Late in December 1972, Union of Burma Airways, Ltd. is reformed and takes this name; the carrier’s autonomous status is withdrawn and the managing director reports directly to the government. Employing the fleet’s 6 Douglas DC-3s, 7 Fokker F.27s, 1 Boeing 727-191, and 3 Vickers Viscount 761s, BAC maintains service to 30 domestic and several foreign destinations. A DC-3 with 25 aboard crashes into the Bay of Bengal, near Sandoway, on August 18; there are no survivors.
Enplanements for 1973, the first full year of service under the new name, are 409,200.
Service continues apace in 1974. An F-27-200 with 4 crew and 36 passengers overruns the runway while landing at Bassein, Burma, on April 30 and suffers the collapse of its nosegear; there are no injuries reported, but the aircraft is damaged beyond repair.
Serious problems occur in early 1975 with the end of the Vietnam conflict. Prevented from flying over the former French colonies after
April, the company’s route to Hong Kong via Bangkok and Communist-occupied Phnom Penh, must be suspended. Without the route, there is no further need for the company’s Boeing trijet, and it is sold. Orders are placed for Fokker F.28-1000 Fellowships and de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otters.
The fleet grows in the next year to include 1 Fokker F.28-4000, 2 Fokker F.28-1000s, 7 F.27s, and 5 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100s.
F.28-1000 service is inaugurated from Mandaly to Tavoy on April 1, 1976, followed by introduction of the Fellowships on routes to Bangkok and Singapore on May 2. The first Twin Otter begins flying for the company on September 19. The F.28-4000 inaugurates service to Jakarta before year’s end.
A DHC-6-300 with 3 crew and 22 passengers crashes into Mt. Loi Hsam Hsao on September 8, 1977; the wreckage is not found for three days and there are no survivors.
The company becomes involved in the support of the offshore energy industry during the year. Three Aerospatiale AS-332 Puma helicopters are acquired for this work.
Managing Director U Maung Maung Nyunt’s carrier employs 1,300 workers in 1978. An F.27-200 with 4 crew and 44 passengers strikes trees during its takeoff from Okaraba, near Rangoon, on March 25, loses control, crashes into a rice paddy, and catches fire; there are no survivors.
While on its initial climb away from Moulmein on a scheduled August 26 service to Paan, a DHC-6-300 with 3 crew and 11 passengers explodes at 400-ft. altitude and crashes near Papun, Kayin; there are no survivors. Crash investigators will not be able to conclude whether the blast is the result of explosives or a physical defect.
While on initial climb away from Sagaing on October 3, both engines of an F.27-200 with 4 crew and 40 passengers lose power. The crew is able to carry out a forced landing on the banks of the Irrawaddy River (2 dead).
Traffic statistics, reported infrequently, are given this year; it is reported that 609,000 passengers are carried on domestic routes and
42,000 on international flights.
Service is started to Singapore in 1979. An F.27-400 with 4 crew and 24 passengers is destroyed as the result of a bad landing at Moulmein on August 19, 1980; there are no fatalities.
During 1981-1985, routes are extended or frequencies improved to Calcutta, Dhaka, and Kathmandu. There are losses.
A DHC-6-300 with three crew and five passengers crashes into a hill at Mindat on August 12, 1982; there are no survivors.
Losing power while climbing away from Lankin on October 8, 1983, another DHC-6-300 with 3 crew and 11 passengers turns left, strikes trees, and crashes (9 dead).
While on final approach to Putao on October 12, 1985, an F.27-600 with two crew and two passengers overflies the runway and crashes into soft ground a mile away; there are no survivors.
Following the withdrawal of an F.28-1000 and the Canadian-made turboprops, a second Fokker F.28-4000 is delivered in March 1986.
1987 is a tragic year as two Fokker Friendships are lost. The first occurs a quarter of an hour after takeoff from Taungyi on June 21. An F.27-200 with 4 crew and 41 passengers crashes into an 8,200-ft. mountain 24 km. SE of Hopong in the eastern part of the country; there are no survivors. In the second incident, an F.27-500 en route from Rangoon on October 11 with 4 crew and 45 passengers, crashes into a 1,500-ft. mountain 25 km. S of Pan-An; again, there are no survivors.
Although domestic services are maintained, all international routes, except that to Bangkok, are suspended in 1988.
While on an all-cargo service from Myitkyina to Putao in fog on June 16, an F.27-600 with three crew and a passenger crashes into high ground 9 mi. NW of its destination; there are no survivors.
During takeoff from Rangoon on February 3, 1989, an F.27-600 with 4 crew and 25 passengers enters into a fogbank. The turboprop veers left and collides with a line of trees near the end of the runway, crashes, and catches fire (26 dead).
On April 1, the company is renamed Myanma Airways, Ltd.
1666. BURNTHILLS AVIATION, LTD.: United Kingdom (19741985). This nonscheduled carrier is formed at Glasgow Airport in the spring of 1974 and launches Piper PA-23 Aztec passenger and cargo charters in May. Additional operations are flown throughout the year on behalf of the oil industry, including missions to Norway and Denmark. In early 1975, Burnthills establishes an FBO at Glasgow and in May acquires competing air taxi operator Assistair, Ltd. and its Piper Aztec.
Two Bell 206B JetRanger helicopters are acquired in the summer of 1978 and, with a subsidy from the Highlands and Islands Development Board, the company begins scheduled rotary-wing flights in October between Glasgow Airport and the heliport at Fort William. Operations continue apace in 1979-1980.
On May 1, 1981, service begins to the helipads at Rothesay and Lochgilphead. During the next two years, additional charters are accepted and the fixed-wing fleet grows by the addition of 3 Piper PA-31350 Navajo Chieftains. Helicopter service to Oban begins in 1982.
In April 1983, the fixed-wing division is sold to rival Air Charter (Scotland), Ltd. The scheduled helicopter services are suspended in the spring of 1984, although charter services are continued until the operator ceases flying in 1985.
BURRARD AIR, LTD.: Canada (1983-1990). Burrard is established at Vancouver in 1983 to provide scheduled services to Nanaimo, as well as nonscheduled charter and contract work. Revenue flights begin with a mixed wheel - and float-equipped aircraft, including at least 1 each de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, DHC-2 Beaver, Cessna 185, and Britten Norman BN-2A Islander.
Services are maintained without incident until December 1990.
World History
