LONDON, SCOTTISH AND PROVINCIAL AIRWAYS, LTD.: United Kingdom (1934). LS & PA is registered at London on February 7, 1934. Employing an Airspeed Courier, it makes a London-Glasgow (Renfrew) via Nottingham and Manchester, proving flight on March 19. On August 6, twice-daily Leeds to Paris service is initiated via Nottingham, London (Heston), and Le Touqut, with two Airspeed Couriers. Seven days later, the Monospar ST.10, which had won the Kings Cup air race in July, is used for one day between London (Heston) to Leeds in place of a Courier.
Operations cease at the end of summer.
LONE STAR AIRLINES: United States (1991-1996). Fort Worth, Texas-based Exec Express II is renamed in June 1991. Philip H. Tre-nary remains chairman/CEO and his fleet includes 8 Fairchild Metro IIIs. Frequencies are continued from Dallas (DFW) to St. Louis and Joplin, Missouri, and Liberal and Garden City, Kansas, the latter stop added during the year.
In the fall, negotiations are completed for the takeover of fellow Texan carrier Conquest Airlines.
Bookings climb to 69,200. Orders are placed for another Metro III. The net loss falls to $487,530 as revenues jump to $11.09 million and expenses to $11.58 million.
Airline employment stands at 90 in 1992 as the ninth Metro is placed into service and the Conquest Airlines acquisition is completed.
While on a test flight from Hot Springs, Arkansas, on August 25, a Metro III with three crew aboard rolls right and crashes near the end of the runway; there are no survivors.
Late in the year, the fastest growing airline at Dallas (DFW) inaugurates flights to Columbia, Missouri, Ponca City, Oklahoma, Camden, Arkansas, and Terre Haute, Indiana.
Passenger boardings swell 47.4% to 71,772.
Destinations visited in 1993 include Terre Haute, Memphis, St. Louis, Columbia, Joplin, Branson, Mountain Home, Jonesboro, Harrison, Hot Springs, El Dorado, Magnolia, Enid, Ponca City, Dallas (DFW), Brown-wood, Alpine, Austin, and Paris, Texas.
Chairman Trenary enters shareholding negotiations with a consortium of Chihuahua, Mexico-based government agencies and commercial businesses. Stratega Mercadotecnica Chihuahuan undertakes an air service survey. A Fairchild Metro 23 is ordered in late December; the order will subsequently be doubled.
Enplanements for the year increase 28% to 92,741. Revenues are now $16.34 million, expenses are down to $15 million and a $1.34-million net profit can be reported on top of a $41.9-million pretax gain.
Following implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and completion of the air service survey in early 1994, the Mexican consortium, led by American Industries International Chairman Luis Lara and Internacional de Ceramica Chairman Victor Almeida, elects to buy into the airline. In exchange for 49% equity, the Lone Star Promotora de Vuelos Internacionales (International Flight Promoters) gains three of the carrier’s nine board seats and a 22% voting interest (the maximum allowed under U. S. law). Trenary remains chairman/CEO of the airline.
An Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia is placed into service during the spring for flights between Dallas (DFW) and Chihuahua, but will eventually prove unsuccessful. One Metro III is replaced in August and September by two Metro 23 s and orders are placed for four Dornier 328110s. Essential Air Service (EAS) routes are maintained to 16 cities in 4 states.
Late in the year, plans are made to inaugurate services to Mexico in the first quarter of 1995, following receipt of the first of the Dorniers on February 1. Among the operations scheduled to begin are direct daily roundtrip Dallas (DFW) flights to Chihuahua City, Torrejon, and Saltillo and service from El Paso to Chihuahua.
Passenger boardings jump 15.8% to 107,414, but freight slides 6.3% to 53.43 million FTKs. Revenues increase 8% to $13.4 million.
The workforce is increased by 161.1% in 1995 to 235 to handle inauguration of the services noted above. Two Dornier 328-110s arrive in January; one is put to work on charters and the other opens service between Dallas and Chihuahua City on February 1. On July 10, Dornier 328-110 frequencies commence to Torreon and Saltillo, both via the Texas town of Del Rio.
During the second week in August, a third Dornier begins flying to Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi. Notice is given to Harrison and Hot Springs, Arkansas, that service to those cities will end when the government ends the EAS subsidy later in the year. Enplanements, nevertheless, fall 20.8% to 85,058.
While on initial climb to altitude from Enid, Oklahoma, on June 11, 1996, a Metro 23 with a pilot and seven passengers, suffers an uncommanded shutdown of its right engine. A safe emergency landing is made back at the point of origin and no injuries are reported.
Employing a Metro III freighter, the company in July inaugurates a Motorola-subsidized daily cargo route from Chihuahua to Dallas (DFW) that links the electronics manufacturer’s Mexican factory with its Global Paging Infrastructure Division’s world headquarters at Fossil Creek business park.
By summer, the company is in significant financial difficulty; it owes over $3 million alone on its Dorniers. Majority interest in the carrier is purchased by Peak International in October. Founder/CEO Philip Trenary resigns and is replaced as interim president by Vice President-Flight Operations Allen McGinness. Peak International’s owners amalgamate Lone Star into their Aspen Mountain Air. Services under the new name begin on November 1.
World History
