Washington Airlines

Last updated
Washington Airlines
Founded1968;57 years ago (1968)
Ceased operations26 September 1969;
55 years ago
 (1969-09-26)
DestinationsBaltimore, Washington
Key peopleRobert Richardson

Washington Airlines is a defunct airline that was based in the United States [1] The service was the FAA's first approved instance of a STOL airline service. [2]

Contents

History

Washington Airlines was founded to operate under a concept that STOL operations could enhance airport capacity without significant infrastructure costs. In 1968 Albert Scott Crossfield demonstrated the concept flying 160 operations between Boston, La Guardia and Washington National for Eastern Airlines. [3] There was worldwide interest in the concept of STOL operations within cities with limited land for expansion. [4] New York had $126 million planned for construction of STOL runways in 1970. [5]

The company was founded by Butler Aviation International and Pan Maryland Airways. Butler had franchise rights to sell Dornier Do 28 aircraft in America, and chose the aircraft for their STOL service. [6] [7] After five months in service between BWI, DCA and IAD the company was losing money with load factors of 20% and a total net loss of $100,000. [8] [9] Washington Airlines ceased operations on 26 September 1969 [10]

Destinations

Fleet

The fleet consisted of the following aircraft as of 1969:

Israir Airlines Fleet
AircraftTotalRoutesNotes
Dornier Do 28 10KDCA, KBWI, KIAD

See also

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References

  1. Robert A. Richardson American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Technical Information Service. Washington Airlines: The Short Haul (STOL) Experiment.
  2. Traffic Service Corporation (1968). Transportation and Distribution Management, Volume 8.
  3. David Lee Russell. Eastern Air Lines: A History, 1926-1991. p. 140.
  4. Jacob Meunier. On the Fast Track: French Railway Modernization and the Origins of the TGV. p. 149.
  5. Royal Aeronautical Society. The Future of aeronautics.
  6. United States Congress. Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of Congress, Volume 114, Part 21. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1968.
  7. "Winds Aloft: Observations". Flying. Vol. 81, no. 4. Chicago, Illinois: Ziff-Davis Publishing. October 1967. p. 112. ISSN   0015-4806. LCCN   28030218. OCLC   1569490.
  8. American Aviation, Volume 32. Ziff-Davis Publishing, 1969.
  9. National Aeronautics and Space Administration American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1969). Astronautics and Aeronautics United States.
  10. Komos, Nick (August 1989). Air Progress. Vol. 51, no. 8. Canoga, California: Challenge Publications. p. 82. ISSN   0002-2500. LCCN   43040230. OCLC   1478636.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)