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 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:
The Grumman G-21 Goose is an amphibious flying boat designed by Grumman to serve as an eight-seat "commuter" aircraft for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service. During World War II, the Goose became an effective transport for the US military, as well as serving with many other air forces. During hostilities, the Goose took on an increasing number of combat and training roles.
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The Grumman G-73 Mallard is a medium, twin-engined amphibious aircraft. Many have been modified by replacing the original Pratt & Whitney Wasp H radial engines with modern turboprop engines. Manufactured from 1946 to 1951, production ended when Grumman's larger SA-16 Albatross was introduced.
Cyril E. King Airport is a public airport located two miles (3 km) west of the central business district of Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. It is currently the busiest airport in the United States Virgin Islands, and one of the busiest in the eastern Caribbean, servicing 1,403,000 passengers from July 2015 through June 2016. The airport also serves the island of St. John and is additionally often used by those travelling to the nearby British Virgin Islands.
American Airlines Flight 625, a Boeing 727-100, crashed at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on April 27, 1976, while on a domestic scheduled passenger flight originating at T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island and ending at Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, with an intermediate stop at John F. Kennedy International Airport. 37 out of the 88 passengers on board died in the accident.
The Sikorsky S-43 is a 1930s American twin-engine amphibious flying boat monoplane produced by Sikorsky Aircraft.
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The Sikorsky VS-44 was a large four-engined flying boat built in the United States in the early 1940s by Sikorsky Aircraft. Based on the XPBS-1 patrol bomber, the VS-44 was designed primarily for the transatlantic passenger market, with a capacity of 40+ passengers. Three units were produced: Excalibur, Excambian, and Exeter, plus two XPBS-1 prototypes.
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Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base, also known as St. Croix Seaplane Base, is located in the harbor by Christiansted, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. This private-use airport is owned by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. The sea base is home to Seaborne Airlines U.S. Virgin Islands, the only multi-engine sea plane airline operating in the United States.
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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Antilles Air Boats https://www.antillesairboats.com/