AIR TAXI, LTD.: Singapore (1966-1968. Air Taxi, Ltd., literally an air taxi service, is established at Singapore in 1966 to provide local non-scheduled, on-demand services, both passenger and cargo. Revenue flights begin with several small Cessnas and a Douglas DC-3 and continue until the company is reorganized into Singapore Air Services (Pty.), Ltd. in 1968.
AIR TAXI ASSOCIATES (EASTERN AIR TAXI): United States (1964-1966). Established by Edward Brown at Monmouth County Airport in New Jersey during the summer of 1964, this company inaugurates daily roundtrip scheduled Piper lightplane commuter services to New York (JFK) on November 23.
The company is purchased by the Castanea Corporation on February 23, 1965 and merged into its third-level operator (Eastern Air Taxi), which is also based at Monmouth. In 1966, the combined carrier is sold to Thomas Hartford, son-in-law of William “Bill” Piper, who reforms the airline into Piper Twinair.
AIR TAXI COMPANY: Iran (1958-1980). To operate passenger and cargo charters, Air Taxi Company is formed at Tehran in 1958. In addition, maintenance, repair, overhaul, and contract service flights are also performed. The associate firm Air Service Company is established in 1962. Managing Director A. Djanhanbani’s 400-employee nonsched-uled operation undertakes its revenue services with 5 Douglas DC-3s and 8 Rockwell Aero Commanders.
Operations continue apace over the next 17 years, with but two recorded accidents.
A chartered DC-3, with 2 crew and 23 passengers, fails its takeoff from Ahwaz, Iran, on April 13, 1970, and slides off the runway after settling back down; there are no fatalities. Another DC-3 is written off at Shiraz on June 13, 1971.
Like other Western-oriented firms, Air Taxi ceases operations in 1979. It is taken in hand by the new Islamic government and merged in 1980 with Pars Air to form Iran Asseman Airlines.
World History
