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Command Airways (South Africa)
Encyclopedia
Command Airways was an airline based in Johannesburg
, South Africa
operating scheduled services from September 6, 1977 to June 30, 1980 and thereafter non-scheduled services only.
, Command Airways was the first scheduled helicopter airline in South Africa
and on the African continent. Services between Pretoria
Central Heliport (HPR) and Johannesburg
began on September 6, 1977. Within a short period, the route system expanded to include Babelegi Industrial Park Heliport (HBL), Iscor
Heliport (HIC) and Lanseria Airport
(HLA).
Services linking Sandton City
Heliport (HCS) and Johannesburg
(JNB) were inaugurated on February 19, 1978. Passenger demand rose quickly and authority to increase flight frequency to Sandton City
Heliport was given on April 9, 1979.
From September 1, 1979, the carrier allied with Magnum Airlines Ltd and rebranded as Magnum Airlines Helicopters. Sandton City
Heliport became an active hub for the airline's scheduled services as well as for other charter and industrial aid operators. The noise of intensified operations was a major public concern and a high-profile media focus. Despite joint attempts by helicopter operators to mitigate their environmental impact, the city council ordered Sandton City
Heliport closed effective from June 30, 1980.
The airline again operated as Command Airways, ceased scheduled operations and refocussed on developing its helicopter charter market. Although no longer part of the Magnum Airlines alliance, it maintained other cooperative agreements.
The Command Airways fleet comprised the following aircraft:
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
operating scheduled services from September 6, 1977 to June 30, 1980 and thereafter non-scheduled services only.
History
Founded on June 30, 1977 and based at OR Tambo International Airport (then known as Jan Smuts Airport) (JNB), JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Command Airways was the first scheduled helicopter airline in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and on the African continent. Services between Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
Central Heliport (HPR) and Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
began on September 6, 1977. Within a short period, the route system expanded to include Babelegi Industrial Park Heliport (HBL), Iscor
Iscor
Mittal Steel South Africa is part of the steel company Arcelor-Mittal. The company was originally Iscor Limited, a South African parastatal steel company...
Heliport (HIC) and Lanseria Airport
Lanseria Airport
Lanseria International Airport is a privately owned international airport that is situated north of Randburg and Sandton to the north west of Johannesburg, South Africa. The airport can handle aircraft up to the Boeing 757-300 and Airbus A319.-History:...
(HLA).
Services linking Sandton City
Sandton City
Sandton City is a shopping centre located in Sandton, Johannesburg that was built as pioneer centre in 1973.-Redevelopment:Liberty Properties announced in 2008 that Sandton City would receive a R1.77 billion upgrade...
Heliport (HCS) and Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
(JNB) were inaugurated on February 19, 1978. Passenger demand rose quickly and authority to increase flight frequency to Sandton City
Sandton City
Sandton City is a shopping centre located in Sandton, Johannesburg that was built as pioneer centre in 1973.-Redevelopment:Liberty Properties announced in 2008 that Sandton City would receive a R1.77 billion upgrade...
Heliport was given on April 9, 1979.
From September 1, 1979, the carrier allied with Magnum Airlines Ltd and rebranded as Magnum Airlines Helicopters. Sandton City
Sandton City
Sandton City is a shopping centre located in Sandton, Johannesburg that was built as pioneer centre in 1973.-Redevelopment:Liberty Properties announced in 2008 that Sandton City would receive a R1.77 billion upgrade...
Heliport became an active hub for the airline's scheduled services as well as for other charter and industrial aid operators. The noise of intensified operations was a major public concern and a high-profile media focus. Despite joint attempts by helicopter operators to mitigate their environmental impact, the city council ordered Sandton City
Sandton City
Sandton City is a shopping centre located in Sandton, Johannesburg that was built as pioneer centre in 1973.-Redevelopment:Liberty Properties announced in 2008 that Sandton City would receive a R1.77 billion upgrade...
Heliport closed effective from June 30, 1980.
The airline again operated as Command Airways, ceased scheduled operations and refocussed on developing its helicopter charter market. Although no longer part of the Magnum Airlines alliance, it maintained other cooperative agreements.
Incidents and accidents
- August 4, 1978: Command Flight 9501, using a Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
B JetRanger II, experienced an engine failure en route to the filming site of the movie Zulu DawnZulu DawnZulu Dawn is a 1979 war film about the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 in South Africa. The screenplay was by Cy Endfield, from his book, and Anthony Story. The film was directed by Douglas Hickox...
in Natal ProvinceNatal ProvinceNatal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
with the pilot, the Executive Producer, the Executive Producer's wife and son, and an assistant onboard. A successful autorotationAutorotationIn aviation, autorotation refers to processes in both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The term means significantly different things in each context....
was performed to a dry riverbed. There were no injuries and damage was limited to the alighting gear. The flameout was later determined to have been caused by a sheared idler gear in the accessory gearbox.
- May 20, 1980: Command Flight 9611, using a Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
B-3 JetRanger III, crashed while performing a low-level filming sequence in a railway shunting yard near Germiston, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. One passenger, a television producer, was killed and four persons were injured including the pilot, one actor and one cameraman aboard the helicopter and one actor on the ground.
Fleet
- 1 Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
B JetRanger II (ZS-PAW) - 2 Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
B JetRanger III (ZS-HHD, ZS-HHE) - 1 Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
L LongRanger (ZS-HGG) - 2 Bell 206Bell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
L-1 LongRanger II (ZS-HJN, ZS-HJR) - 1 Bell 222Bell 222The Bell 222 is a twin-engined light helicopter built by Bell Helicopter. The Bell 230 is an improved development with different engines and other minor changes. A cosmetically modified version of the 222 was used as the titular aircraft in the US television series Airwolf.-Development:In the late...
(ZS-HJK)
External links
- http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ct1.htm Command Airways Timetable
- http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/indexza.htm Carriers in South Africa
- http://www.utdallas.edu/library/collections/speccoll/hacpdf/Guttery.pdf Ben Guttery History of Aviation Collection: African Airlines
Further reading
- Van Dyke, Capt Donald L. Fortune Favours the Bold: An African Aviation Odyssey. Philadelphia: XlibrisXlibrisXlibris is a Bloomington, Indiana-based self-publishing and on-demand printing services provider founded in 1997., The New York Times stated it to be the foremost on-demand publisher. The founder and chief executive is John Feldcamp.- Overview :...
, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4363-9314-0.