(Turbo Power International), the subsidiary of an overhaul facility named Turbo Power Incorporated, is established at Miami in 1984 to operate cargo charters and contract service flights with Lockheed L-188AF and L-188CF Electra freighters.
While on initial approach to Kansas City on a service from Detroit (DTT) on January 9, 1985, a L-188AF with three crew accidentally lines up on the wrong airport, Fairfax Airport. The aircraft pulls up steeply to begin to line up anew, when, at 3,100 ft. it stalls and crashes into a public water treatment plant; there are no survivors.
Services continue in 1986-1989 as the fleet is increased to 9 Electras and 1 Douglas DC-8-64F. Three additional Douglas jets remain on order. These operate Logair charters on behalf of the U. S. military, mail on behalf of the British company Airbridge, Ltd., long-haul charters to Africa and South America, and third-party maintenance.
The 200-employee company is purchased by Frederick R. Cathpole and associates and transfer it to Brunswick, Georgia, in February 1990.
While climbing away from Oranjestad, Aruba, on July 14 on a service to Panama City, an L-188CF with three crew suffers the failure of its No. 3 propeller gearbox, causing the No. 3 propeller to separate. The broken propeller strikes No. 4 propeller, which also separates. This propeller crosses under the aircraft and hits the fuselage, hydraulics, cables, and pressure vessel, damaging the No. 2 engine. The No. 2, 3, and 4 engines are all shut down and a safe emergency landing is carried out back at the point of origin.
A total of 4.1 million FTKs are operated during the year. A victim of recession, the airline folds in 1991.
World History
