Up at Dover, Delaware, in late summer 1967 to provide air taxi flights to White Plains via Wilmington and New York (LGA). Daily Cessna light-plane roundtrips commence on September 12 and are continued into 1968.
DOWNEAST AIRLINES (1): United States (1968-1980). Mid-Coast Airways is established by Robert Stenger as an FBO at Rockland,
Maine, in 1960. Over the next few years, this support service also acquires an FAA Part 135 certificate to provide air taxi flights. Despite fog and miserable weather that continually plagues his location, Stenger develops a reputation for reliability in his charter work.
During the merger of Northeast Airlines and Delta Air Lines in early 1968, the former applies to the CAB for permission to drop its scheduled route between Boston and Rockland. Simultaneously, executives from the two big carriers seek a small operator to take over the discontinued service. Stenger volunteers and, in May, Mid-Coast is reformed and renamed. Employing the charter line’s Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, a PA-28 Aztec, and a Cessna 182 painted in their new livery, Downeast begins scheduled daily roundtrips in June linking its Rockland base with Boston, Wiscasset, and Augusta.
Operations continue apace during the remainder of the year and into 1971. While on final approach to Augusta State Airport in Maine from Boston on August 19, the Navajo, piloted by Capt. Dwight French Jr., with seven passengers, misses its landing and begins to execute a missed approach maneuver. The aircraft crashes into a hill four miles short of the runway, killing French and a passenger. The other five aboard survive, but two are seriously injured.
Flights are maintained in 1972-1978. During the latter year, a de Hav-illand Canada DHC-6-200 Twin Otter is purchased from Air Illinois. The turboprop becomes fleet flagship and is usually flown by chief pilot Capt. James Merryman, who had joined the company in 1975.
While on final approach to Rockland on the evening of May 30, 1979 on flight from Boston, Flight 46, the DHC-6-200 piloted by Merryman and a copilot with 16 passengers, crashes into trees 80 ft. above the ground. The aircraft comes to rest 1.2 mi. SSW of the runway at Otter Point (17 dead). The story of the crash and of the little airline to this point is the subject of the first four chapters of John J. Nance’s study Blind Trust (New York: William Morrow, 1986).
In May 1980, the company, unable to recoup its losses and acquire new flight equipment, is sold to Bar Harbor Airlines.
DOWNEAST AIRLINES (2): P. O. Box 410, Wiscasset, Maine 04578, United States; Phone (702) 882-6752; Fax (702) 882-9262; Code E7; Year Founded 1995. The new Downeast, also known as Downeast Flying Service doing business as Downeast Express, is established by Wayne Hazard in the spring of 1995 as an outgrowth of his FBO, originally set up in 1983. Richard Goodrich is named president of the new scheduled third-level division and revenue flights commence in June with a single Beech 1300 over the same route network as the company’s predecessor. A Piper PA-31-310 Navajo is acquired in July.
The fleet is increased in 1996 by the addition of another Navajo and a PA-58 Aztec.
Enplanements for the first full year of service total 2,105. The Aztec is replaced by a third Navajo in 1997-2000.
DOWNEAST CHARTER FLIGHTS: Wiscasset Airport, Wiscasset, Maine 04578, United States; Phone (207) 882-6752; Fax (207) 8829262; Year Founded 1983. This concern is established as the FBO at Wiscasset Airport in 1983. Over the next 15 years, the company also undertakes executive and small group passenger charters, including hunting and fishing expeditions, and all-cargo express flights.
In 1998-2000, the company operates 2 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos and an all-cargo configured PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain.
World History
