London Aircraft Production chief test pilot T. W. Morton forms MASL in May 1945, but must wait until the wartime ban on civil flying is lifted on January 1, 1946 before starting revenue operations. Two de Havilland
DH 89As are purchased and one begins the company’s operations on January 18 by flying a charter from London (Croydon) to Zurich.
Another Dragon Rapide is purchased in April and the fleet is increased by the addition of four Airspeed AS.65 Consuls delivered in May, July, September, and December. All of these are busy with charters during the summer, flying between London (Croydon), the Channel Islands, and various Continental destinations.
Two more AS.65s are purchased in January 1947 and these join the other Morton Consuls in participation in the British civil aviation response to a French railroad strike in June. Numerous flights are made to Switzerland to bring back over 150 stranded tourists.
Summer charters are flown as in 1946 and in November an office is opened at Speke Airport in Liverpool.
Two more Dragon Rapides are acquired in 1948, the first in March. The same month, Morton obtains a de Havilland DH 104 Dove I, which is placed in service on the 24th, followed by a second in May. These early Doves, among the first of their type flown in the U. K., prove unsatisfactory and are quickly sold to Skyways, Ltd. in June. In July, four Consuls are sent to Beirut under nine-month charter to the UN Palestine Commission. Middle East flights begin on July 24.
An office is opened in Bristol on April 22, 1949, the day before the Mideast UN charter ends and the four Consuls return from Beirut. In May, a used Dove 1 is purchased from Hunting Air Travel, Ltd. Short-and long-range charters throughout England and the Continent continue during the summer as in previous years. In June, the ex-Hunting Dove is transferred to Yangon to fly charters on behalf of Burma Oil Company. A Percival P.34 Proctor 1 is added in December.
The company’s first scheduled service is offered during the summer of 1950 over a route from Whitchurch to Jersey and Guernsey. During the year, three DH-89As are sold and two more Dove Is are added, one of which is sent to Karachi to begin flying charters on behalf of Pakistan Petroleum Company in October. An AS.65 is destroyed in a nonfatal Guernsey crash.
Several new scheduled frequencies, obtained under associate agreements with British European Airways Corporation (BEA), are offered in 1951: London (Croydon)-Ostend, Le Zoute, and Innsburck and Bristol to Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Wight, and Isle of Man. Some 6,000 passengers are flown on these scheduled routes during the year. A Dragon Rapide is sold in May 1952 and on June 14 an AS.65 is destroyed when it crashes into the English Channel (six dead). Meanwhile, scheduled services and charters are flown as before.
Oiley Air Service, Ltd. is purchased in late February 1953, but continues operations under its own name, including summer flights from London (Croydon) to the Channel Islands in tandem with Morton. At the same time, an agreement is reached with Cambrian Airways, Ltd. whereby the two carriers will not compete on similar West Country routes. A new Bristol-Paris service obtained by Morton is now transferred to Cambrian, which also receives most of Oiley’s aircraft.
Two more Doves are purchased during the year, one in April and one in July. Scheduled services are opened for the summer from London (Croydon) to the Channel Islands and Le Touquet by Morton aircraft while Oiley, employing Morton aircraft, also flies to Jersey and Guernsey as well as Deauville. Morton transports a total of 12,228 passengers. Two more AS.65s are acquired in October.
Between them, the two carriers fly 26,600 passengers in 1954 over the routes of 1953, of which 14,000+ are Morton’s. A Consul is withdrawn during the year while three more Doves are purchased. Charter and scheduled services and the fleet continue unchanged in 1955.
On October 1, 1956, twice-daily, year-round London (Croydon)-Rot-terdam scheduled service is inaugurated. Two more Consuls are sold during the year. The arrival of a new Dragon Rapide in July 1957 is overshadowed by the introduction of the carrier’s first DH-114 Heron 1B the same month. The new aircraft is placed on both the Rotterdam and Channel Island services.
Weekly London (Croydon)-Brawdy flights begin in 1958, the same year in which Morton is purchased by the Airwork group, which allows it to continue to operate under its own identity. Another Heron 1B is added in January 1959, allowing the Brawdy route to become twice weekly. In April, Swansea is added as an optional stop on this service, beginning on June 2. When Croydon Airport is closed on September 30, Morton transfers operations over to London (LGW). The last two Airspeed Consuls are sold in October.
During 1960, Airwork’s Viscounts assume much of Morton’s scheduled service, especially the flights to the Channel Islands. On July 1, the company becomes a part of British United Airways, Ltd., but still retains its separate identity. Two Dragon Rapides are sold in September. On October 31, the Yangon-based Dove is lost in a crash at Chittagong. Another Heron 1B is added in May 1961 and enters service on May 20. Operations to the Channel Islands are strongly resumed in June as well as flights to Le Touquet in June.
During 1962, three DC-3s are transferred to Morton from BUA and are employed for cargo charters. Meanwhile, a number of ex-Jersey Airlines, Ltd. routes are also transferred over. Morton carries a total of 14,726 passengers on its scheduled and charter services during 1963. During 1964, Morton opens interisland services between Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney as well as flights to the Channel Islands from London (LGW) and Southampton and Swansea from London (LGW) and Exeter. Four Heron 2s are acquired in August and a Heron 1B is sold in December.
In 1965, Southend-Billund twice-weekly livestock flights are made along with a daily frequency to Antwerp. Two Heron 1Bs are added in March and two DC-3s in November. Female pilot Yvonne Sintes joins the company to fly the Douglas transports The new Herons fly Jer-sey-Plymouth services in 1966, replacing a route formerly operated by Jersey Airlines, Ltd. One each Dove and Heron 1B are sold. During 1967, scheduled services continue as before as two more Doves are sold. Aurigny Air Services, Ltd. assumes the Alderney route in early 1968. In May, Chairman Morton resigns as his carrier is absorbed into British United (Island) Airways, Ltd.
MOSCOW AIRLINES (AEROFLOT-MOSCOW AIRLINES): Russia (1993-1995). MA is established at Sheremetyevo-1 Airport in the summer of 1993 to offer charter passenger and cargo services in association with Aeroflot Russian International Airlines (ARIA); V.
Kastrin is appointed general director. A fleet of 2 Ilyushin Il-62s, 1 Il-76, 1 Tupolev Tu-154, and 2 Antonov An-32s is assembled and revenue flights begin in September. During the year’s remaining months, a total of 14,270 passengers and 5 million FTKs of freight are flown.
Operations continue apace in 1994 and enplanements climb to 45,600. Flights cease in 1995.
MOSTRANSGAZ AIRLINES COMPANY: Gazoprovod Town, Moscow Area, Leninski Region, 142770, Russia; Phone 7 (095) 3366700; Fax 7 (095) 336-6522; Code OC; Year Founded 1993. MA is set
Up by the Gazprom Group of investors in 1993 to offer domestic and regional all-cargo charters, VIP transport, and aerial contract work. Valeri Pfefer is named director general and he begins revenue flights with 3 Let L-410UVPs, 1 Ilyushin Il-76TD, 1 Antonov An-12, 14 Kamov Ka-26s and 1 Mil Mi-8.
Services continue apace in 1994-1999, during which years the Il-76TD is leased to other carriers.
By 2000, Director General Anatoly T. Balandin oversees a workforce of 480 employees and flights are conducted by 1 Antonov An-2, 2 Yak 40s, 2 Let L-410s, 31 Kamov Ka-26s, and 1 Mil Mi-8.
World History
