Central African Airways
Encyclopedia
Central African Airways was formed in 1946 from the wartime Southern Rhodesian Air Services (SRAS), which was in turn formed from the pre-war Rhodesia And Nyasaland Airways (RANA) and Southern Rhodesia Air Force (SRAF)
communications squadron. The airline was the national carrier initially of Southern Rhodesia
, then of the Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
in 1953. It was headquartered in Salisbury
, Southern Rhodesia
.
The airline headquarters and maintenance base was at Belvedere Airport, close to the centre of Salisbury.
After starting with an Avro Anson
, fleets of DH104 Doves and Vickers Viking
s were bought, but the Doves proved unequal to the hot-and-high tropical operations, and were soon replaced by DHC-2 Beavers.
CAA operated its first service to London in 1953 with Vickers Vikings in 1953 (known as the Zambesi Service, with a giraffe as a logo).
1956 - The airlines main base was moved to a newly built headquarters at the new Salisbury Airport
(then called Kentucky Airport, because it was built on the former Kentucky farm, about 10 miles (16 km) outside Salisbury.
Five new Vickers Viscount
748Ds were delivered. The aircraft came equipped with external slipper tanks for long-range operations.
1957 - The Viscounts took over the international service to Europe from the Vikings.
1958 - CAA established the first computerized reservations system in Africa, using a Hollerith mechanical computer.
In 1958 an agreement was reached with BOAC, where BOAC operated a weekly 'Rhodesian' service using CAA flight numbers (CE892 northbound, and CE893 southbound) for a period of 10 years. In sequence BOAC operated the Rhodesian service with Argonaut, Britannia, Comet and VC10. The services ceased in 1966, following the Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI).
1960 - The BOAC/SAA/EAAC/CAA quadripartite African partnership was started on 1 October, and continued until ended by the Rhodesian UDI.
1962 - When Rhodesian Air Services
ceased operations, CAA took over their route to Vilanculos and the aircraft.
CAA leased a DC-6A from Alitalia for services to Europe and Mauritius.
1963 - The Central African Federation was dissolved.
1964 - CAA established subsidiary airlines in the three countries of the Central African Federation as Air Malawi
, Air Rhodesia
and Zambia Airways
.
1965 - CAA ended the lease and returned the DC-6A to Alitalia.
1967 - All CAA assets were divided among the three subsidiaries and CAA ceased to be an operator on 31 August 1967.
CAA accidents from ASN http://aviation-safety.net/database/operator/airline.php?var=6954
Royal Rhodesian Air Force
The Rhodesian Air Force was the air arm of the British colonial state of Rhodesia. It existed between 1935 and 1980 under various names, and is now the Air Force of Zimbabwe.-History:...
communications squadron. The airline was the national carrier initially of Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
, then of the Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
in 1953. It was headquartered in Salisbury
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
.
The airline headquarters and maintenance base was at Belvedere Airport, close to the centre of Salisbury.
History
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
, fleets of DH104 Doves and Vickers Viking
Vickers Viking
-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.* London, Peter. British Flying Boats. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-7509-2695-3....
s were bought, but the Doves proved unequal to the hot-and-high tropical operations, and were soon replaced by DHC-2 Beavers.
CAA operated its first service to London in 1953 with Vickers Vikings in 1953 (known as the Zambesi Service, with a giraffe as a logo).
1956 - The airlines main base was moved to a newly built headquarters at the new Salisbury Airport
Harare International Airport
Harare International Airport is an airport in Harare, Zimbabwe. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe and is the hub of Air Zimbabwe. The airport's runway, at , is one of the longest in Africa. It compares with OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South...
(then called Kentucky Airport, because it was built on the former Kentucky farm, about 10 miles (16 km) outside Salisbury.
Five new Vickers Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
748Ds were delivered. The aircraft came equipped with external slipper tanks for long-range operations.
1957 - The Viscounts took over the international service to Europe from the Vikings.
1958 - CAA established the first computerized reservations system in Africa, using a Hollerith mechanical computer.
In 1958 an agreement was reached with BOAC, where BOAC operated a weekly 'Rhodesian' service using CAA flight numbers (CE892 northbound, and CE893 southbound) for a period of 10 years. In sequence BOAC operated the Rhodesian service with Argonaut, Britannia, Comet and VC10. The services ceased in 1966, following the Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI).
1960 - The BOAC/SAA/EAAC/CAA quadripartite African partnership was started on 1 October, and continued until ended by the Rhodesian UDI.
1962 - When Rhodesian Air Services
Rhodesian Air Services
Rhodesian Air Services was an airline based in Southern Rhodesia in the late 1950s and early 1960s.-History:Rhodesian Air Services was formed by Jack Malloch in 1959 with one C-47 to operate a service between Salisbury, , in then Southern Rhodesia, and Vilanculas - the closest Landing Strip on the...
ceased operations, CAA took over their route to Vilanculos and the aircraft.
CAA leased a DC-6A from Alitalia for services to Europe and Mauritius.
1963 - The Central African Federation was dissolved.
1964 - CAA established subsidiary airlines in the three countries of the Central African Federation as Air Malawi
Air Malawi
Air Malawi Limited is an airline based in Blantyre, Malawi. It is the national airline of Malawi, wholly owned by the Malawi government and operates regional passenger services...
, Air Rhodesia
Air Rhodesia
Air Rhodesia was the national airline of Rhodesia. Its head office was located on the property of Salisbury Airport in Salisbury.It was originally formed as a subsidiary of Central African Airways in June 1964, but became an independent corporation on September 1, 1967. Air Rhodesia flew internal...
and Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways Corporation was the flag carrier of the Republic of Zambia.-History:Zambia Airways was founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways. The original fleet consisted of two Douglas DC-3 and three DHC-2 Beaver. By 1967 Zambia Airways had become independent of Central...
.
1965 - CAA ended the lease and returned the DC-6A to Alitalia.
1967 - All CAA assets were divided among the three subsidiaries and CAA ceased to be an operator on 31 August 1967.
Aircraft operated
- Avro AnsonAvro AnsonThe Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
- BAC One-Eleven 207 - two ordered, but never delivered to CAA. Delivered to Zambia AirwaysZambia AirwaysZambia Airways Corporation was the flag carrier of the Republic of Zambia.-History:Zambia Airways was founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways. The original fleet consisted of two Douglas DC-3 and three DHC-2 Beaver. By 1967 Zambia Airways had become independent of Central...
after Rhodesian UDI. - de Havilland DH.104 DoveDe Havilland DoveThe de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
- de Havilland Canada DHC-2 BeaverDe Havilland Canada DHC-2 BeaverThe de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, primarily known as a bush plane. It is used for cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application , and has been widely adopted by armed forces as a utility aircraft...
- Douglas C-47 Dakota
- Douglas DC-6ADouglas DC-6The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
- leased from Alitalia - Vickers VikingVickers VC.1 VikingThe Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
- Vickers Viscount 748D & 754DVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
Accidents and incidents
- On 9 August 1958, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
VP-YNE crashed 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) south east of Benina International AirportBenina International AirportBenina International Airport serves Benghazi, Libya. It is located in the town of Benina, 19 km east of Benghazi, from which it takes its name. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of Libya and is the second largest in the country after Tripoli International...
, LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, killing 36 of the 54 people on board. See: 1958 Central African Airways plane crash1958 Central African Airways plane crashThe 1958 Central African Airways plane crash occurred when a Vickers Viscount airliner crashed during a scheduled passenger flight from Wadi Halfa, Sudan to Benghazi, Libya on 9 August 1958 about 9 kilometers southeast of Benina International Airport in Libya....
External links
CAA history http://www.nrzam.org.uk/Aviation/CAAhistory/CAA.htmlCAA accidents from ASN http://aviation-safety.net/database/operator/airline.php?var=6954