GOLDEN WESTAIRLINES (2): United States (1969-1983).

2  is formed at Newport Beach, California, in December 1969 by the merger of four small California commuter operations, themselves all organized in 1967-1968: Cable Commuter, Skymark, Golden West Airlines (1), and Aero Commuter Airlines, the latter originally set up as Avalon Air Transport in 1953. The strongest merger partner is new CEO John M. Harmon’s Golden West Airlines (1) and its name survives as that chosen for the amalgamation.

Operations to such California cities as Lake Tahoe, Oxnard, San Diego, Santa Ana, and others as well as Catalina Island begin with a fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otters.

For most of the next decade, passenger boardings rise. In 1971, the carrier purchases the assets of Los Angeles Airways, the pioneer helicopter carrier that has been operated as an airport shuttle by United Airlines and American Airlines since 1965. The rotary-wing service is continued with the Sikorsky S-61Ns painted in the Golden West livery of white with gold cheatlines.

In 1973, GWA-2 flies 61,162 regular and 3,357 extra sections while operating 152 Los Angeles flight segments daily. A total of 396,160 passengers are carried on the year, a figure which, however, declines to 364,110 in 1974.

The workforce in 1975 is 205. On January 9, Flight 261, a DHC-6-100 with 2 crew and 10 passengers, collides with a Cessnair Aviation Cessna 150 with 2 persons aboard, over Whittier, California; there are no survivors from the crash of either aircraft.

Still the largest continental U. S. commuter airline, GWA-2 inaugurates new services to Palmdale and Trona. The carrier buys into American Airlines’ SABRE II computerized reservation system and begins to expand joint fares with certified airlines. A Speed Air express package service is started and new three-year contracts are signed with customer service and mechanics personnel.

The 10 de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otters transport a total of 317,871 passengers, a decline of 14.5% from the previous year. Cargo grows a modest 2.4% as 15,000 FTKs are operated.

The employee population is increased by 12 in 1976 and 2 Shorts 330s are ordered. The company adopts a new look as ground and flight personnel receive new uniforms and the 11 Twin Otters in the fleet are given new external livery and internal refurbishment. Systemwide, terminal facilities are also refurbished. An application is filed by the intrastate with the Golden State’s Public Utilities Commission for permission to service Palomar and San Diego.

Customer bookings leap upward by 23.5% to 398,170 while freight traffic grows nearly as much, up 20.2% to 472,439 pounds.

The two Shorts 330s enter service early in 1977 and with them, the carrier’s first cabin attendants. Flights begin to San Diego and Palomar. Passenger enplanements total 510,449.

The number of employees is increased by 19.9% in 1978 to 320. A third Shorts 330 joins the fleet and late in the year, service is started to Edwards AFB. Customer bookings increase by 22.7% to 626,248, while freight advances by 31.4% to 503,840 pounds.

President James M. Harmon resigns in January 1979 and is succeeded by Henry R. Voss. The first of three Shorts 330s to be delivered during the year arrives in April. The workforce is now 355. Bookings advance another 12.1% to 702,258. Freight traffic, however, drops by 12.3% to

442,000 pounds.

At the end of the decade, the fleet comprises 10 de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otters and 5 Shorts 330s.

The Newport Beach-based company moves into the ranks of the nation’s “large regionals” when the CAB creates that classification category in 1980. The workforce this year is 420. GWA-2 orders five DHC-7s, with the first arriving in December. Meanwhile, the company moves into the Trans World Airlines (TWA) hangar at Los Angeles (LAX) and construction is started on a $500,000 microwave landing system at Lake Tahoe.

The effects of deregulation in the always-competitive California market are now initially felt as the carrier suffers a 3.7% passenger traffic decline to 676,019 passengers flown and an operating loss of $970,000.

The picture worsens in 1981, the year of the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike and subsequent ATC restrictions. At Los Angeles, passenger facilities are established in the new Trans World Airlines (TWA) terminal and a new maintenance hangar is occupied.

The company is now the largest commuter airline in the U. S. and its fleet comprises 5 DHC-7-102s, 4 Shorts 330s, and 11 DHC-6s. The first of four additional Dash 7s to be delivered on the year enters service in February, flying the lucrative Lake Tahoe route.

Enplanements drop another 3.7%, to 651,143 and cargo drops by 8.3% to 32,000 FTKs. Although revenues advance 38% to $28.19 million, costs jump 40.6% to $20.3 million, resulting in an operating loss of $7.65 million. Airline employment is still allowed to grow, however, up to 469.

Employees on March 15, 1982 agree to a one-week pay deferral and accept the company’s request for an immediate 10% wage cut. GWA-2 transports 689,290 passengers on the year, a 5.9% boost. However its financial base has all but evaporated by December.

During the first two months of 1983, the California-based large regional transports 1.07 million pounds of freight, up 107.6%, but en-planements drop to 100,543. Unable to proceed, the company files for bankruptcy in March. It will be liquidated by August.

GOLDENSUN AVIATION, LTD.: India (1977-1978). The cargo operator Goldensun is set up at Bombay in late fall 1977 to operate local passenger and cargo services. Beech 18 revenue flights commence on December 20, but cease the following year.

GOLDFIELDS AIR SERVICES (PTY), LTD.: Australia (19861996). GAS is formed at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, in 1986. Founder David Horsley becomes managing director, with his wife Jan as chief financial officer. With a fleet initially comprising a Cessna 310 and a Cessna 402, services are inaugurated to Laverton.

The fleet is upgraded in 1989 by the addition of another Cessna 310, another Cessna 402, and two Cessna 210s. Leonora and Leinster become destinations in 1990 and a third Cessna 210 is obtained in 1992.

In 1993-1996, the small regional employs 15, but the concern closes down during the latter year.

GOLDWING AIRLINES, S. p.A.: Italy (2000-2001). Goldwing is established at Palermo in July 2000 to offer scheduled domestic passenger flights between Sicily and the Italian mainland. Plans are made to initiate services at the end of October, employing a British Aerospace BAe 146-100 leased from Air Botswana Corporation.

In order to avoid direct competition with the new British Airways, Ltd. (2) franchise partner National Jet Italia, S. p.A., the company later moves its operating base to Taranto, in southern Italy. The move is completed during the fall, after it is learned that the African BAe will not be available on time to begin services as scheduled.

Employing a BAe 146-200 wet-leased from Flightline, Ltd., the carrier finally inaugurates twice-daily roundtrip service between Taranto and Rome and daily roundtrips from Taranto to Milan on December 20.

Within days, Goldwing returns the British aircraft with which it is unhappy and begins using a SAAB 2000 wet-leased from Med Airlines, S. p.A. Orders are placed for two more BAe 146s for delivery in the spring.

Goldwing will cease operations at the end of February 2001.

GOLFE AIR QUEBEC, LTD.: Canada (1955-1982). Known at its founding in 1955 as Baie Comeau Air Services, Ltd., this small third-level operator initially provides charter services from its base at Hau-terive to various destinations in the province of Quebec.

During the next 20 years, scheduled passenger services are inaugurated linking its gateway with Rimouski, Mont Joli, and Forestville.

In 1975, President G. Hamel oversees a workforce of 25 and operates a fleet made up of 3 Douglas DC-3s, 1 Beech 18, 2 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, and 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. Matane becomes a destination in 1980.

Unable to weather the airline recession of the early 1980s, the carrier ceases operations in 1982.

GOMAIR, S. A.: Goma, Zaire/Democratic Republic of the Congo; Year Founded 1996. Privately owned Gomair is established at Goma, in the eastern part of Zaire, in 1996 to operate passenger and cargo charters throughout the nation and across the borders to Kigali and Entebbe, also serving Kampala. Revenue flights are initiated employing a single Boeing 727-41C.

Service is maintained throughout the civil war which, in early 1997, results in the formation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The trijet provides flights, often on a charter basis, throughout the remainder of the year and into 1998. The Congo civil war reignites on August 2 as rebel forces, operating from Goma under the leadership of Gen. Jean-Pierre Ondekane, attempt to overthrow the new government of president Laurent Kabila, victor in the first civil war a year earlier. Go-mair becomes the phantom flag carrier of the insurgents, transporting its leadership around the eastern portion of the country, as well as to Uganda and Rwanda.

While on its takeoff role from Goma on November 23 on a flight taking Gen. Ondekane and 125 civilians NE to Kisangani, the B-727-41C hits a hole in the runway and bursts a rear tire. The landing gear collapses as the aircraft skids off the runway into a grassy field. With smoke billowing from an engine, passengers flee the aircraft, with many, including Ondekane, sliding down a rope.

Out of danger, Ondekane confirms to his followers and to the rebel’s Radio Goma that he is not hurt and that the accident was not caused by any assassination attempt. The number of injuries to the other passengers and crew or the subsequent fate of either the aircraft or the airline is not presently known.