Robert E. Brown, owner of the Decatur, Illinois-based FBO Decatur Aviation, establishes an airline subsidiary in 1966 to undertake scheduled daily passenger service to Chicago (Meigs Field) and St. Louis. Operations continue apace for the next four years with a fleet comprising 1 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain, 2 PA-31-310 Navajos, and 2 PA-34 Senecas.
In association with Vercoa Air Service, K. J. Paul purchases the company in 1980, continuing flights as before. On December 1, 1981 in the wake of the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike and attendant ATC problems at Chicago, Paul sells his commuter to Air Illinois.
DECCAN AIRWAYS, LTD.: India (1945-1953). Deccan Airways, Ltd. is founded in Hyderabad State on September 21, 1945, and owned by Hyderabad State (71%) and Tata Sons, Ltd. (29%). Equipped with 12 Douglas DC-3s, the carrier on July 1, 1946 begins flying Hyderabad-Bangalore and Madras-Delhi via Hyderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal, and Gwalior. Hyderabad-Bombay flights commence on February 10, 1947.
Due to a police action to quash political disturbances in Hyderabad State, services are suspended between July 2 and October 15, 1948. Hyderabad, which had not originally been taken into the Indian union (Bharat) upon the nation’s independence the previous year, is now incorporated.
When Indian Overseas Airlines, Ltd. suspends operations in June 1949, the carrier joins Dalmia-Jain, Ltd. in taking over the revolutionary night-airmail service started from Delhi to Madras and Bombay to Calcutta. Monsoon rains cause the operation to be suspended on June 30. Himalayan Aviation, Ltd. assumes the service on October 15, but will give it up in May 1951.
An overloaded DC-3 with 3 crew suffers an in-flight engine failure and crashes at Hatiara on April 5, 1950; there are no survivors.
On June 1, 1951, Deccan resumes night-airmail flights. Having missed its approach to Dum Dum Airport at Calcutta in fog and darkness on November 21, a DC-3 with 4 crew and 13 passengers smashes into trees while going around and crashes (16 dead).
Coming in for a landing at Sonegaon Airport at Nagpur on February 19, 1952, a DC-3 with 4 crew and 12 passengers strikes trees just prior to its touchdown and crashes (3 dead). A DC-3, with 4 crew and 5 passengers, experiences engine failure and crashes at Safdarjung on April 30; there are no survivors. Among the casualties is an American woman missionary.
Thrice-weekly flights between Bombay and Aurangabad are inaugurated on November 20 to serve the Ellora and Ajanta Caves.
As the result of parliamentary study and debate, the decision is taken to nationalize the Indian air transport industry. An Air Corporation Bill receives presidential assent on May 28, 1953, resulting in creation of Indian Airlines Corporation on August 1; the state enterprise now assumes control of Deccan Airways and many of its competitors.
DECCAN AVIATION (PTY.), LTD.: 53 Infantry Road, 2nd Floor, Bangalore, 560001, India; Phone 91 (80) 85613378; Fax 91 (80) 2862873; Http://www. deccan-air. com; Year Founded 1998. Conceived by a group of former Indian army and air force officers, Deccan is established at Jakkur Airfield, outside Bangalore, in 1998 to provide rotary-wing charters and aerial work in the southern part of the nation. Capt. G. R. Gopinath is managing director, with Capt. K. J. Samuel as executive director and Capt. Jayanth Poovaiah as vice president. Bases are also established at New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bombay, and Chennai.
Employing a fleet of Bell 206B JetRangers, Bell 206L LongRangers, and Bell 407s, the company begins the following services: reconnaissance and aerial photography, corporate charters, offshore flights, underslung operations, electronic news gathering, tourism packages, temple tours, overnight getaways, Bangalore heli-rides, medical evacuation and rescue, and motion picture services.
World History
