AIR HAITI, S. A.: Haiti (1969-1991). The Haitian all-freight airline is formed at Port-au-Prince in December 1969 initially as a charter carrier operating Curtiss C-46 Commandos. Following receipt of a five-year foreign air carrier license from the U. S. CAB, flights commence in October 1970 to San Juan, Miami, and other points in the Caribbean. A Douglas DC-6A is employed for a time during the remainder of the decade; however, the main fleet is made up of Curtiss C-46 Commandos.
Having suffered an engine fire, a C-46A with two crew makes an emergency landing at Nassau on May 20, 1976, during which the undercarriage collapses; although the aircraft is damaged beyond economical repair, no serious injuries are reported.
Permission is received in 1981 to operate international all-cargo jetliner flights to Miami and New York and a pair of Boeing 707-331Cs is leased with which to start them.
By 1984, one Boeing has been purchased, joining the fleet’s two Commandos. Scheduled jetliner service is maintained to Miami and scheduled Commando service to San Juan; regular, but nonscheduled flights, are undertaken to New York (B-707-331C) and Santo Domingo (C-46).
The carrier ceases operations in 1991 in the midst of political upheaval.
AIR HAITI INTERNATIONAL, S. A.: Haiti (1961) . With covert support from the American-based Airline Management and Investment Co., AHI is established at Port-au-Prince in March 1961 to operate as the nation’s designated flag carrier to Miami, Puerto Rico, and the British West Indies. Although officials are unsuccessful in their efforts to obtain a foreign air carrier license to operate into the U. S., the company is able to start business in late spring with a Lockheed L-749A Constellation previously flown by Eastern Air Lines.
For an undisclosed reason (perhaps sabotage), the aircraft and its crew of five crashes into the Caribbean E of Puerto Rico on November 11 while on a flight from San Juan to Managua; there are no survivors.
With no assets and no flight equipment, the company is liquidated by year’s end.
AIR HANSON, LTD.: Business Aviation Centre, Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, Surrey, England, GU17 9LG, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (1254) 890089; Fax 44 (1254) 890102; Year Founded 1976.
This helicopter line is formed in 1976 by ex-Royal Navy helicopter pilots Colin Bates and Patrick J. R. McHaffey as a subsidiary of the industrial management company Hanson Trust, Ltd. to provide executive transport for corporate officials and clients.
In October 1982, AHL becomes the Bell Helicopter distributor for the U. K. and Irish Republic.
With an increased fleet of 2 Sikorsky S-76s, 2 Bell 206B JetRangers, and 2 Bell 206L LongRangers, the carrier in 1983 continues its executive mission while mixing in some charter work. Operations continue apace over the next decade, during which time the company becomes the U. K. distributor for Sikorsky Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company.
Services continue during the remainder of the decade and into the 1990s. On July 1, 1990 , the small Blackbushe-based fixed-wing air charter operator ADT Aviation, Ltd. is acquired. AHL will employ its license as the basis upon which it will fly its own Beech 400 bizjet charters, while simultaneously distributing Beech aircraft in the U. K. and Ireland.
While en route from its base at Blackbushe Airport to reposition in northern France for an August 14, 1992 charter, a Bell 206B JetRanger, piloted by Managing Director Bates, with his two sons and a friend aboard, crashes in Surrey, England. Bates and his youngest son are killed. Cofounder McHaffey assumes responsibility for the business.
On May 1, 1993, former P & O Aviation chief pilot David Sale is appointed Air Hanson chief pilot. The fleet at this point comprises 2 each Bell 206Bs, 206Ls, and 222s plus 12 Sikorsky S-76s.
During the first quarter of 1994, the carrier becomes European launch customer for the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) MD Explorer, placing an order for four craft that will be delivered over the next two years. Employing a British-registered S-76A, the company, in May, inaugurates a joint venture charter service with HeliFrance, S. A. linking Battersea heliport with Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport in Paris.
Flights continue in 1995-1997. During these years, Air Hanson solidifies its activities around the maintenance, sales, and management of corporate turbine helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, with franchises to sell and maintain the Beechcraft fixed-wing range and Sikorsky civilian helicopters.
By 1998, Operations Manager Brenda McCune oversees the work of 3 Sikorsky S-76s, 1 JetRanger, and 1 Beech 400A Beechjet executive aircraft. On September 4, Morristown, N. J.-based Lynton Group acquires 100% equity shareholding.
Service is maintained in 1999-2000.
AIR HAWAII (1): United States (1967-1970). Established at Honolulu in early fall 1967, AH-1, also known as Jet-Air Hawaii, acquires a fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otters. Revenue commuter services are started on October 11, linking the company’s base with Molokai, Lanai, and Kaanapali.
Operations continue apace until the carrier goes out of business in 1970.
AIR HAWAII (2): United States (1977-1982). Bruce McKenzie forms AH-2 in April 1977 as a large, third-level carrier based at Honolulu. A fleet of Beech 18s and Cessna lightplanes is assembled. In addition to providing scheduled services from the state capital to Lihue, Princeville, Kaunakakai, and Kahului, the company, when it begins services in May, also flies sight-seeing tours throughout the islands.
Tropic Air (later Air Molokai) is taken over later in the year and Island Pacific Air in the first quarter of 1978. Operations continue apace in 1979.
In January 1980, OK Air (Oahu and Kauai Airlines) is purchased and merged; later in the year, Tropic Air regains its independence. President
Robert V. Franker’s fleet now comprises 7 Cessna 404s and 2 Cessna 402s. In late 1981, an Australian-built GAF Nomad N-27A is acquired.
Recession and intense intrastate competition from other carriers causes the company to go out of business in 1982.
AIR HAWAII (3): United States (1985-1986). AH-3 is formed by Hawaii Express founder Michael Hartley at Honolulu in the fall of 1985 to offer discounted holiday tour and charter flights to California. Hartley resigns before flights can begin. Having purchased the operating certificate of dormant Air West International and employing a pair of leased Douglas DC-10-30s first flown by Western Airlines, the non-scheduled operator inaugurates $298 roundtrips to Los Angeles on November 22. San Francisco becomes a destination just before Christmas.
Unable to earn sufficient revenues to remain viable during the bitter fare war its entrance onto the market engenders, the company collapses on February 19, 1986, leaving upwards of 10,000 passengers holding unredeemable $ 1,200-vacation packages. Two weeks later it files for Chapter XI bankruptcy protection.
Many customers believe Hawaiian Air to be the same operator and it is several months before the state’s senior carrier can clear up the confusion.
AIR-HI-O: Fayette County Airport, Washington Court House, Ohio 43160-9006, United States; Phone (614) 333-1800; Fax (614) 3332080; Year Founded 1993. Air-Hi-O, a corporate play on the state’s name, is established at Fayette County Airport, Washington Court House, Ohio, in 1993. Vice President Douglas Reno and Operations Director Pierre Doyon recruit two full - and two part-time pilots and inaugurate passenger and cargo charters with one each Cessna 208 Caravan I and Mitsubishi MU-2B.
Operations are flown without incident until the early fall of 1996. Just after takeoff from Chillicothe on September 28, the MU-2B loses power to its left engine. Although the pilot is able to make a safe single-engine landing back at the point of origin, the aircraft runs off the right side of the runway into a ditch, collapsing both the right main-and nosegears.
Services continue into 2000, by which time the fleet has been doubled with the addition of a Beech King Air 100 and a replacement MU-2B. All but the King Air are now employed in an all-cargo configuration.
AIR HIBISCUS (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1985-1987). Created at Coogee, New South Wales, in 1985, AHL provides scheduled third-level services out of Brisbane with a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain. Unable to maintain viability, the commuter closes down in 1987.
AIR HOKKAIDO COMPANY, LTD.: 511 Takamatsu-ho, Hokkaido-shi, Hokkaido 042, Japan; Phone 138 593 707; Fax 138 593 766; Year Founded 1994. To accomplish labor savings and greater flexibility in flight frequencies, AHCL is established as a subsidiary of Air Nippon, Ltd. during the first week of May 1994. The object of the company is also to provide scheduled services to three remote islands from the large Japanese island of Hokkaido. Employing a pair of de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters leased from its parent, AHCL inaugurates revenue frequencies during the summer.
President Hiroshi Kitamikado’s concern continues operations over the next six years, with a variety of passenger charters also offered. Fiscal results are blended into those provided by All Nippon Airways Company, Ltd.
AIR HOLLAND, N. V.: Netherlands (1979-1991). Privately owned Air Holland, N. V. is established at Rotterdam in early 1979 by former Transavia Holland, N. V. president, John Block. Block had started his airline career as the first pilot with Martinair Holland, N. V., and returns to the business as president/general director on behalf of a number of Dutch tour operators seeking a third alternative to KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, N. V.) and Martinair Holland, N. V. A license request is made of the Netherlands government on August 31.
It requires six years and three hearings before the Administrative Court of Appeal before AH receives its government license on April 2, 1985 to undertake operations from the airport at its base as well as Maastricht. A B-727-200 is quickly leased from Tunisair and service is launched to holiday destinations in southern Europe, North Africa, the Mideast, and the Canary Islands on behalf of tour operators at Maastricht, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Eindhoven. A second ex-Tunisair B-727-200 enters service in May. A contract is signed with British Airways, Ltd. (2) to provide aircraft technical support at London (LHR).
Enplanements in 1986, the first full year of operation, reach 318,473 and profits hit $2.44 million.
Airline employment in 1987 stands at 165, including 132 flight personnel. Capacity demands of the European inclusive-tour market force the carrier to shelve plans to inaugurate transatlantic charters to Boston and Toronto. A third B-727-200 is leased between May and December while Peter Crawford, seconded from BA to be vice president-technical, begins training a cadre of maintenance personnel at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
As passenger boardings jump 23% to 413,250, orders are placed for three, later five, B-757-200s. Revenues increase 42.1% to $80.5 million and expenses are low enough to allow a $4.06-million operating profit. The net profit is $2 million.
The 130-employee charter operator replaces its B-727s in 1988 with three new B-757-200s beginning with two delivered in March and the third delivered in May. Meanwhile, in late April, unlimited authority is sought from the government and, beginning in late summer, low frequency transatlantic charters to North America and the Caribbean begin. A 20% interest is taken in Air Aruba, B. V. and by year’s end the company is serving 21 destinations on behalf of a dozen inclusive-tour operators.
The new aircraft, financed by a group of Dutch banks, help to insure that customer bookings leap upward by 20.4% to 497,000, which now equals 25% of the nation’s nonscheduled holiday market. Revenues total $52.2 million and operating income of $5.76 million is generated.
The number of employees skyrockets by 81.4% in 1989 to 234 and, in January, a new surface transit hub is inaugurated at Paris (CDG). A fourth B-757-200 is chartered in April and work begins on a new 8,100-sq.-ft., $17-million maintenance hangar at Schiphol Airport. In November, in cooperation with Kenya Airways, Ltd., B-757-200 non-scheduled inclusive-tour flights for the winter season begin from Rotterdam to Mombasa via Cairo.
Passenger boardings jump another 21% to 500,000 and revenues climb 36.6% to $55 million. The operating profit is $8 million and net gain reaches $5 million.
In April 1990, the company leases a B-757-200 to Air Aruba, B. V., allowing that Caribbean carrier to inaugurate jetliner service to Miami and Sao Paulo. With the coming of recession and the unstable Mideast situation in the second half of the year, the carrier is forced to begin downsizing its capacity.
Two B-757-200s are leased to Britannia Airways, Ltd., two are chartered to Sterling Airways, A. S., and one just received is leased to Condor Flugdienst, GmbH. AH now operates only a B-767-204ER— leased from Britannia Airways, Ltd.—on its services, which include two new destinations, Colombo and Maldives. The B-757-200, out on charter to Air Aruba, is employed, beginning in December, to inaugurate services from Aruba to Newark (EWR).
Enplanements plunge to 277,000, but the carrier manages to generate a $4.25-million net profit.
In May 1991, AH and Air Aruba launch a joint weekly B-767-204ER roundtrip service from Aruba to Amsterdam, continuing to Cologne. Unable to obtain additional financing, the company files for bankruptcy in the fall and officially goes out of business.
AIR HOLLAND CHARTER, B. V.: Poregwetcaan 67, 1117 PK Postbus 75116, Oude Meer, 75116, The Netherlands; Phone 31 (20) 3164444; Fax 31 (20) 316-4445; Code GG; Year Founded 1991. The assets of Air Holland are reorganized on November 3, 1991 and reborn as
Air Holland Regional, B. V. Managing Director P. P. F. Langendijk’s company now has a much more limited program of passenger charter and inclusive-tour destinations, primarily those in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands. Renewed services are initially provided with a single Boeing 757-23A.
In 1992, the carrier elects to expand its market and changes its corporate identity. The fleet is expanded to comprise 2 B-757-27Bs and
1 B-737-3L9; 1 B-737-400 is ordered.
Holiday stops now visited include Alicante, Ankara, Arrecife/Las Palmas, Athens, Calvi/Alghero, Corfu, Paro, Lisbon, Heraklion, Ibitha, Izmir, Kalamara, Karpathos, Kos, Malaga, Mitilini, Oporto, Palma, Rhodes, Samos, Tel Aviv, and Zakynthos. Again the company is forced, for financial reasons, to suspend flights.
Norwegian authorities rebuff a December 10 purchase offer for Norway Airlines, A. S., because the potential Dutch owners have demanded, as part of their rescue package, that the 12 Norwegian Airlines weekly roundtrips from Oslo to London (LGW) be maintained.
In 1993, following another reorganization, President Langendijk oversees a workforce of 85. The fleet now includes 1 B-737-3L9 and
2 B-757-27Bs; the requested B-737-4YO is delivered in April. Charter flights resume to the Canary Islands and Mediterranean destinations and enplanements for the year total 500,000.
Late in 1994 the company joins with El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. to establish the joint venture charter carrier Starling Airlines, Ltd.; the Dutch company holds 52% shareholding and Israelis hold the remainder. Plans are made to commence Mediterranean charters employing AHC’s Boeings.
Airline employment stands at 200 in 1995 and 200,000 passengers are transported. A B-757-2T7 is chartered from Monarch Airlines, Ltd. in 1996.
The workforce in 1997 totals 300. The company continues to operate charters to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, as well as to the Caribbean and, during the winter period, Alpine areas. On December 16, the company enters into merger discussions with the parent holding company of Schreiner Airways, N. V. Enplanements reach 815,000.
No merger occurs and operations continue apace in 1998-1999.
Facing continuing economic challenges, particularly in light of recent rising fuel prices and increasing leisure market competition, the carrier’s future by the fall of the latter year is bleak. Feelers are put out in an effort to attract an equity buyer or merger partner and it is reported that easyJet, Ltd., El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd., Thomson Travel (parent of Britannia Airways, Ltd.), and Schreiner Airways, A. S. all show an interest. Unable to either firm up a partner or remain viable, the company goes into administration (similar to U. S. Chapter XI bankruptcy) and closes its doors at the beginning of November.
Instead of fading away, the company is purchased by the Dutch financial group LLPI in January 2000. Under new management, the airline is reorganized and refinanced during the remainder of the year’s first half. Having reacquired the B-757-2T7, the airline resumes operations on June 30 and flies a charter from Brussels to Antalya, Turkey.
World History
