99, 3 Cessna 404s, 5 Piper PA-34s, and 6 PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains.
AIRSPUR AIRLINES: United States (1981-1985). Founded at Los Angeles in early 1981 as an all-cargo airline, President John “Jack” Gallagher’s Airspur begins regularly scheduled charter flights to San Diego on September 1 with an Israel Aircraft Factory Arava. Gallagher, founder/president of New York Airways, and his son Tim, Airspur executive vice president, begin planning a new helicopter airline for the southern California metropolis.
On March 17, 1982, the carrier begins scheduled passenger flights between Los Angeles and San Diego and places orders for 6 more Aravas and 6 Westland 30 helicopters. The rotary wing aircraft enter freight charter and support service during the last quarter of the year, along with additional Israeli wide-bodies.
Passenger service is launched between Los Angeles (LAX), other local airports, and city locations with Westland helicopters on May 10,
1983. The initial schedule comprises a 15-min. segment between Fullerton and Anaheim and LAX, with on-the-hour departures from Fullerton and Anaheim and half-hour departures from LAX, operated between 7 a. m. and 10 p. m. weekdays.
With a similar hourly schedule, a link between LAX and Burbank is activated on September 15, followed by flights from LAX and John Wayne Airport at Long Beach.
Control of a Westland 30, with six passengers, is lost at 4,000-ft. over Long Beach on November 7; the aircraft rotates down quickly and collides with high-tension wires before hitting the ground. All aboard are injured, two seriously.
Following the November 7 accident, all passenger flights are cancelled until January 15, 1984. Deep in debt but continuing to show potential, the company is purchased by Evergreen International Airlines late in the year.
The corporate identity is changed to Evergreen Airspur and the emphasis is changed from rotary-wing to both fixed-wing and helicopter service. Equipped with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, the revamped operator is only allowed to provide scheduled services for a short period. Low traffic and high cost cause the parent airline to close down Evergreen Airspur in February 1985.
AIRSTAR INTERNATIONAL: 79-880 Ave. 42, Bermuda Dunes, California 92201, United States; Phone (760) 322-6740; Fax (760) 322-7148; Http://www. thecanyon. com/airstar/plane. htm; Year Founded 1972. Daryl Silverstein establishes Air Star at Palm Springs Airport in 1972 to provide on-demand passenger charters throughout the state and to Mexico. Flights continue over the next thiry years and, by 2000, Silverstein’s concern operates 3 Learjet 25Ds, 1 Learjet 24D, and 1 Turbo Commander 690.
World History
