WALKER’S INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE: 700 Southwest 34th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315, United States; Phone (305) 359-1406; Fax (305) 359-1414; Http://ella. netpoint. net/empg/walk-ers_cay/wc5.htm; Code XW; Year Founded 1967. Walker’s is originally founded as the Jet Hansa Corporation at Fort Lauderdale in 1967 to operate and market in America the Hamburger Flugzeugbau HFB 320 Hansa business jet. Charter flights are operated in support of aircraft promotion.
In 1975, James Radcliffe takes over and reforms the company, beginning to operate it as a charter passenger and cargo service linking its base with West Palm Beach and the Bahamian destination of Walker’s Cay—hence its new name, Walker’s Cay Air Terminal. In 1980, Rad-cliffe decides to offer daily scheduled roundtrip frequencies and the company is reborn as Walker’s Cay Airlines.
By 1981, the fleet includes 1 each de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, Grumman G-73 Mallard, Beech Super King Air 200, and Beech Queen Air 65. Service to Fort Lauderdale begins and operations continue apace during the remainder of the decade until 1990 when, in the face of recession, scheduled operations are suspended.
Charter flights, never abandoned, now receive total emphasis and in 1993-1994, President Radcliffe and General Manager Flemming Andersen still operates a Twin Otter and a Mallard. The fleet is altered in 1995-1996 to include 1 Cessna 206, 1 Cessna 207A, and 6 Piper PA-31350 Navajo Chieftains. Enplanements during the latter year total 3,680. Flights continue without fanfare.
During October 2000, the Twin Otter receives a fake color scheme and “Fly y Air” titles, which allow it to be featured in the motion picture Big Trouble, written by Dave Berry.
WALTAIR, S. A.: Zaire (1993-1994). Waltair is established at Kinshasa in 1993 to offer domestic and regional charter flights to destinations in Africa and the Mideast. Revenue operations commence with a single Aerospatiale (Sud) SE-210 Caravelle XB. The company name is changed in 1994 to Wetrafa Airlift, S. A.
WANAIR, S. A.: P. O. Box 6896, Aeroport Tahiti, Faaa, Tahiti, 98702, French Polynesia; Phone 689 855 554; Fax 689 855 556; Year Founded 1987. Wanair is set up at Tahiti in 1987 to offer nonscheduled passenger charters to all of the nearby islands. President Robert Wan operates a Beech 1900D in 2000. Scheduled services begin in May following the acquisition of a colorfully painted Fairchild-Dornier 328JET christened Marutea.
WANGANI AERO WORK, LTD.: Wangani Airport, P. O. Box 509, Wangani, New Zealand; Phone 64 (6) 345 3994; Fax 64 (6) 345 3992; Http://www. aerowork. co. nz; Year Founded 1950. Wally Harding establishes WAW at Wangani in November 1950, originally as a charter and agricultural support concern. Over the next 30-plus years, this founding member of the Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand operates a large fleet of lightplanes and helicopters on a variety of general aviation missions, including aerial work, agricultural spraying, forest fire reconnaissance/suppression, supply dropping, search and rescue, and passenger and cargo air charters.
The concern remains in Harding family hands and in 1972 Richard Harding is managing director, with Bruce and Heather as company directors. The fleet in 1976 comprises 10 Fletcher FU24-950s.
Helicopter aerial work is added to the agricultural business during the remainder of the century. At the beginning of 2000, the fixed-wing fleet includes the 10 Fletchers, plus 1 Cresco 600, and 4 Cresco 750s. A Bell 205,2 Bell 206B JetRangers, and 1 Hughes 500D are also operated.
World History
