Magnum is founded at Johannesburg in March 1978 through the merger of Air Lowveld (Pty.), Ltd., Avna Airways (Pty.), Ltd., and Mafikeng Aviation Services, Ltd. A fleet is assembled comprising 3 Britten-Nor-man BN-2 III Trislanders, 8 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo Chieftains, 1 Beech B-80 Queen Air, 4 Cessna 402s, 3 BN-2 Islanders, 1 Cessna 206, 3 Beech Barons, and 1 Piper Cherokee Six.
The larger aircraft form the heart of the new operation that takes over the scheduled services of the Natal Division of NAC (National Airways Corporation [Pty], Ltd.) the following year. Johannesburg and Durban are now linked with Nelspruit, Middelburg, Newcastle, Vryheid, Mafek-ing, Dundee, Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg, Umtata, and Mkuze.
Orders are placed for four Swearingen Metro IIs. Enplanements in 1980 the first full year of service total 67,000. Start-up and other costs (including fuel) bring an operating loss of $1,558,391.
The workforce is increased 29.4% in 1981 to 110. Three of the four Metro IIs are delivered. During the year, the company moves from shared quarters into its own head office and becomes the first South African commuter-level airline to bring a computerized reservations system on line. New couturier uniforms are adopted late in the year.
Passenger boardings accelerate a modest 2.9% to 70,000. Revenues advance to $4.4 million and with expenses kept in hand, an operating profit of $26,530 is earned.
In June 1982, the company assists the newly designated flag line of Bophuthatswana, Mmabatho Air Services (Pty.), Ltd. to initiate scheduled services between Mafikeng and Johannesburg. A 50% stake is taken in United Air (Pty.), Ltd.
Enplanements for the year total 65,000.
The boarding figure climbs to 71,700 in 1983 as Magnum now offers replacement service for United Air (Pty.), Ltd. on routes to Pietersburg, Sishen, and Vryburg. The fleet in 1984-1985 is altered by the addition of four Fairchild-Swearingen Metro IIs.
Two de Havilland Canada DHC-8 turboprops are delivered to Managing Director Mrs. D. Farquhar’s company in 1986. With the establishment of the Kerzner “kingdom” at Sun City, these are employed, with the Metroliners, to operate a shuttle service a 30 roundtrips per day between Pilanesberg and Grand Central Airport.
During 1987-1988 , two more Piper Navajo Chieftains are acquired.
As the result of the failure of its No. 1 engine, a Metro II, with 2 crew and 10 passengers must execute a forced landing near Johannesburg on November 18 of the latter year; although the turboprop is destroyed, there are no fatalities.
Mrs. J. Nathanson becomes managing director in 1989 and the DHC-8s are withdrawn. Despite these changes, the carrier, already in financial difficulty, is forced to seek a merger arrangement or cease operation. Early in 1990, the company is merged with Citi Air, Ltd. of Durban and East London-based Border Air, Ltd. to form Link Airways (Pty.), Ltd.
MAGNUM HELICOPTER AIRLINES (PTY.), LTD.: South Africa (1977-1978). This helicopter shuttle is formed at Johannesburg in September 1977 to provide connections between Jan Smuts Airport and heliports in Pretoria. Services initially employ 4 Bell 206B JetRangers.
Upon the formation of Magnum Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. in 1978, the rotary-wing operator is renamed Command Airways (Pty.), Ltd.
MAGNUS AVIATION: N61187 Resources Drive, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin 53085, United States; Phone (414) 467-6151; Fax (414) 467-6611; Year Founded 1990. Magnus is set up at as an FBO at Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, by Jeffrey J. Magnus in 1990. Over the next 9 years, the 32-employee company also comes to operate charter passenger and cargo flights employing 1 each Cessna 172, Piper PA-23 Aztec, Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, and PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain.
MAHALO AIR: United States (1993-1997). Hawaii’s latest interisland regional, Mahalo (Hawaiian for “thank you”) Air is established at Oahu in late summer 1993 by Robert N. Iwamoto Jr., president of the travel agency Roberts Hawaii, and six other local investors to offer scheduled daily roundtrips to Lihue, Kauai, and Kahului, Maui.
Honolulu CPA and investor Michael Nekoba is named CEO and his new entrant, capitalized at $5.5 million by himself, Roberts, and four other owner/investors, is provided with a pair (later three) of leased Fokker F.27-500s. A six-month management contract is signed with Hayden Lake, Idaho-based Empire Airlines (1); under its terms, the company’s operations, which begin in October, will be managed until Mahalo can obtain its own operating certificate.
Orders are placed in January 1994 for six Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320s, which are delivered between February and July. Upon receipt of its certificate from the DOT, interisland services with the multicolored European turboprops begin in November from Honolulu to Lihue, Kaunakakai, Kahului, Lanai City, and the lava field airport at Kailua-Kona on the “big island” of Hawaii.
The airline is the first to introduce one-fare level; competitors often have a lower rate for native Kamainas. A total of 66 weekday frequencies are offered, increasing to 70 on weekends.
In 1995, the company undertakes code-sharing services with Hawaiian Airlines and Northwest Airlines.
While en route over the Hawaiian Islands on December 30, an ATR42-320 with 3 crew and 21 passengers encounters severe turbulence. As the flight attendant is returning to her seat in the rear of the aircraft, she is twice bounced off the ceiling and sustains a displaced fracture of her left ankle.
The 6 ATRs transport a total of 496,404 passengers.
The employee population stands at 299 in 1996 as a seventh ATR42-320 enters service. During the summer, the carrier begins to code-share with Hawaiian Airlines (HAL) over routes from Honolulu to Molokai and Kapalua (West Maui Airport).
Customer bookings increase 28.8% to 639,534.
The company files for bankruptcy in September 1997. It ceases operations in November. Prior to shutdown, the company transports 324,946.
World History
