Plan by 300 private investors in western Venezuela to establish this international and regional scheduled passenger and cargo carrier based at Maracaibo, Venezuela’s oil and energy capital, is announced on April 1,
1995. Heli Saul Fernandez is chairman and president, with former Airbus Industrie official Frans Kramer as general manager/CEO. The official launch occurs on November 1.
The pre-operative phase begins and the company’s plans are approved by the Transportation Ministry in April 1996. Although it is expected that revenue services will begin before year’s end, a number of circumstances will interfere with this optimism. First and foremost among these is a delay in aircraft selection and arrival.
After reviewing the aircraft possibilities offered by Aerp International (Regional), de Havilland Canada, and Fokker, fleet composition is settled in September and a $22-million lease agreement is signed with AI(R) on December 13. Also, at year’s end, a workforce of 80 is recruited, including 24 pilots and 10 engineers.
The first of two previously employed ATR42-320s is delivered on February 14, 1997. It is employed to inaugurate scheduled services a month later from Maracaibo to Aruba, El Vigia, Merida, and Santa Barbara. Following receipt of the second plane in May, routes are stretched to Barranquilla, Banquisimeto, Cura9ao, Cartagena, and San Antonio.
Flights continue apace in 1998-1999 without change or incident. During these years, four more ATR42-320s are acquired and enplanements approach 500,000.
During 2000, Santa Barbara becomes the third Venezuelan carrier designated to serve the U. S. The company, during the first quarter, also paints its ATRs in a new color scheme.
In December, new CEO Mario Goldberg announces that the carrier will wet-lease an aircraft from a U. S. Part 121 operator and begin flights into Fort Lauderdale during the spring.
SANTA FE SKYWAYS: United States (1946-1948). With the backing of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, Santa Fe Skyways is established at Wichita, Kansas, on May 4, 1946 to operate nonscheduled all-cargo services over the parent’s rail routes as far west as Arizona and California. Homer R. Lake is named president with George W. Lupton Jr., as vice president/general manager. Initial capitalization of $100,000 is provided and two war-surplus Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports are purchased.
The inaugural flight, Los Angeles to Salinas, California, is made by Chief Pilot Steve Doss on July 31, with 2,600 pounds of strawberries in 200 crates. A third C-47 arrives and an order is placed for four DC-4s. In November, the company applies to the CAB for certification. The first DC-4 is delivered on December 28; christened Sky Chief Navajo, it is placed into service on the Los Angeles to Chicago route.
The second DC-4, Sky Chief Apache, arrives on January 15, 1947, followed by the Sky Chief Pueblo on February 21 and Sky Chief Taos on
March 18. The second anniversary of contract air service is celebrated in July, at which time employment stands at 110.
Santa Fe is sued in federal court by California Eastern Airways and The Flying Tiger Line; these two California-based freighters are concerned that the company might be the harbinger of additional railroad-controlled air freight lines to follow. By giving, the Skyway workforce has been increased to 145 and the fleet now includes 3 C-47s and 4 DC-4s. Certification still has not been granted and on December 5, the CAB turns down the carrier’s application.
Rather than risk an adverse court decision, Skyways elects disbandment, announcing its intention on January 12, 1948. Having flown 2.01 million miles without accident, the cargo carrier ceases operations on January 15.
World History
