ARIZONA AIRWAYS (2): United States (1991-1999). The second Arizona Airways is established at Tucson on October 1, 1991 to offer passenger and cargo flights to Albuquerque and Hermosillo. Presi-dent/CEO Jim Swartz prefers to wait until spring before launching scheduled operations.
Revenue flights commence from Tucson to Phoenix and Albuquerque in March 1992, with a pair of Beech 1300s. By year’s end, a total of 858 passengers are flown. International service to Hermosillo, Mexico, begins in October 1993.
Phoenix and El Paso join the route network during the spring of 1994. Three Beech 1900Cs operate these services and help to insure that customer bookings skyrocket to 47,223, along with 58,000 pounds of freight. Despite the positive traffic picture, expenditures and debts continue to mount, forcing Swartz to temporarily shut down in August 1995.
When services resume, the fleet is altered to include 2 Beech 1900Cs and 2 Beech 1300s. Flights continue in 1996-1998 and employment reaches 100. Markets visited from Tucson now include Albuquerque, Cuidad Obregon, El Dorado, Guaymas, Hermosillo, Luaghlin, Long Beach, and Phoenix.
The continuing battle with costs puts the company out of business in 1999.
ARIZONA PACIFIC AIRLINES: United States (1981-1983). APAis set up at Las Vegas, Nevada, early in 1981 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo flights. Convair CV-440 and CV-580 revenue flights commence linking the company’s base with Flagstaff, Santa Barbara, and the Grand Canyon. Due to the ATC restrictions caused by the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike, the airline cannot operate long beyond summer.
The company is reformed in 1982. Gone are the large Convairs, replaced with Cessna lightplanes. Scheduled and charter flights are offered and continued to the Grand Canyon. Further information on scheduled activities after 1983 is not available.
ARKANSAS AERO: United States (1973). The scheduled air taxi Arkansas Aero is set up at Jonesboro in 1973 to provide local services. Although flights commence, they cannot be maintained for more than a few months.
World History
