NFD (LUFTVERKEHRS, A. G.) See NFD (NURNBERGER FLUG-DIENST, GmbH.)

NFD (NURNBERGER FLUGDIENST, GmbH.): Germany (19741993). Organized by Hans Rudolf Wohri at Nuremberg in 1974, NFD (Nurnberger Flugdienst, GmbH.) begins charter flights in 1975 to regional destinations. In 1980, it is decided to inaugurate commuter operations; employing a Fairchild-Swearingen Metro II, services are initiated to Paris. A total of 10,200 passengers are transported in 1981, 32,000 in 1982, and 50,300 in 1983.

During 1984-1985 , the workforce totals 40 and the fleet comprises 7 Metro IIIs and 1 Beech Super King Air 200. Destinations served include Paris (CDG), Amsterdam, and Milan. Domestic flights are also undertaken on behalf of Deutsche Luftverkehrsgesellschaft, GmbH. (DLT).

President Manfred Moeschel’s carrier acquires a Dornier 228-201 in early 1986 and adds Frankfurt, Hanover, Munster, and Osnabruck to its route network. A number of other, ultimately unsatisfactory route experiments are attempted. In December, a Fairchild Merlin IV is acquired.

Passenger boardings jump 20.4% to 137,248.

An Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-200 is purchased in the spring of 1987 and is employed to inaugurate new services to Copenhagen, Lyon, Brussels, and Geneva. Closer relations are developed with Air France and KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.). At the same time, a new in-flight magazine, developed in cooperation with Crossair, Ltd., is introduced. Enplanements for the year total 184,300.

In January 1988, the company gains full access to the computerized reservations system of Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G.

While near Mulheim and en route from Hanover to Dusseldorf on February 8, a Metro III with 2 crew and 19 passengers is hit by lightning, which destroys the aircraft’s electrical system. In the uncontrolled descent that follows, the turboprop first loses its right wing and then disintegrates. There are no survivors.

Later in the year, a second ATR42 and two more Metroliners are acquired. Hof becomes a destination.

Three more ATR42s join the fleet in 1989 and new stops added include Dusseldorf, Munich, Stockholm, and Vienna. The nation’s largest independent regional is partially acquired (40% for ?4.2 million, cash) by International Leisure Group, parent of Air Europe, Ltd., to operate “Air Europe Express” flights on its behalf. It now receives its first jetliner, a Boeing 757-200, and brings a new centralized reservations system on line.

In 1990, the Metroliner fleet is reduced to 5 as 4 ATR42-320s and 1 British Aerospace BAe 146-200QT, operated on behalf of TNT (Transport Aerien Transregional, S. A.), are obtained.

Two Boeing 757-236s (leased from Air Europe, Ltd.) are returned to their lessor. Several new gateways are added, including Marseilles, Milan, Prague, Leipzig, and Munich. Additionally, daily ATR42 flights begin from Frankfurt to Erfurt in December. Enplanements total 292,490.

The Boeings are withdrawn in 1991 in favor of four ATR72-210s; the Metro III component is reduced to only three machines. Following the collapse of the International Leisure Group on March 8, Chairman Hans Rudolf Wohri buys back the 40% shareholding held in his carrier by ILG; his interest is now 61% with the Karstadt warehouse organization holding 26%. His carrier is now reorganized and the corporate image is changed to reflect a name change to NFD (Luftverkehrs, A. G.).

Two additional ATR72s are acquired in 1992. Enplanements for the final year of independence total 627,629 and 3.2 million FTKs are flown. On January 1, 1993, the carrier is merged with RFG Region-alflug, GmbH. to form Eurowings NFD + RFG, GmbH.

NICA (NICARAGUENSE DE AVIATION, S. A.): P. O. Box 6018, Managua, Nicaragua; Phone 505 (2) 631 929; Fax 505 (2) 63 188; Http://www. flylatinamerica. com/acc_nica. html; Code 6Y; Year Founded 1992. Nica is established in Nicaragua in the spring of 1992 to operate domestic and regional scheduled service formerly provided by the failed AERONICA (Aerolineas Nicaraguenses, S. A.). Ownership is divided between the government and TACA International Airlines, S. A. (49%). The TACA arrangement also includes joint purchasing, fleet rationalization, and cooperation in such support services as maintenance, catering, marketing, and ground handling. NICA thus becomes a member of the growing Central American airline consortium TACA Group.

Operations commence on July 10 with a single leased Boeing 737-2T5A over a route to Miami.

A total of 25,444 passengers are carried during the next 6 months and revenues of $4.63 million are earned.

Operations continue apace in 1993 as passenger boardings more than double to 64,327. Revenues swell to $10.91 million.

On September 2, 1994, the U. S. FAA announces the previously unpublished results of a safety survey made on 30 nations. Only two Central American nations meet U. S. safety standards. Nicaragua is not among them and, hence, Nica is no longer allowed to fly to the U. S.

Enplanements for the year are cut in half to 33,948.

Airline employment stands at 130 in 1995. The U. S. reservations centers of the TACA Group members are consolidated in a single El Salvador facility.

Through October, passenger boardings are up 11.5% to 38,359 while cargo rises 29.3% to 7.29 million FTKs.

In 1996, a B-737-2T5A is subleased from TACA International Airlines, S. A. Via TACA, Nica is drawn into discussions with American Airlines concerning a possible future alliance. By the end of the year, TACA Group operates an impressive international route network that includes 14 destinations in Central America, 12 in South America, 3 in Mexico, and 8 in the U. S.

The code-sharing agreement between AA and TACA Group is signed during the spring of 1997. During the fall, a number of company aircraft are repainted in a new TACA Group livery that features a white fuselage and a blue tail with a red vertical slash over which appears a logo consisting of five golden macaws, which represent the group members.

In November, TACA Group begins service to Santo Domingo. Thrice-daily service to Dallas (DFW) from San Salvador, San Jose, and Guatemala City begins in December.

Domestic destinations visited in 1998 include Bluefields, Corn Island, and Puerto Cabezas, while regional markets include Panama City, San Jose, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and, later, Miami.

Flights continue in 1999-2000. Airline employment at the beginning of the latter year totals 164.