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| Founded | 1939 [2] | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | 1980 (acquired by East-West-Airlines) | ||||||
| Operating bases | Alice Springs Airport | ||||||
| Headquarters | Alice Springs, Australia | ||||||
| Key people | Edward Connellan (founder) | ||||||
Connellan Airways (later Connair) was an airline headquartered in Alice Springs, Australia. [3] It operated scheduled flights as well other air transport services throughout the Northern Territory from 1939 to 1980. [1] [4]
The company was founded in 1939 as Survey & Inland Transport by Edward Connellan, an aviation pioneer. [1] In 1938, Connellan had conducted two aerial surveys of the Northern Territory, and after discussion with John McEwen, the then responsible Federal Minister, undertook a fortnightly mail run between Alice Springs and Wyndham, Western Australia. He also signed a contract with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. [5]
In the midst of World War II, Connellan consolidated his air services, which had grown viable and included more routes, and registered Connellan Airways on 23 July 1943. In the post-war years Connellan Airways grew, acquiring new routes and equipment. In February 1951 it became a limited company, with many of the shares held by station people and staff. In 1963 Connellan Airways became a regular public transport operator. The Royal Flying Doctor Service continued to charter Connellan Airways aircraft up to 1965, when it purchased two aircraft from the company, but continued using Connellan pilots until 1973. [5]
In 1970 the company name was changed to Connair. Over the next decade, financial difficulties had to be faced. Subsequently, Connair was sold to East-West-Airlines on 14 March 1980 and renamed to Northern Airlines; [6] it went into liquidation in 1981. [5] [7] After the sale, the Connellan Airways Trust was set up, using some of the proceeds.
The Central Australia Aviation Museum is located in the original Connellan Airways Hangar. It is a part of the Araluen Cultural Precinct.
Many of the business records for Connellan Airways are held by Library & Archives NT; these include:
There are also records held at the National Archives of Australia who have created the following fact sheet: Edward John Connellan and Connellan Airways.
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