Fleet
The fleet of Antilles Air Boats consisted of:
| Founded | 1963 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1981 |
| Hubs | |
| Headquarters | Saint Thomas US Virgin Islands, U.S. |
| Key people | Charles F. Blair Jr. (Founder) |
Antilles Air Boats was a commuter airline founded by Charles F. Blair Jr. in 1963. It was based in the US Virgin Islands. [1] [2] [3]
Antilles Air Boats was founded in 1963, and provided transport between St Thomas and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico. Antilles Air Boats built up its fleet until it operated 27 aircraft, all propeller driven float planes from World War II which were well suited to the short hops over water the airline specialized in. In 1974 the airline purchased two Sandringham flying boats from Ansett Flying Boat Services. [4] In 1967 the airline also acquired the last Sikorsky VS-44 "Excambian" that they operated until it was damaged in 1969.
On 2 September 1978 company president Charles F. Blair Jr was killed in a crash while piloting Antilles Air Boats Flight 941, the flight was carrying 10 passengers. His then-wife, actress Maureen O'Hara took over management of the company, becoming the first woman to become president of United States-based airline. [5]
On March 22 1977 American Airlines founded American Inter-Island Airlines and contracted Antilles Air Boats to pilot and operate their fleet of Convair 440s. [6] [7] In 1981 the airline was sold to Air Resorts. [8]
This is a list of Antilles Air Boats destinations throughout its existence: [9]
The fleet of Antilles Air Boats consisted of:
Henry E. Rohlsen Airport is a public airport located six miles (10 km) southwest of Christiansted on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. The airport is named after Henry E. Rohlsen, a St. Croix native who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.
Aero Virgin Islands was an airline based in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1954:
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The Sikorsky S-43 was a 1930s American twin-engine amphibious flying boat monoplane produced by Sikorsky Aircraft.
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Charles F. Blair Jr. was an American aviation pioneer who helped work out the routes and navigation techniques necessary for long-distance flights. He served as a reserve officer, early in his career for the United States Navy, reaching the rank of captain, and later for the United States Air Force, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He died in a transportation accident in the Caribbean while captaining a Grumman Goose seaplane for his airline, Antilles Air Boats.
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