AERO COSTARICA, S. A. See ACORI (AERO COSTARICA, S. A.)

AERO COSTA SOL, S. A.: Aeropuerto Juan Santamaria, Hangar 2 Aljuela, 782-4050, Costa Rica; Phone (506) 441-1444; Fax (506) 4412671; Year Founded 1996. Alvaro Xamora Herrera sets up ACS at

Aljuela in 1996 to offer scheduled third-level domestic services. Revenue flights commence and continue with a single Let L-410UVP Turbolet.

AERO COZUMEL, S. A. de C. V.: Apartado Postal 322, Aeropuerto International Cozumel, Quintana Roo, 77600, Mexico; Phone 52 (987) 20503; Fax 52 (987) 20877; Http://www. aerocaribe. com. mx; Code AZ; Year Founded 1978. Fernando Barbachano, onetime Aero-maya, S. A. de C. V. partner, and Nassin Joaquin Ibarra found this third-level carrier at Isla Cozumel, in the state of Quintana Roo, during the summer of 1978. Equipped with 3 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders and

3  BN-2A Trislanders, the company begins scheduled high-frequency service on November 20, linking the Isla de Cozumel with the Caribbean coastal towns of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Ciudad Chetumal.

By 1984 Barbachano has retired and Ibarra is managing director; the fleet has been altered to include 4 Trislanders, 1 Islander, and 1 Fokker F.27 Friendship. Daily shuttle flights are made between Cozumel and Cancun/Playa del Carmen; Chichen Itza and Tulum are now charter destinations. Service is started to Havana in 1987; the fleet this year comprises 3 Trislanders and the Friendship.

Service is conducted without incident in 1988. A chartered Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander with 2 crew and 17 passengers makes a forced landing at Chichen Itza on May 5, 1989 (6 dead).

In 1990, newly privatized Mexicana Airlines, S. A. de C. V. acquires all of the commuter’s shares in order to strengthen its coverage in the southeastern part of the country. As a result, Managing Director Nassim Joaquin Ibarra’s carrier joins the Mexicana Airlines, S. A. de C. V. commuter network “Mexicana Inter.”

In 1992-1993, AC sells one Trislander and acquires another F.27. The employee population during the latter year stands at 90. Two more Friendships arrive in 1994 and services continue apace in 1995-1996. During the latter year, Mexicana Airlines, S. A. de C. V. and its “Mexicana Inter” interests are purchased by the holding company CINTRA, S. A. de C. V., which also owns Aeromexico (2) (Aerovias de Mexico, S. A. de C. V.).

Jaime Tamariz becomes managing director in 1997. In 1998-2000, AC continues its close link with fellow “Mexicana Inter” partner Aerovias Caribe, S. A. de C. V. (Aerocaribe). Between them, they cover 15 cities in the Mayan World area and a total of 28 destinations. The two companies also share a homepage on the World Wide Web.

AERO-DIENST, GmbH.: Flughafenstr 100, Nuremberg 10, D-90411, Germany; Phone 49 (411) 520 120; Fax 49 (411) 520 1216; Year Founded 1968. This privately owned executive charter operation, based at Nuremberg, begins lightplane operations on September 1, 1966. International passenger and cargo charters are also undertaken. In 1982, the carrier joins the JET Europe air taxi marketing group and by middecade, airline employment reaches 100. The fleet in 1984 comprises

4  Gates Learjet 55s, 4 Gates Learjet 35As, 2 Bell 222 helicopters and 1 Bell 206L LongRanger.

Bernhard Jokilschke is managing director in 1986 and company services are maintained through the remainder of the decade and into the 1990s. During these years, the carrier also becomes a Bell helicopter maintenance and sales operator and, by 1994, Managing Director Peter Czech is also flying a significant number of Bell 206B JetRangers. Executive charters continue to be flown through the remainder of the decade with a fleet of 5 Learjet 35As, 2 Learjet 55s, and 2 Learjet 60s.

AERO-DYNE AIRLINES: United States (1965-1985). Aero-Dyne is set up at Renton, Washington, in 1965 to offer passenger and cargo charters and contract service flights throughout the U. S. and Canada. General freight and hazardous materials become a specialization. Additionally, other diversified operations are undertaken, ranging from flight training to aircraft maintenance to aerial agricultural application of seeds and weed-killers.

The fleet grows in the 1970s to include both small aircraft, such as Cessna 150Fs, and large aircraft, such as a Convair CV-580 and Douglas DC-3s. During the early 1980s, two additional DC-3s are acquired, along with a DC-6. Due to over expansion, the company is unable to finance its activities and is forced to cease operating in 1985.

AERO ESLAVA, S. A. de C. V.: Mexico (1992-1994). Aero Eslava, a longtime maintenance and overhaul concern at Mexico City Airport, establishes a flight division in 1992 to provide passenger charter flights to holiday destinations. Revenue operations begin and continue with 1 each Fokker F.27 Friendship and British Aerospace (Vickers) Viscount 745D.

While descending during a positioning flight from Puebla to Mexico City on July 27, the Vickers Viscount 745D with 4 crew crashes into a mountain 30 km. E of its destination; there are no survivors.

Although flights continue in 1993, the company, unable to maintain economic viability with just the Fokker, is forced to shut down in 1994.

AERO-EXPRESS R. T.: Hungary (1923-1924). Local Budapest interests, supported by a Junkers Flugzeugwerke, A. G. representative, forms this carrier on January 1, 1923, equipping it with two F-13s christened Ente and Strauss. Meanwhile, as competition stiffens with Deutscher Aero Lloyd, A. G., Junkers Luftverkehr, A. G. reaches out to locate members for a countering confederation. On May 14, the Trans-Europa Union is formed; simultaneously, Junkers assumes a financial interest in Aero-Express, bringing it into the group.

The aircraft are employed in June to begin pleasure flights from the Hungarian capital to Lake Balaton. On July 15, service is opened Budapest-Vienna, where it can connect with an Austrian Junkers affiliate, Osterreichische Luftverkehrs, A. G. (OLAG).

The carrier ceases operations in 1924 when the Hungarian government grants exclusive national rights to the new state carrier Malert.