ATI AIR COMPANY: UI, Yanvarskoga Vostania 17-2, Kiev, Ukraine; Phone 380 (4) 429 04078; Fax 380 (4) 429 04078; Code TII; Year Founded 1996. The all-cargo charter operator ATI is established at Kiev in late 1996. Revenue operations are initiated and continue with a fleet of 5 Ilyushin Il-76s.
ATKIN AIR CHARTER: Lincoln Regional Airport-Harder Field, 1420 Flightline Drive, Lincoln, California 95648, United States; Phone (916) 645-6242; Fax (916) 645-7132; Http://www. atkinair. com; Year Founded 1995. Kent and Niki Atkin establish this FBO at Lincoln, California, in 1995. Simultaneously, the co-owners also elect to establish a charter business and, by 2000, the company employs four full-time pilots. Flights are made throughout the state and nation by 2 each Piper PA-34 Seneca IIs and Cessna 182 Skylanes, along with 1 C-414 Chancellor and C-T210 Turbo Centurian.
ATLANT SOYUZ AIRLINES: 10/2 Nikolskaia Street, Moscow, 103062, Russia; Phone 7 (095) 246-9419; Fax 7 (095) 246-8503; Code 3G; Year Founded 1991. V. A. Shpilkin and S. D. Leitchenko establish Atlant Soyuz Airlines at Moscow in December 1991 to provide international, regional, and domestic scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services. At the same time, Atlant SV Airlines is established as a subsidiary at Simferepol in the Ukraine.
Atlant Soyuz does not acquire aircraft of its own, but leases them from its offspring, Atlant SV Airlines, which in turn charters its requirements from the Ukraine Air Force. In this manner, Leitchenko, who remains in Moscow as general director of the parent company, acquires 1 Ilyushin Il-62, 4 Il-76TDs, and 1 Tupolev Tu-134 with which to commence revenue operations during the summer of 1992.
Operations continue apace in 1993-1997. During these years, as the carrier comes more and more to concentrate on freight operations and the fleet is increased by the addition of 4 more Il-76TDs and 1 Tu-154B.
Like several airlines that have appeared after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Atlant Soyuz has come to specialize in facilitating lift for the chelnoki, also known as shuttle or suitcase traders. Thousands of these small-time merchants, usually young men but sometimes even middle-aged housewives, have traveled to such foreign lands as China, Greece, and Africa, and often the Mideast, to find low-priced goods to sell for large profits at home.
In mid-August 1998, the Russian ruble is devalued. Almost immediately, many of the chelnoki must quit, as they can no longer afford to pay for hard currency to make their acquisitions. Additionally, the devaluation impacts the Russian air cargo carriers engaged in this trade, forcing them to cut back on scheduled flights and particularly on charters.
Flights continue in 1999. On May 5, 2000, the Russian media reports that the carrier’s close cooperation with East Line Aviation may soon result in the two cornering the cargo market in Moscow.
ATLANT SV AIRLINES: Central Airport, Simferepol, Crimea, Ukraine; Phone 380 (0652) 272 322; Fax 380 (0652) 272 322; Year Founded 1991. V. A. Shpilkin and S. D. Leitchenko establish Atlant SV Airlines at Simferepol in December 1991 as a subsidiary of their Moscow-based Atlant Soyuz Airlines. Like its parent, Atlant SV is established to offer regional, domestic, and international cargo and passenger services, both scheduled and charter.
Atlant SV does not acquire aircraft of its own, but charters them from the Ukraine Air Force. It also subleases aircraft to Atlant Soyuz Airlines. In this manner, V. A. Shpilkin, who moves to the Crimea to serve as the airline’s general director, is able to assemble a fleet of 3 Ilyushin Il-62Ms, 1 Il-62, and 40 Il-76MDs.
Revenue operations commence in September 1992 and continue apace in 1993-2000. During these years, the workforce grows to 425 and the fleet is reduced by 1 Il-62M and 8 Il-76MDs; 1 Tupolev Tu-154M is added.
The company signs long-term contracts with the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide logistical support for peacekeeping and disaster relief operations. Charter flights to the U. S. commence in 1995.
ATLANTA EXPRESS AIRLINE CORPORATION: United States (1982-1983). Atlanta Express is formed as a subsidiary of American Financial at Hartsfield International Airport in the spring of 1982 to offer scheduled third-level passenger and cargo flights linking the company’s base with Macon, Columbus, Anniston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Raleigh, and Florence. Employing a fleet of 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-7s and 2 Shorts 330s, the company initiates daily roundtrip operations on May 15.
On June 22, 1983, the company is purchased by and merged into Charlotte-based Sunbird Airlines.
ATLANTA ICELANDIC AIRLINES, H. F.: Iceland (19891991). AIA is established at Reykjavik in 1986 to offer charter passenger and cargo flights to northern Europe and Atlanta, Georgia. Revenue services commence in February employing a wet-leased B-707-320s to fly on behalf of Caribbean Airways, Ltd. between Barbados and London.
In February 1988, the company enters into an agreement with the Finish tour operator Hasse on the wet-lease of the B-707-320 on charters from Helsinki to Cyprus and Crete.
A contract is signed with Air Afrique (2) (Societe Aerienne Africaine Multinationale, S. A.) in August to transport Islamic pilgrims from countries in west and central Africa to Jeddah.
In early 1989, Boeing 737-210C leased from the U. S. carrier Express One International and a Douglas DC-8-61 leased from and flown on behalf of Finnair, O/Y. Hadj flights on behalf of Air Afrique (2) (Soci-ete Aerienne Africaine Multinationale, S. A.) commence in May; they will be flown annually thereafter. An Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante is acquired in November for lease to its local Servissair affiliate.
The B-737-210C is wet-leased to Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G. in October 1990 to operate scheduled cargo services within Europe for 18 months.
The DC-8-61 is replaced in May 1991 with a chartered Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 1, the company’s first wide-bodied jetliner. The Lockheed is almost immediately wet-leased to Sudan Airways, Ltd. Recessionary forces now attack company business, including the contract with Finnair, O/Y, now ended. The company is reformed in the fall and reborn as Air Atlanta Icelandic, H. F.
ATLANTAIR, LTD.: Canada (1981-1983). Established at Moncton, New Brunswick, this third-level operator launches Cessna charters and some scheduled flights to destinations around New Brunswick late in 1981. Unable to survive recession, the enterprise folds in 1983.
ATLANTIC AERO: Piedmont Triad International Airport, 7716 Airline Drive, P. O. Box 35408, Greensboro, North Carolina 27409, United States; Phone (910) 668-2878; Fax (910) 668-7890; Http://www. atlantic-aero. com; Year Founded 1972. Atlantic Aero is established as an FBO at Piedmont Triad Airport in October 1972, with John E. Godwin Jr. as president and general manager. The company, which will eventually provide comprehensive services to all levels of aviation users, begins by providing refueling and maintenance services, aircraft management, flight training, and hangar facilities.
During the 1970s, AA becomes the first company at GSO to offer jet charters. Don S. Godwin becomes president in 1984 and, two years later in 1986, the carrier’s charter department enters the overnight feeder freight business, using Cessna 208 Caravan Is to support contracts from major package express airlines such as Federal Express and UPS (United Parcel Services).
In response to rapid growth, the express service is reborn in 1990 as Mid-Atlantic Freight, a sister company with common management. Executive charter and group passenger services continue with 1 each Cessna 560 Citation V, C-501 Citation I, Beech King Air 90, Beech Super King Air 200, and Beech 58 Baron.
ATLANTIC AIR: United States (1979-1984). Stratford, Connecticut-based Atlantic Air is formed by Michael J. Lehrman in 1979 to offer charter services to various New England destinations with a fleet that grows to comprise 6 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos. In the spring of 1981, the Pipers are returned and replaced by 3 Beech 99s. There are employed to inaugurate scheduled passenger and cargo flights on May 22 from Bridgeport to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
During the remainder of the year and in 1982-1983, service is expanded and new markets are opened to Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, and White Plains. The fleet is increased by the addition of 1 Beech 1900B.
In November 1984, the company is purchased by the Marketing Corporation of America and is reformed into Business Express.
World History
