Among the largest regional airlines to operate from Denver, Rocky Mountain is formed there by Gordon F. Autry on May 13, 1966 as Vail Airways. Major stockholder Autry becomes president and scheduled service is begun with an Aero Commander 680 over a Denver-Eagle-Aspen route.
In late 1968, the company is reorganized and renamed in honor of the most prominent feature of local geography. During the remainder of the decade and into the middle 1970s, services are undertaken to these additional destinations: Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs, Winterpark-Granby, Craig, and Leadville. At 9,927 feet above sea level, the latter is the highest airport in the U. S.
Only one crash is suffered, but it is fatal. On January 22, 1970, the Aero Commander 680 with eight aboard crashes during its approach to Aspen, killing all of the passengers and crew. The fleet comes to comprise five de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters. Orders are placed for three DHC-7s.
By 1974, enplanements are 107,015. Airline employment in 1975 stands at 146. Passenger boardings climb a hopeful 6.6% to 114,454.
The fleet in 1976 includes 2 DHC-6-300s, 2 Beech King Air 90s, and 2 Aero Commander 680s.
Freight traffic grows by 48% and customer bookings increase 7.3% to 124,742. Enplanements in 1977 climb to 130,515.
On February 3, 1978, President Autry’s carrier fulfills its role as launch customer by placing the world’s first production de Havilland Canada DHC-7-102 (“DASH-7”) into service. In October, Denver-based Intermountain Airways is purchased and merged. During the fall, after passage of the Airline Deregulation Act, service is launched to Farmington and Albuquerque in New Mexico.
Just after takeoff from Steamboat Springs on December 4, Flight 217, a DHC-6-300 with 2 crew and 20 passengers, encounters severe icing conditions. The turboprop attempts to turn back, but crashes into the 10,000-ft. level of a mountain 8 mi. ENE of the point of origin (2 dead). The 20 survivors, including an 8-month-old boy and his mother, are saved by rescuers the next day during a blizzard.
Passenger boardings skyrocket 45.6% during the 12 months to 239,917. Freight traffic also advances, by 23.3%, to 675,244 pounds.
The two outstanding DASH-7s join the fleet in 1979. In January, the company receives the 1978 “Regional Airline of the Year” award from Air Transport World magazine.
Frequencies are undertaken to Alamosa, Cheyenne, and the company’s private Vail Stolport, seven miles west of that community. A Twin Otter with 16 aboard makes a forced landing at Cheyenne, Wyoming, on February 28; a number of injuries are reported.
As the result of economic and snow conditions at ski markets, en-planements decline 0.6% to 238,000. Freight, on the other hand, skyrockets 156% to 1.72 million pounds.
By 1980 , this intrastate commuter has been reclassified as a “large regional” under the CAB’s new classification scheme and is flying its unexpanded, resort-oriented route system with 3 DHC-7-102s and 2 DHC-6-300 Twin Otters.
Despite a particularly bad Colorado winter, the carrier’s traffic accelerates 24.8%; 297,788 passengers are carried on the year, along with 1.7 million ton-kilometers of freight. The employee population is, accordingly, increased by 2.7% to 232.
Recession and the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike in summer 1981 and its subsequent ATC restrictions, combined with a lack of snow at some key ski resorts, lead to a severe decline (45.2%) in bookings to 143,999. This translates into a net loss of $498,794 on revenues of $12 million.
Rocky Mountain rebounds strongly in 1982. The payroll is increased 10% to 242, as service is initiated to Pueblo. A fourth DASH-7 is acquired.
Passenger traffic jumps 25.3% to 349,000 passengers transported; cargo jumps 26.5% to 43,000 pounds. Operating revenues incline upward by 28% to $15.4 million, leaving a net profit of $498,794.
The workforce grows another 40.9% in 1983 to 341 and the fleet is enhanced by the addition of two additional DASH-7s. Flights into Rock Spring and Grand Junction begin. Routes are also inaugurated to Casper, Wyoming, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, as the carrier becomes an interstate airline.
A joint marketing agreement is signed with United Airlines early in the year providing feed to the major at Denver.
Enplanements are up by 14.3% to 398,624, while freight grows 22.6% to 702,000 pounds. Revenues increase 7% to $16.5 million, but the costs of expansion and fleet improvement bring a net loss of $755,000.
Operating revenues increase 48% to $24.4 million in 1984, primarily as a result of a 33% boost in the number of enplaned travelers to 481,619, coupled with an 11% increase in the average fare collected. Cargo climbs 11.9% to 785,262 pounds. Unhappily, Rocky Mountain’s attempt to grow out of its dependence upon seasonal resort traffic is proving very expensive.
Indeed, costs leap 45% to $23.9 million and a $913,000 net loss is recorded. In an effort to cut expenses, services to Grand Junction and Scott Springs are discontinued in October and the released capacity is redeployed to the ski markets of Aspen, Avon, Vail, and Steamboat Springs.
After the failure of Frontier Commuter in early 1985, Rocky Mountain moves to assume several of its abandoned Essential Air Services (EAS) routes. In addition to a frequency from Denver to Scotts Bluff, two DASH-7s are detailed in February to begin two eastbound and two westbound daily frequencies from Omaha and Denver via Grand Island, North Platte, and Lincoln, Nebraska.
This move is not immediately rewarding as the year’s passenger traffic suffers a downturn of 10.8% to 429,720 passengers flown. Revenues advance to $25.5 million, but costs are up again, and the net loss is $956,000.
Airline employment is cut 0.6% in 1986 to 329 and the fleet includes 5 DASH-7s and 3 Twin Otters. In the spring, the FAA conducts a “special emphasis evaluation” and this development hurts company income. Almost as soon as the carrier becomes a “Continental Express” partner of Continental Airlines in May, it encounters difficulties.
Trusting that Texas Air Corporation (TAC) will take it over for $3 million, President Autry must first resolve an earlier arrangement with Aspen Airways, which had advanced the airline $1.2 million for three DASH-7s and certain profitable routes.
Now operating as an affiliate of PEOPLExpress following that national’s takeover of Frontier Airlines (1), Rocky Mountain feeds the no-frill pioneer at Denver. In October, Aspen withdraws its objection to the RMA sale. Longtime Eastern Air Lines official Donald Martin becomes president in December; only Vice President-Sales and Service Dennis Heap is retained from the previous management team.
Customer bookings fall again, down 12.3% to 376,711. The fiscal loss is again significant, although exact figures are not made available.
In February 1987, the large regional is among the prizes won by TAC when it merges PEOPLExpress. President Martin is retained as president of the “Continental Express” affiliate for Denver. In order to bolster the feed arrangement, a fleet improvement program is undertaken and orders are placed for 6 DHC-8s and 10 Beech 1900s.
In July, the routes of “Continental Express” carrier Trans-Colorado Airlines are shifted to Rocky Mountain, along with six wet-leased Fairchild Metro Ills and, later in the fall, a chartered Convair CV-580. The first Beech 1900 is delivered in mid-December.
Passenger boardings for the year increase by 33.3% to 501,975.
One of the Trans-Colorado wet-leased Metro IIIs is lost in a January 1988 accident near Durango. By spring, the company is making over 700 weekly departures from Denver to Aspen, Vail, Steamboat Springs, Gunnison, Durango, Telluride, and Jackson Hole. Additional Colorado destinations include Pueblo, Alamosa, Montrose, Colorado Springs, and Cortez while flights are made to the Wyoming communities of Riverton, Casper, Cheyenne, and Rock Springs. Rapid City and Pierre, South Dakota, and Scotts Bluff and North Platte, Nebraska are also served.
Former Henson Aviation President Donald C. Smith is named president in July and the DHC-7-102s and Metro IIIs are replaced in August by the last Beech 1900s to join the fleet. The carrier introduces one-stop shopping for winter ski programs by initiating all-inclusive packages to some 20 ski resorts in Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, California, and Canada.
Enplanements for the year total 697,238.
In May 1989, the 590-employee carrier is merged with Britt Airways under the operating title of Jet Link. “Continental Express” service continues to be offered to 23 cities from the Denver hub with a fleet that now includes 8 Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-200s, 5 Dash-7s, and 13 Beech 1900s.
Traffic figures are now made public again and show that bookings have increased by 12.2% to 794,120.
Once a large independent regional, Rocky Mountain in 1990 has become the smallest of the “Continental Express” carriers, operating a fleet of 3 DHC-7-102s, 2 ATR42-300s, 10 Beech 1900s, and 3 Twin Otters.
In the process of feeding its parent’s Denver hub, the carrier transports a total of 981,822 passengers, a 23.6% boost over the previous year.
In 1991, Rocky Mountain and Britt Airways are absorbed into Continental, officially becoming Continental Express. Rocky Mountain becomes the new regional’s western division.
RODAIR (PTY.), LTD.: South Africa (1962-1968). Rodair is established at Bloemfontein in 1962 as the air transport division of John Roderick & Co. (Pty.), Ltd. The company is a Piper distributor and initiates domestic charters with a fleet from that manufacturer that includes 1 each J-3 Cub, PA-11 Colt, PA-18 Super Cub, PA-28 Cherokee, and PA-310 Twin Commanche.
In 1964, John Roderick & Co. acquires East London-based Collon-dale Air Service (Pty.), Ltd., operating it as a subsidiary and allowing it to keep its previous name. CAS brings a PA-32 Cherokee Six, a Cessna 175, and a C-206 with which to operate its own charters.
Boet Choetsee is named managing director in 1966 and in 1967 he transfers Rodair’s PA-11 to Collondale. Flights by both carriers continue for about another year.
World History
