FRANKLIN & BAKER AIRLINES: United States (1934). With George T. Baker as general manager, Franklin and Baker is formed at
Daytona Beach, Florida in the fall of 1934 to open the last of 32 new airmail routes granted by the government in the wake of the Airmail Scandals. Employing two Ryan B-5 Broughams, the company inaugurates AM-31 to St. Petersburg on October 15. On November 19, the route is extended north of Daytona Beach to Jacksonville. Passengers and express are carried, beginning in December, and, at the end of the year, the carrier is renamed National Airlines System.
FRED OLSEN’S FLYSELSKAP, A. S. (FRED OLSENS AIR TRANSPORT, LTD.): Norway (1933-1997). Fred Olsen, a leading Norwegian shipping magnate, invests heavily in DNL Norwegian Airlines (Det Norske Luftfartselskap, A. S.), the new national airline, on October 16, 1933. In 1935, capitalization is increased when four other companies provide funding. In cooperation with DNL, Fred Olsen & Bergenske, A. S. acquires a Sikorsky S-43 on July 29 for use in extending a proposed, but unrealized, transatlantic service with Pan American Airways (PAA). It is employed to offer summer scheduled service between Oslo and Stockholm through July 31, and is then sold to a French carrier.
Operations continue apace until April 1940, when flights cease with the Nazi invasion of Norway.
Fred Olsen’s Flyselskap is formed in June 1946 to lease aircraft to other airlines and to offer passenger and cargo charters, calibration flights, and contract service flights.
Operations continue without incident in 1947-1951.
Completing a flight from Madrid and Bordeaux, a C-47A with three crew suffers engine failure and crash-lands on a beach three km. N of Mimizan, Norway, on April 2, 1952; although the plane is a total wreck, there are no fatalities. A C-47A with 3 crew and 26 passengers is lost near Skien, Norway, on May 5 (11 dead).
Five years later, on September 30, 1957, the company takes a 15% interest in the new Austrian Airlines, A. G.
Olsen continues its nonscheduled work, flying primarily cargo from Oslo Airport to various destinations in Europe. Five Curtiss C-46Rs enter service in 1958 as many of the company’s services are now undertaken under contract to SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System).
By 1965, the company’s fleet of 3 Curtiss Commandos and 1 Douglas DC-6A/B is carrying 4 million ton-miles of freight for the multinational airline.
A total of seven million ton-miles of freight are flown in 1966; this figure rises to 11.61 million in 1967. During the latter year, the workforce totals 100 and the fleet comprises 2 DC-6As, 1 DC-6A/B, and 3 C-46Rs.
In 1968-1970, the fleet is increased by the addition of a Convair CV-340 and two Dassault Falcon 20s. Emphasis is now begun on executive passenger charter services and in the latter year, enplanements total 2,741 and the workforce is 140.
Bookings fall to 2,150 in 1971, the year the C-46Rs are withdrawn.
In 1972, the carrier’s DC-6s continue to operate freight service under contract to SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System), which consequently reports the traffic as part of its own figures.
Passenger boardings decline.75% to 2,000 executive customers. In December, Olsen’s sells its two Falcons to the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
A used Dassault Falcon 20 is purchased in January 1973 as company officials reassess the possibilities of the executive charter market. It is followed into service during November by a Lockheed L-188AC received from Nordic Air, A. S.
By the late 1970s, the fleet comprises 3 L-188AC Electras, 1 Hawker Siddeley HS 748-B1, and 1 Dassault Falcon 20. A 40% interest is also held in Wideroe’s Flyvelskap, A. S.
Operations continue apace through the remainder of the decade and into the 1980s. In 1986, Managing Director Alex Lange’s fleet and operations remain the same, although, by now emphasis has been shifted entirely to cargo charters.
By 1991, the HS 748 has been joined by a BAe (HS) 748-B2; three L-188Cs and the Dassault have been replaced by four L-188AFs.
Charter cargo flights continue apace in 1992-1996. The Lockheeds fly overnight services to Brussels and back on behalf of DHL Worldwide Express. During the latter year, General Manager Frederick Hirsch’s fleet includes 1 BAe (HS) 748-B2 and 5 Electras.
Airline employment stands at 110 at the beginning of 1997. The aviation division of Fred Olsen’s ceases operations at the end of April. One of the Electras is sold to Atlantic Airlines, Ltd. while the five remaining are parked. One of these is leased to Amerer Air in April 1998.
World History
