Subsidiary of the freight forwarding concern J. W. Kearsley and Company, Ltd., KAL is formed at London (STN) Airport and registered as an airline on April 9, 1947. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Kearsley are directors and initial equipment consists of a single Percival P.44 Proctor 5 purchased in February. During the remainder of the year, ad hoc personnel and freight charters are undertaken.
Three Douglas DC-3s are ordered; when the first arrives on October 31, it is christened Bora (North Wind). On November 1, the new aircraft undertakes, on behalf of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), an urgent charter of medical supplies and aviation spares to India. Following its arrival at Delhi, the DC-3 is quickly leased and pressed into service transporting Hindu refugees out of the new state of Pakistan.
The Bora returns to the U. K. in early 1948 and begins a variety of international charter flights to such regions as Africa and the Mideast. A second Douglas transport is received in May and christened Sirocco. During June and July, the company’s two DC-3s mount a number of long range charters; destinations include India, North Borneo, Singapore, the Gold Coast, Malta, and Cyprus. The Bora begins participation in the civil portion of the Berlin Airlift on its very first day, August 4, followed by the Sirocco at the end of September.
The two aircraft fly from Fassberg, Lubeck, and Hamburg until November 10, when they are withdrawn. During their time into the former German capital city, Bora and Sirocco mount 246 sorties, giving Kears-ley Airways, Ltd. second place (to Ciro’s Aviation, Ltd.) for the number of DC-3 relief flights by a British independent airline. New charters are now flown from London (STN) and in December, another DC-3, the Mistral, joins the fleet.
A wide variety of international charters are again undertaken in 1949, beginning with a DC-3 flight to Wunsdorf, West Germany, on January
6. As in previous years, racing pigeons are transported to the Continent and urgently needed aircraft spare parts are flown to India and Africa. General cargo, machinery, fruits and vegetables, and other items are flown about Europe, Africa, and the Far East. On December 27, all three DC-3s fly soccer fans to Hull for a big match with Brentford.
Unable to find sufficient charters during the winter season for the idle Douglas transports, then worth large sums in the used aircraft market, in March 1950 the Kearsleys decide to sell their fleet and get out of the airline business.
KEENAIR CHARTER, LTD.: Hangar #4, General Aviation Apron, Liverpool Airport, Liverpool, England, L24 1YD, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (0) 151 448 0303; Fax 44 (0) 151 448 0909; Http://www. keenair. co. uk; Year Founded 1963.
This small operator is initially established in 1963 as the Liverpool Aero Club. During the 1960s, it develops into the Liverpool Flying School, which still exists. Kennair, Ltd., an engineering concern, is set up in 1968 to provide maintenance for the flight school’s aircraft.
The subsidiary Kennair Services, Ltd. is established in 1971 to provide lightplane charters throughout the country. Employing a fleet of Piper Navajos, business grows substantially during the remainder of the decade, through the 1980s, and into the early 1990s. All cargo services and urgent express deliveries become a company specialty.
The fleet is enhanced in 1995 through the addition of three cargo-configured Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislanders. One of the trimotors is reconfigured in May 1997 for passenger charters. The aircraft is unsuccessful in this role and is replaced in November with an Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante, which, again, is largely employed for cargo charters.
The company’s success increases during 1998, particularly in the provision of passenger flights. A second Bandeirante is ordered in early 1999 and is delivered in September. A homepage is now opened on the World Wide Web. Flights continue into the new millennium.
KEEWATIN AIR, LTD.: 15-20 Hangar Line Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3Y8, Canada; Phone (204) 888-0100; Fax (204) 888-3300; Http://www. nunavutlifeline. com; Year Founded 1972. Keewatin Air is established in the Keewatin district in 1972 to provide charter airline services out of Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories. Rankin is later included in the new Nunavut Territory, 300 mi. S of the Arctic Circle.
During the middle 1980s, the need arises in this remote area for an air ambulance service. To answer the need, Life-Line is established in 1987. Over the next decade, pressurized aircraft, medical staff, and equipment are deployed to meet the needs of the northern health agency. A modern hangar facility, with staff accommodations, is opened in Rankin Inlet, with similar facilities also operated at Churchill, Manitoba. A Beech Super King Air 200 is stationed at Rankin Inlet while a Fairchild Swearingen Metro II is kept at Churchill; a Learjet 35A is employed as regional backup aircraft. It also flies the Critical Care International Service, founded by Keewatin in 1997, to transport patients wherever it may be required.
Under the direction of President/CEO Robert May, the subsidiary Ki-valliq Air, Ltd. is established in December 1998 to meet a requirement for public scheduled passenger and express flights between Winnipeg and the communities in the new Nunavut Territory. Beginning in January 1999, a Pilatus PC-12 is employed to fly six-times-a-week return service from Winnipeg and Churchill to Repulse Bay, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Arviat.
Two additional PC-12s are acquired during the first quarter of 2000. These are employed by Kivalliq Air to launch new four-times-a-week roundtrips from Cambridge Bay to the Kitikmeot communities of Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, and Pelly Bay. On August 12, a new direct flight links those three communities via Rankin Inlet with Iqaluit.
KEL-AIR, S. A.: France (1988-1990). Kel-Air is established at Nice in the fall of 1988 to undertake third-level charters and contract service flights on behalf of Air Inter, TAT Regional Airlines, and Air France.
Revenue operations commence in December with a single, brightly liveried British Aerospace BAe 748-B2;
Two more BAes are acquired in early 1989 as the company adds Air Littoral, S. A. to its list of replacement customers. Plans are made to purchase two BAe 146-100QCs and to inaugurate scheduled passenger and cargo flights on its own behalf. Economic conditions are such in 1990 that the plans cannot be realized and as a result, the carrier enters bankruptcy in July.
KELOWNA FLIGHTCRAFT AIR CHARTER, LTD.: 1-5655 Kelowna Airport, Kelowna, British Columbia V1V 1S1, Canada; Phone (604) 765-1481; Fax (604) 765-1489; Http://www. flightcraft. ca; Code KF; Year Founded 1970. Established at Kelowna Airport, British Columbia, on March 20, 1970, this company initially specializes only in the modification of Convairliners into what would become known as Convair 5800s. Five years later, in 1974, a charter subsidiary is organized to fly regional passenger and cargo services to destinations throughout the nation.
Services are operated throughout 1975 and into 1976 without incident. A lavatory fire causes a chartered DC-3 with 2 crew and 24 passengers, to make an emergency landing in a stubble field near Brocket on September 7 of the latter year; all aboard are safely evacuated before the aircraft is destroyed.
Operations continue apace during the remainder of the year and over the next six, during which time contracts are obtained to haul packages on behalf of Purolator Courier of Canada, Ltd. and Federal Express (FedEx).
A scheduled subsidiary, Intercity Airways, Ltd., is set up in 1983 and begins revenue services throughout southern British Columbia in 1984, but is closed down in October 1986. Nonscheduled service is maintained during the remainder of the decade and into the next.
In 1993, President Barry Lapointe oversees a workforce of 275 and his fleet comprises 1 Boeing 727-51C, 1 B-727-172C, 2 Cessna 402Bs, 2 Swearingen Merlin IIs, 14 Convair CV-580s, 1 Douglas DC-3, and 1 Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I. One of the Convairs is leased to the new start-up carrier All Canada Express, Ltd.
During the first quarter of 1994, KFAC acquires its major contract from Purolator Courier of Canada, Ltd. To support it, the jet freighter fleet is enhanced by the purchase of a B-727-92C, two B-727-25Cs, and four B-727-22Cs.
Purolator-related flights throughout Canada begin on April 23. While on final approach to the airport at Thompson, Manitoba, on June 1, a Merlin II hits a nondirectional beacon tower and crashes; all three people aboard are killed.
Later in the year, a B-727-27F is purchased and leased to All Canada Express, Ltd.
Late in 1995, the carrier enters into an agreement with the Greyhound Corporation, Ltd. to provide capacity for a new air transport company designed to complement the bus operator’s ground schedule with links from western Canada to Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto, Ontario. Meanwhile, it is reported that over 20,000 passengers a year are transported on KFAC charter flights to fishing lodges around British Columbia.
With the Dial Corporation holding 66% shareholding, Greyhound Air is established on February 11, 1996. Greyhound Vice President John
Munro is placed in charge and his fleet includes Kelowna’s 2 B-727-25Cs, 3 B-727-22Cs, and 1 B-727-51C. Operations on behalf of Greyhound finally get underway from Winnipeg on July 1; eight daily frequencies are offered to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Toronto. Scheduled flights are increased to 12 per week during the second week of July.
Meanwhile, Kelowna continues its FedEx and Purolator flights and a lease of one each B-727-22C and Convair 580 to All Canada Express, Ltd.
Just after landing at Hamilton, Ontario, on March 14, the right main landing gear of a B-727F with three crew aboard, collapses; no injuries are reported and the incident with the empty freighter will cause no service issues for Purolator Courier, on whose behalf it is operated.
The decision having been taken to discontinue operations, Greyhound Canada, the parent of failing Greyhound Air, works out an arrangement on September 1 with Canadian Airlines International, Ltd. The major agrees to honor all reservations made before September 2 for travel after the new entrant’s shutdown, subject to availability. Affected Greyhound passengers or their travel agents will be rebooked by September 15. The last Greyhound service is operated on September 21.
All Canada Express, Ltd. also suspends services and at year’s end the fleet includes 2 B-727-25Cs and DHC-6-300s, and 1 each CV-580, DC-3, Cessna 402, Piper PA-42, and lAI Westwind I executive jet. A total of 600 workers are on the company payroll.
KFAC continues to provide domestic services in 1997-2000. During these years, it also maintains its aircraft modification and maintenance business, which now also includes the installation of electronic flight instrument packages into Russian-built Mil Mi-17KF helicopters.
One of the company’s B-727-25Fs allows Winnport Logistics, Ltd. to inaugurate return all-cargo service between Winnipeg and New York (JFK) on November 1, 1999. It also provides the chartered fleet of four Convair CV-580s that allows the new Air Monarch, S. A. de C. V. to begin nightly freight flights in March 2000 from Mexico City to Monterrey.
The B-727 fleet at the beginning of the new millennium includes 6 Dash-227Fs, 4 Dash-22Cs, 2 Dash-225Fs, 3 Dash-25Fs, and 1 each Dash-92C, Dash-51C, Dash-172C, and Dash-214.
KENAI AIR ALASKA: 155 Granite Pt. Court, Kenai, Alaska 99611, United States; Phone (907) 283-7561; Fax (907) 283-3287; Http://www. ptialaska. net/julieann/K_Aviation. html; Year Founded 1946. Founded as the FBO Kenai Aviation by Vernon L. Loftsteadt at Kenai, Alaska, in 1946, KAA provides passenger and cargo charter and contract service flights throughout the future 49th State. Nonscheduled services to urban and bush destinations have been conducted with both lightplanes (e. g., Cessna 185, Piper PA-31-310 Navajo) and helicopter (e. g., Bell 206B JetRanger, Bell 206L LongRanger).
Owner Loftsteadt reconfigures his company into Kenai Air Service in 1977 to offer scheduled passenger and cargo services and renames the enterprise Kenai Air Alaska in 1978. Employing a Grumman G-44 Widgeon, a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, and a Beech King Air 100, revenue flights commence to Anchorage, Seward, Soldotna, and other regional destinations.
A subsidiary is established in 1983, Kenai Helicopters Hawaii, doing business as Pacific Paradise Helicopter. In October of that year, Southcentral Air is purchased and merged. Scheduled services cease in 1987; however, nonscheduled helicopter operations continue at CEO Craig R. Loftstedt’s carrier.
The Hawaiian subsidiary is renamed Kenai Helicopters in 1995. Service in Alaska is continued during the remainder of the decade, as are sight-seeing tours over the Grand Canyon in Arizona. During these years, the fleet comes to include 2 Bell 212s, 3 Bell 206L LongRangers, and 8 Bell 206B JetRangers.
During its takeoff climb from the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Airport on April 18, 2000, a Bell 206L Long Ranger suffers loss of engine power. Successfully avoiding electrical wires, the pilot is able to land the aircraft, albeit hard, onto an adjacent area of the airport. The pilot and five of six passengers are seriously injured in the accident.
KENAI AIR OF HAWAII: United States (1983-1995). Kenai Air of Hawaii is established at Lihue Airport, Kauai, Hawaii in 1983 as a subsidiary of Kenai Air Alaska. Something in excess of a dozen rotarywing flight-seeing activities are now inaugurated as tours are flown to the islands of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Oahu.
At the end of the decade, the business of the carrier is split between contract service operations and aerial tours. The former continue to be flown under the KHH name while the latter are undertaken as Pacific Paradise Helicopter. Paul A. Morris is CEO of the former in 1994 and K. Christy Johnson leads the latter. Both share a fleet of Bell 206B JetRangers and Bell 206L LongRangers.
The company is renamed Kenai Helicopters in 1995.
World History
