Starways

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Starways
Founded7 December 1948
Commenced operations1949
Ceased operations31 December 1963
Operating bases Liverpool (Speke) Airport
Key peopleF.H.Wilson, J.A.Wilson

Starways was a British airline which operated from 1948 until 1963. The company offered freight transport, passenger charter services and serviced internal and international scheduled routes.

Contents

History

Auster 5 in 1950 Auster 5 G-AMAP Starways Ringway 08.07.50.jpg
Auster 5 in 1950
Starways DC-3 at Liverpool Airport, 1960 Dove and DC3, Liverpool, 1960.jpg
Starways DC-3 at Liverpool Airport, 1960
Douglas DC-4 at Liverpool Speke Airport, 1964 Douglas DC-4 G-APEZ Starways SPK 220264 edited-3.jpg
Douglas DC-4 at Liverpool Speke Airport, 1964

The airline was formed at Blackpool in 1948 by two pilots, Noel Rodnight and Albert Dean, to operate a charter service using a Percival Petrel for celebrities appearing in the Blackpool shows. [1] The company started operations from Blackpool Airport in January 1949 with the Petrel. [1] In May 1950 the Petrel was destroyed in an accident and replaced with an Avro Anson. [1] In 1950 the business was relocated to Liverpool (Speke) Airport and F.H.Wilson & J.A.Wilson joined the company as executives. As well as joyriding flights the fleet now included two more twin-engined Avro Ansons to operate newspaper and freight flights including for one season a regular service between Liverpool and London.

The Wilson family were successful businessmen in Liverpool owning Limocoat Ltd and later the Famous Army Stores. They were also involved with the Cathedral Touring Agency (CTA), a travel company, which provided most all-inclusive, tour business for the airline. In 1951, F.H. Wilson was appointed chairman of the board and by 1954 the family had acquired full control of the company.

In the early fifties, the airline expanded, acquiring a number of Douglas DC-3s, including two prewar-built examples. This expansion was to operate seasonal tourist charters and build-up a network of summer scheduled services from Liverpool including flights to continental European destinations including Lourdes and Biarritz.

In 1957 the airline purchased the larger four-engined Douglas DC-4 with four further examples being acquired between March 1960 and January 1963. The first DC-4 charter was flown on 8 January 1958 between Liverpool and Southend Airport with football supporters. The Skymasters and DC-3s were also used on scheduled services from Liverpool to London Heathrow and from Liverpool and Manchester to Newquay in Cornwall.

Vickers Viscount in 1964 G-APZB 1 V.707 Viscount Starways LPL 01JAN64 (5646897331).jpg
Vickers Viscount in 1964

In February 1961 the airline introduced the turbo-prop Vickers Viscount aircraft for use on inclusive tour flights and schedules to London Heathrow. The refined livery of the first aircraft G-ARIR, particularly the roundel near the nose, hinted at its previous owner, Air France.

In November 1963, Starways negotiated a co-operative agreement with British Eagle. The final Starways flight landed at Liverpool on 31 December 1963, thereafter British Eagle took over all routes. [2] Due to delays in the transfer of route registration, British Eagle were obliged to operate routes in the name of Starways requiring two of their own red, liveried Viscount aircraft to be branded Starways.

However, ownership of the fleet, aircraft hangars, parts inventory and other assets remained with the Starways Directors who continued in business as Aviation Overhauls. [1] This new company provided a variety of maintenance and support services until in 1969, all aircraft had been sold and the company closed.

Aircraft operated

De Havilland Rapide in 1952 DH.89A Rapide G-AIBB Starways RWY 06.52 edited-2.jpg
De Havilland Rapide in 1952
Avro Anson in 1954 after sale to BKS Avro 652A Anson I G-ALIH, BKS, Southend, UK, c. Jun 1954 (8747315229) (2).jpg
Avro Anson in 1954 after sale to BKS
Douglas DC-3 in 1953 Douglas C-47B G-AMPO Starways Ringway 06.53 edited-3.jpg
Douglas DC-3 in 1953

Accidents and Incidents

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Wickstead 2014, pp. 395-396
  2. http://www.britisheagle.net/Routes-Liverpool.htm British Eagle: The Liverpool Operation
  3. http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/douglas-c47b_greenside.htm Air Crash Sites, Scotland: Douglas C47B G-AMRB - Greenside Hill, Largs, Ayrshire
  4. "Starways air crash - Dublin Airport, 1961". British Pathe. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  5. https://comeheretome.com/2012/10/15/the-plane-that-landed-on-the-dublin-to-belfast-road The plane that landed on the Dublin to Belfast road