DOLPHIN AVIATION-GOLD AVIATION SERVICES: Fort Lauderdale International Airport, 1100 Lee Wagener Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315, United States; Phone (954) 359-9919; Fax (954) 359-9939; Year Founded 1994. Leonard Goldberg founds this small concern at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 1994 to offer executive and small group passenger services throughout the southeastern U. S. and the Caribbean. Operations continue apace for the next six years with a single Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain.
DOLPHIN EXPRESS AIRLINES: 210 Cessna Blvd., Suite 8, Daytona Beach, Florida 32124, United States; Phone (904) 756-8308; Fax (904) 756-0138; Code 8U; Year Founded 1994. DEA is established at Daytona Beach, Florida, in the spring of 1994 to provide Caribbean area commuter services. Interline agreements are signed with a number of major carriers serving San Juan, including Continental Airlines, United Airlines, Trans World Airlines (TWA), American Trans-Air, Kiwi International Air Lines, and Carnival Air Lines. Two British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31s are leased and employed, beginning in August, to provide scheduled frequencies from Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands; the route had previously been flown by Sunaire Express. In early 1995, flights commence to the British Virgin Islands.
On April 7, 1996, the pilot of a newly acquired de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300, with one other crew and nine passengers, loses control of her aircraft while on takeoff roll from Virgin Gorda Airport, British Virgin Islands. The aircraft is substantially damaged as it departs the runway and crashes through a fence, losing a wing in the process. One passenger receives a minor injury. The aircraft will be repaired and returned to service later in the year.
The BAes are replaced in 1997-2000 with the repaired Twin Otter. Destinations visited from Florida include Beef Island, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Virgin Gorda.
DOMINAIR (AEROLINEAS DOMINICANAS, S. A.): Apdo 202, Calle el Sol, No. 62, Santiago, Dominican Republic; Phone (809) 247-4010; Fax (809) 581-8882; Code YU; Year Founded 1982. In 1982, ADSA (Aerolineas Dominicanas, S. A.) is renamed Dominair. Employing two de Havilland DH 114 Herons, the carrier continues to maintain passenger and cargo charters from Santiago and Santo Domingo to various destinations throughout Central America and the Caribbean. Regularly scheduled commuter service is undertaken from Santo Domingo’s Herrera Airport to Barahona, Cabo Rojo, La Romana, Puerto Plata, and Santiago.
In 1984 and in cooperation with the U. S. commuter PRINAIR, nonstop, daily weekday service is inaugurated from Santiago to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Remaining viable in the increasingly more difficult charter market of the middle 1980s proves extremely difficult. The company nearly shuts its doors in 1986. At this point, shareholding is assumed by LIAT (1974), Ltd. and Trans World Airlines (TWA).
In 1987, the Herons are withdrawn. Employed since the renaming to fly only freight, the former ADSA Martin 404s, having been refurbished, are now employed exclusively on passenger charters. According to the company’s report to ICAO, boardings are up 1.1% to 15,077 during the first six months of 1988.
Operations continue apace for the remainder of the decade and into the 1990s. In 1993-1994, President Armano J. Bermudez’s fleet comprises just 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-8-300. Airline employment stands at 22.
Flights to San Juan continue into 1997-1999; however, as the result of a growth in traffic demand, the fleet is increased to include 4 DHC-8-300s. The Dash-8s are operated under contract by LIAT (1974), Ltd.
A total of 28 workers are employed at the beginning of 2000.
DOMINICANA (COMPANIA DOMINICANA DE AVIACION, C. por. A.): Apartado Postal 1415, Av. Jinenez Moya, Eso Jose Con-teras, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Phone (809) 532-6269; Fax (809) 535-1656; Code DO; Year Founded 1957. In 1957, the Cor-poracion Dominicana de Empresos Estatales (Dominican Corporation of State Enterprises) purchases the last 40% shareholding of Pan American World Airways (1) in CDA (Compania Dominicana de Aviacion, S. A.) and the carrier becomes a state-owned enterprise. In the decade between 1958-1968, domestic routes are integrated and schedules broadened; a regional route is opened to Haiti with the airline’s two Douglas DC-6Bs.
A C-46A with two crew suffers an engine fire just after takeoff from Ciudad Trujillo, Haiti, on July 17, 1958, and crashes; there are no survivors. Early in 1968, a request is made to lease a BAC 1-11-408 from Channel Airways, Ltd. of the U. K. The aircraft is actually painted in the Caribbean carrier’s colors before the decision is taken in June to cancel the project.
An order is placed for a Douglas DC-9-32 in early 1969; it will be received before the end of the year. Just after takeoff from Miami on June 23 for a flight to Santo Domingo, both engines of one of the company’s two Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvairs, with four crew, catch fire; the aircraft attempts to return, but crashes into buildings lining a Miami street a mile short of the runway. All aboard the plane are killed, along with six people on the ground.
The new DC-9-32 is placed into service on the Miami route in January 1970. Just two minutes after takeoff from Santo Domingo on February 15, the new jetliner with 5 crew and 97 passengers, loses power and attempts to return to the airport; the Douglas descends too fast and crashes into the sea. There are no survivors.
Dominicana orders two Boeing 727-1J1s in 1971; they join the fleet in 1972 wearing a livery that features a white fuselage top and red and blue cheatline. The Boeings commence international service in 1973 to New York, Cura9ao, and in cooperation with VIASA (Venezolana In-ternacional de Aviacion, S. A.) to Caracas.
In 1974-1978, the fleet is increased by the addition of a B-707-320C, a B-727-2J1, and an all-cargo DC-6F, which replaces the last Curtiss C-46 Commando during the former year. New destinations added during the period include Aruba, Puerto Plata, and Port au Prince. Great consternation is caused on September 3, 1975, when a bar of gold is stolen from a B-727-1J1 at New York (JFK). A DC-3 with three crew experiences an onboard fire just after takeoff from Grand Turk Island on March 23, 1978, and crashes into the sea; there are no survivors.
Airline employment in 1979-1980 stands at 582. A DC-10-30 is ordered in 1981 and delivered late in 1983. As the B-727-2J1 with 155 passengers is departing San Juan on June 10, 1983, a bomb threat causes it to return to the airport, where it is parked in an isolated area for inspection. In the process of evacuation, several passengers open an overwing emergency exit and jump out. Seven are injured in this manner, one seriously. No explosive is found upon inspection.
Early in 1984, nonstop, daily Santo Domingo-New York flights commence. In March, twice-weekly Miami to Puerto Plata service begins.
Additional attention is paid to the charter market in 1985 and beginning in June a leased B-747-123, formerly flown by American Airlines, is placed into service for a year under the name Volando en Grande to fly charters from Santo Domingo to New York and Madrid. This effort intensifies in 1986, especially following the near demise of Dominair.
During 1987-1988 , the carrier retires the DC-10-30, replacing it with a second B-727-2J1 and two B-727s, a Dash-1J1 and a Dash-173C. These introduce a metallic livery that retains the red and blue cheatline. Employment at Chairman Dr. Eudoro Sanchez y Sanchez’s airline grows to 582. Enplanement figures filed for the first half of the latter year increase 38.8% to 161,594 while freight climbs 34.5% to 1.5 million FTKs.
The fleet in 1989 includes 1 each Boeing 707-399C, B-727-1J1, B-727-173C, and 2 B-727-2J1As. A code-sharing agreement is signed with Iberia Spanish Airlines (2) (Lineas Areas de Espana, S. A.) in
August and provides for code-sharing on the routes from Rio de Janeiro, Bogota, Santo Domingo, and on to Madrid.
A B-727-247 is leased in 1991 and in 1992 officials welcome a B-727-281 and chartered B-727-225A as replacement for the withdrawn B-727-1J1.
In 1993, Chairman Sanchez y Sanchez oversees a workforce of 582. In addition to domestic communities, international markets served from Santo Domingo include Cura9ao, Caracas, Aruba, Port-au-Prince, Miami, San Juan, and New York.
Having arrived at Santo Domingo on a September 5 service from San Jose, a B-727-281 with 7 crew and 98 passengers and which had encountered a smoke alarm program en route, is able to disembark most of its passengers before the cabin suddenly fills with smoke from bad wiring. The remaining passengers are quickly evacuated, after which a major fire breaks out destroying the Boeing.
Declared an unsafe airline by the FAA due to its general safety record and procedures, the company is, during the fall, prohibited from flying into the U. S. (except for Puerto Rico).
During the spring 1994, the chartered airliners are returned and the airline depends upon a leased B-737-5Y0 from TAESA (Transortes Aereos Ejecutivos, S. A. de C. V.) until a former Skybus Airlines B-727-2J1A can be leased. The dual-designator arrangement with Iberia Spanish Airlines (2) (Lineas Aereas de Espana, S. A.) allows the company to continue flights to Miami and New York through the expedient of block-seat purchases.
The B-727-2J1A The B-727-2J1A is delivered at the beginning of 1995. Growing business problems cause the company to temporarily suspend flights in April; however, sporadic service resumes toward the end of the year. The B-727-1J1 returns to service in 1996.
Dr. Rodolfo Rincon is chairman in 1997, with Marina Ginebra de Bonnelly as president/CEO and Capt. Eddy A. Tineo as operations director. Airline employment stands at 582 and the Boeing trimotors continue to fly to, from, and between Aruba, Caracas, Cura9ao, Port-au-Prince, and San Juan.
Operations of the state-owned airline cease in 1998 as the company, while not dissolved, becomes moribund. Aircraft are parked and staff is largely discharged.
It is reported in Caribbean Week on May 2, 1999 that efforts are afoot to revive the carrier, with an eye toward having it operational before the end of the year. The lead in this project is taken by Eduardo Selman, director of the Dominican Corporation of State Enterprises, in cooperation with the Commission for the Reform of Public Enterprise. The possibility of complete privatization exists and equity partners, willing to infuse both cash and aircraft, may be quickly located.
To make investment attractive, the Dominican Aviation Board grants any future owners exclusive authority to operate to the U. S. for a period of six years. This grant, which is all but worthless at the moment due to the carrier’s Category III safety rating from the FAA, is added as assets to the carrier’s Santo Domingo headquarters (and $4-million debt). Bids are now sought for a 50% stake and operational control of the airline; despite opposition from the national airline and hotel trade associations, the government sets an $11.5-million asking price for Dominicana.
Director Selman informs the El Siglo newspaper on December 20 that 14 companies have shown an interest in investing in Dominicana. He also reveals that the grounded carrier has assets of RD$ 148 million and liabilities of RD$ 1.8 billion, of which most is owed to the state Banco de Reservas. The matter of foreign debt, however, remains a potential deal breaker.
Antonio Isa Conde, director of the Commission for the Reform of Public Enterprises, warns on January 12, 2000 that privatization continues to hinge on the successful conclusion of the airline’s foreign debt negotiations. If it turns out to cost more to settle the debt than the country will obtain from privatization, then the capitalization of Dominicana will be aborted.
The tendering of bids continues until March 15. At this point, the Dominican government closes the bidding process and selects four finalists: Allegro (Lineas Aereas Allegro, S. A.), Aserca (Aerolineas Regional de Centro, C. A.), Friedman Turby & Co., and Lauda Air
Luftfahrtgesellschaft, A. G. The decision as to which concern to award the carrier is put off and the status of the bid from Lauda becomes uncertain in light of its economic and political problems later in the year.
DOMINICANA INTERNACIONAL, S. A.: Dominican Republic (1984-1988). Dominicana Internacional is established at Santo Domingo in 1984 to offer jetliner services to points in Central America. Revenue Douglas DC-8-54 flights commence linking the carrier’s base with Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San Pedro Sula. Frequencies end in 1988.
DOMINION AERIAL EXPLORATION COMPANY, LTD.: Canada (1922-1926). Formerly chief pilot for the Price Bros., Ltd. paper company, Harold S. Quigley forms this nonscheduled company at Roberval, in the Lac Saint-Jean region of Quebec, in the fall of 1922. Outfitting his new entrant with a single Martinsyde Type A Mk. II seaplane, Quigley undertakes forest survey and protection flights on behalf of the Canadian Air Board during the summer of 1923. The Air Board loans Dominion three Curtiss HS-2L flying boats, but one is lost in an accident.
Three Norman Thompson NT-2B flying boats enter service in 1924 as expansion plans are made. Three more Curtiss airplanes are received in 1925. During this year, Quigley takes over the Trois-Rivieres facilities of Laurentide Air Service, Ltd. and undertakes exploration and transportation services in connection with a survey being made along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.
The company is reorganized into Canadian Airways, Ltd. in 1926.
DOMINION AIRWAYS, LTD.: New Zealand (1929-1931). Dominion Airways, Ltd. is formed at Wellington in late 1929 to begin flying between the nation’s North and South Islands via Cook Strait. This service is not undertaken; however, by the end of 1930 sufficient capital has been raised to purchase a Desoutter and begin flights from Hastings to Gisborne.
Approximately 100 flights are made before the Desoutter crashes at Wairoa on February 8, 1931; although no one is killed, the plane must be written off. There being no money to purchase a replacement aircraft, the company now ceases operations.
World History
