Gulf Aviation

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Gulf Aviation was a Bahrain-based charter and scheduled airline that evolved into Gulf Air. Its formal incorporation in 1950 was followed by constant change as the Persian Gulf economies developed. The airline operation became a subsidiary company branded as Gulf Air on 1 January 1974. [ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Gulf Aviation Company was established in Bahrain in 1949. The founder was a former RAF pilot, Freddie Bosworth. Bosworth's original business plan was based on establishing scheduled feeder and cabotage services between some of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, alongside charter/air taxi services, aircraft handling services and flying training services. Scheduled operations based in Bahrain commenced on 5 July 1950 to Doha (Qatar) and Sharjah (Trucial States, latterly UAE) and on 28 September 1950 to Dhahran (Saudi Arabia). [1] The original fleet comprised several Ansons [1] and, briefly, a de Havilland DH.86B Express. [1] The de Havilland Dove [1] was selected to replace these, but Bosworth was killed on a demonstration flight at Croydon on 9 June 1951 whilst preparing to introduce the type into service. [2]

During the course of the 1950s de Havilland DH.114 Heron and Douglas C-47/Dakota aircraft joined the fleet. [3] [lower-alpha 1]

In 1967 the airline introduced Fokker F27 aircraft and so was able to operate current generation scheduled services with pressurised, air conditioned aircraft and cabin service. The Heron aircraft were replaced with Beechcraft B80 Queen Airs. [4]

Ownership and subsidiary companies

Gulf Aviation was established as a limited company on 24 March 1950. Following the death of Bosworth in 1951, BOAC took a shareholding through its subsidiary BOAC Associated Companies. [1]

Subsidiary companies

Gulf Helicopters was established in February 1973. Gulf Aviation held 74% of the shares with British Airways Helicopters holding the remaining 26%. [5]

Aircraft operated

TypeNumberIn Service DateOut of Service Date (if before 31 Dec 73)Notes
Avro Anson 2 [6] Replaced by De Havilland Dove
de Havilland DH.86B Express 1 [6] April 1951August 1951Replaced by De Havilland Dove
de Havilland Dove 4 [7]
de Havilland Heron 5 [6] 1967Replaced on PDO contract by Beech B80
Douglas C-47/Dakota 5 [8] Commonly referred to as 'DC-3' in most publications
Fokker F27-200/400 Friendship 2 [6] January 1967
BAC One-Eleven 400 2November 1969[ citation needed ]
Vickers VC10-1101 11 April 1970Operated by BOAC in Gulf Aviation colours on a service to London. [6]
Beechcraft Queen Air B80 2 [8] January 1967Replacements for DH Heron. 5-year contract to support PDO operations in Oman.
Shorts Skyvan 4 [6] 1971
Britten-Norman Islander 2 [6] December 1971

Accidents and incidents

Notes

  1. C-47/Dakota aircraft converted for airline use are often referred to as DC-3 aircraft.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Brevities". Flight International . 2 November 1951. pp. 577–578.
  2. "Airline profile Gulf Air – Going for Gold". Aviation News Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  3. Flight International . 1957. p. 604.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Flight International. 9 February 1967. p. 198.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. "Middle East Market". Flight International . 13 March 1975.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "UK and Irish Airlines Since 1945 - Gulf Aviation". Aviation News. 65 (9): 716. September 2003.
  7. Flight International . 18 April 1958. p. 538.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. 1 2 "A. and C. licensed engineer". Flight International . 18 July 1968.
  9. Information about the 1958 Gulf Aviation crash at the Aviation Safety Network
  10. Information about the 1960 Gulf Aviation crash at the Aviation Safety Network
  11. Information about the 1966 Gulf Aviation crash at the Aviation Safety Network

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