GIBCA Group company, Air Intergulf is formed at Sharjah in September 1975 to provide charter flights, air taxi service, and contract cargo services. Vincent J. Derudder is named director/general manager. Operations are flown in the Persian Gulf area until 1977 employing leased Aerospatiale SN-601 Corvette executive jets. One B-707-320C is acquired to link the Emirates with European destinations. The government at Sharjah orders the carrier liquidated in 1983.
AIR INUIT, LTD.: 1985 55th Ave., Dorval, Quebec H9P 1G9, Canada; Phone (514) 636-9445; Fax (514) 636-8916; Http://www. accent. net/adst/MakWeb/e_Airluit. html; Code 3H; Year Founded 1979. Based at Fort Chimo, Quebec, Air Inuit, Ltd. is founded in 1979 to provide both charter and scheduled essential air services to such provincial destinations as Aupaluk, Sugluk, Payne Bay, and Leafe Bay. Ownership is held by the region’s native Americans, the Inuit, through the Makivik group. A subsidiary, Johnny May Air Charters, Ltd., is also created. Nonscheduled flights begin first with a de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou.
In 1980, 1 Douglas DC-3 and 2 DHC-6 Twin Otters are purchased and they inaugurate scheduled passenger and express flights to the small communities of Port Nouveau, Payne Bay, Leaf Bay, Sugluk, Koartak, Nain Labrador, Wakeban Bay, and Aupaluk. A Grumman G-1 and a third DHC-6 Twin Otter join General Manager D. Popert’s fleet in 1981, allowing replacement of the DC-3 in 1982.
Montreal-based Chaperal Charters, Ltd. is acquired in 1984 and its fleet of 2 DHC-6s and 1 DC-3 are incorporated. Simultaneously, a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is purchased from Austin Airways, Ltd. A second DC-3 and another HS 748 are delivered in 1985.
Two years later, in 1987, the former Inter City, Ltd. HS 748 is obtained, the second DC-3 is withdrawn, and a DHC-6 is sold to Austin Airways, Ltd. President Kamal Hanna’s fleet in 1989 comprises 3 HS 748s and 6 DHC-6 Twin Otters. Another HS 748 is purchased in 1990. Revenues in 1991 are C$22 million.
In 1992, 2 Twin Otters are removed and replaced by 3 Convair CV-580s. Income climbs to C$27.5 million. In 1993, President Mark T. Gordon’s workforce totals 200. Destinations visited include Akulivik, Au-paluk, Cape Dorset, Inukjuaq, Ivujik, Kangiqsualujuaq, Kangirsuk, Kuujjuaq, Kuujjuarapik, La Grande, Povungnituk, Quaqtaq, Salluit, Sanikiluaq, Tasiujaq, and Umiujaq.
The owned fleet in 1994 includes 2 each British Aerospace (HS) 748-2As and 748-2AFs, 4 DHC-6-300s, 1 DHC-6-200, and 1 Beech Super King Air 200, plus 4 leased Convair CV-580s. The pattern and frequency of the scheduled route network in 1995 remains similar to that of previous years with all of the major communities receiving service five days a week with onward connecting service at Kuujjuaq with First Air, Ltd. The company is awarded a three-year extension to continue operating four Convairs on behalf of Hydro-Quebec.
Services continue apace in 1996-2000. During these years, the company improves upon its HS 748 scheduled services and increases aircraft reliability. A capacity problem on the Ungava Coast is effectively addressed by substituting the larger BAes for DHCs. The company’s ground handling facility at La Grande is relocated and enhanced.
Additional charter activity occurs within Nunavik, particularly from the development of the Raglan Mining project. The company’s pilots and flight attendants unionize.
AIR IOWA: United States (1971-1974). The newly formed commuter Air Iowa begins flying scheduled daily roundtrip Beech 18 passenger and cargo flights in the spring of 1971 from its base at Muscatine to Chicago (ORD) via Davenport.
Operations continue apace until April 19, 1973, when a Beech 18 is involved in an accident at Davenport. The company is purchased by and merged into Mississippi Valley Airlines during 1974.
AIR IRVINE: United States (1981-1983). AI is founded at Santa Ana, California, in late summer 1981 to offer scheduled passenger and cargo flights to Los Angeles and Palm Springs. A fleet is assembled comprising 2 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, 1 Cesna 421, and 1 PA-34 Seneca; these are employed to inaugurate revenue services on September 1.
Insufficient traffic or revenues are realized to justify service beyond the end of the recessionary year of 1982. As a result, the company is sold to new owners in early 1983 who reform the airline and resume flights under the name Dash Air.
AIR IVOIRE (SOCIETE IVOIRIENNE DE TRANSPORT AERIENS, S. A.): BP 1207, Abidjan 01, Ivory Coast; Phone 225 27 90 27; Fax 225 27 88 03; Code VU; Year Founded 1958. Compagnie de Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux, S. A. (TAI), a large independent French airline, establishes this carrier to operate domestic services within the Ivory Coast colony. Provided with three de Havilland DH 89A Dragon Rapides, the subsidiary launches revenue flights in early 1958, linking the capital of Abidjan weekly with Abengourou, Bouake, Daloa, Korhogo, Man, Seguela, and Tabou.
When Air France moves onto the Korhogo route in 1959, Air Ivoire flights to that destination cease. The French major also provides Douglas DC-4 backup on all of these small-tour services, which it considers to be feeder routes of benefit to itself.
Later in the year, a de Havilland DH 1104 Heron 1B is obtained and employed to initiate a roundtrip service from Abidjan to Tabou via Sas-sandra. Although the route is suspended in August 1960, it is resumed again in February 1961.
In one of its final acts—before merging with UAT to become UTA French Airlines (Union de Transport Aerien, S. A.)—TAI reforms this carrier on October 1, 1963. Ownership is shared between the Ivorian government (66%) and the French airline’s subsidiary, Sodetraf (34%). The latter share is passed to UTA French Airlines, S. A. during the fourth quarter. Capitalization is increased to FFr 10 million and Alcide Kacou is named president.
Employing a unit purchased on June 15, 1964, after 18 years service with Pacific Northern Airlines, the carrier begins Douglas DC-3 services in August over routes from Abidjan to Berebi, Bouake, Daloa, Man, Korhogo, Sassandra, and Tabou. A second Douglas transport is received late in the year.
From 1965 to 1975, service is developed to 18 domestic destinations as Beech King Airs and a Fokker F.27-600 join the reliable “Gooney Birds.” Feeder services continue on behalf of UTA.
On July 24, 1971, less than two minutes after takeoff from Bamako, Mali, a DC-3 with two crew and four passengers crashes into a hill; there are no survivors.
In January 1976, the Ivory Coast government buys out the French and consortium interests and assumes majority ownership. The consortium airline Air Afrique, S. A. also later obtains a shareholding and Air Ivoire begins to feed its long-haul routes.
Except for the removal of the DC-3, there are no corporate changes in 1977 and, by November 1978, President Victor Niacadie’s company employs 50 workers and has a fleet comprising 2 NAMC YS-11As, 1 Fokker F.27-400, 1 F.27-600, and 2 Piper PA-23 Aztecs. A presidential decree in March 1979 places authority for the carrier with two national ministries, planning and defense.
Domestic frequencies and services are improved at the end of the decade while long-haul operations continue to be handled by Air Afrique, S. A. Passenger enplanements in 1981 total 260,000. Service continues apace in 1982-1984.
In 1985, the fleet comprises 4 Fokker F.28-4000s, 3 F.27-400/600s, and 2 Beech King Air 200s.
While taking off from Tabou on July 25, 1986, an F.27-600, with 3 crew and 26 passengers, suffers the failure of its nosegear tire. The plane runs off the end of the runway and is damaged beyond repair; there are no fatalities.
Regional routes are opened to Mali and Burkina Faso. Annual en-planements average some 100,000 this year and in 1987-1988, reaching 129,024 in the latter year, when operating profit is $1.96 million.
Airline employment is reduced by 1.6% in 1989 to 315. Three Fellowship jetliners are on inventory with the propeller equipment, as orders are placed for Fokker 100s. Beginning in January, a Fokker 100, acquired by the government for VIP services, is allowed to provide scheduled flights when not otherwise employed.
On December 30 an F.28-4000 with 70 passengers overruns the runway while landing at Man; although the aircraft is damaged beyond repair, there are no fatalities.
Passenger boardings jump 10.8% to 144,000 and revenues climb 15.6% to $10.9 million.
Company employment is cut by 4.8% in 1990 to 300 and 1 F.28-4000 is withdrawn as the first Fokker 100 is received.
Customer bookings drop to 102,238. Unhappily, expenses, led by fuel prices in the wake of Iraq’s August invasion of Kuwait, rise 16.6% and the operating profit falls to $1.45 million.
The payroll is decreased by a large 47.6% in 1991 to 573 and the fleet now includes 1 each Beech Super King Air 200, F.27-400M, F.27-600, F.28-1000C, and 2 F.28-4000s. During the first nine months of the year, the airline reports that its passenger boardings are off 13.9% to 81,869 and freight is down 4.7% to 26,000 FTKs. International service is started in December, following delivery of the first owned Fokker 100, over a thrice-weekly route from Abidjan to Accra, Ghana.
The workforce is cut by a massive 60.7% in 1992 to 225. The second Fokker 100 is received, allowing plans to be made for retirement of the remaining F.28s. The new plane begins a weekly service, on behalf of Air Afrique, S. A., from Abidjan to Togo and the Congo. Through July, the time span for which figures are published, customer bookings accelerate 20% to 75,171.
In 1993, Director General Abdoulaye Coulibaly and General Manager Dosso oversee a workforce of 225. Regional services are provided to
Bamako, Conakry, and Ouagadougou in addition to flights reaching from Abidjan to Accra, Abengourou, Bondoukou, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Daloa, Gagnoa, Guiglo, Korhogo, Man, Monrovia, Odienne, San-Pedro, Seguela, Tabou, and Yamoussoukro.
Passenger boardings decline 8.8% through September to 90,823.
Although the employee population rises to 573 in 1994, the company suffers a traffic downturn and only reports its figures through May. During the first five months of the year, the flag carrier of the Ivory Coast sees its passenger boardings plunge 24.9% to 38,920.
While en route from San-Pedro to Abidjan on June 26, the F.27-400M with three crew and 14 passengers crashes into a wooded area 3 nm. short of the runway at Abouabou; there are no survivors.
Col. Dosso’s fleet in 1995 includes 2 Fokker 100s, 1 F.28-1000C, 1 F.27-400M Friendship, and 1 Beech Super King Air 200. The last Friendship is taken out of service in 1996. On June 28, the Super King Air 200, with 3 passengers, crashes near Bouafle; there are no survivors.
Operations cease at the end of 1997 as the bankrupt airline has its Fokker 100s seized by banks and its F.28-1000C grounded with engine problems. The carrier remains alive, however, as it seeks a rescue, preferably via privatization. Meanwhile, a private and independent airline, Air Continental, S. A. begins operations, flying between Abidjan and Bouake, San-Pedro, and Korhogo.
Air Ivoire remains shut down during the first eight months of 1998. Its absence from the air transport scene is blamed on “technical” (read: financial) problems. Diabagate Aronna becomes director general during the spring and seeks to reassure the public that the carrier will be back now that it is under new management. A Fokker 100 is acquired and, on September 13, is employed to resume service to Robertsfield and Monrovia.
During the fourth quarter, arrangements are made for privatization and bids for equity investment on the part of foreign airlines are sought. Terms of the arrangement, for which Citibank is advisor, will include a demand that the entire workforce be retained. There is not a rush of bids.
On December 1, it is announced that the deadline for receipt of offers to take a 51% majority stake have been extended to December 29.
During the remainder of the month, inquiries come from eight airlines, including the majors Air France, Sabena Belgian World Airlines, S. A., and Air Afrique, S. A. (2).
When the government privatization committee opens the bid envelopes on December 29, it is found that only Air Continental, S. A. has made a serious offer. Even so, its chairman, Jean-Francois Guillotte, has put forward what he calls a “business plan,” making it clear that his concern cannot meet all of the bid terms, particularly the full employment clause.
As the year ends, it is unclear whether Guillotte’s bid will be accepted or whether the whole process will again be thrown open.
As 1999 begins, the company elects to continue the process of finding a private investor. It is announced on April 21 that the nation will write off the $13.3-million debt of the national carrier; the decision applies to debts owed directly to the government as well as to private companies.
The Pelita Air Service Fokker F.28-4000 Matak is leased in September.
It is reported, early in 2000, that Air Continental, S. A., which has continued its low-key, nearly invisible service over the past two years, has added an ex-Burkina Faso Air Force Nord 262C with which to operate between Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso.
World History
