Florida Commuter Airlines
Encyclopedia
Florida Commuter Airlines was a small U.S.
regional airline
based out of Palm Beach International Airport
that evolved directly from Roberson Air, Inc. which did business as Red Baron Airlines
. This happened when Dr. Rudolph P. Scheerer bought out Dr. Clive E. Roberson for a 100% stake in the airline on June 13, 1980. The management structure remained the same except for Dr. Clive E. Roberson. On July 24, 1980, Florida Commuter Airlines received its carrier operating certificate as a commuter and charter operator. It was certified to fly 2 DC-3's and a Piper PA-31 Navajo
. On September 9, 1980, and interline agreement was signed with Air Florida
. An interline and a bilateral agreement was also signed with Eastern Airlines.
The airline later became Southern Airlines in 1981 shortly after the Florida Commuter Airlines crash
of a Douglas DC-3
in the Bahamas on September 12, 1980.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
regional airline
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
based out of Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
that evolved directly from Roberson Air, Inc. which did business as Red Baron Airlines
Red Baron Airlines
-History:Red Baron Airlines was a small U.S. regional airline based out of Palm Beach International Airport and operating solely within Florida. It was started as a joint venture between Clive E. Roberson and Rudolph P. Scheerer. It was a member of the Commuter Airline Association of America...
. This happened when Dr. Rudolph P. Scheerer bought out Dr. Clive E. Roberson for a 100% stake in the airline on June 13, 1980. The management structure remained the same except for Dr. Clive E. Roberson. On July 24, 1980, Florida Commuter Airlines received its carrier operating certificate as a commuter and charter operator. It was certified to fly 2 DC-3's and a Piper PA-31 Navajo
Piper PA-31 Navajo
The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also licence-built in a number of Latin American countries. Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and...
. On September 9, 1980, and interline agreement was signed with Air Florida
Air Florida
Air Florida was an American low-cost carrier that operated from 1971 to 1984. In 1975 it was headquartered in the Dadeland Towers in what is now the Kendall CDP in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. An interline and a bilateral agreement was also signed with Eastern Airlines.
Route
The airline offered weekday flights starting in the morning from West Palm Beach, FL and stopping in Gainesville, FL before continuing to Tallahassee, FL and then Jacksonville, FL. In the afternoon the route was the reverse. Finally in the late afternoon the flight path was West Palm Beach, Gainesville, Tallahassee, and the reverse for the evening. On Saturday and Sunday Jacksonville was not a destination.The airline later became Southern Airlines in 1981 shortly after the Florida Commuter Airlines crash
Florida Commuter Airlines crash
The Florida Commuter Airlines Flight 65 crash into the Atlantic Ocean near West End Settlement on Grand Bahama Island occurred on September 12, 1980. The Douglas DC-3 departed West Palm Beach, FL at 20:35 and crashed at about 20:58 leaving no survivors. The plane was not recovered...
of a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
in the Bahamas on September 12, 1980.
Accidents and incidents
- On 22 November 1966, de Havilland DH.125British Aerospace BAe 125The British Aerospace 125 is a twin-engined mid-size corporate jet, with newer variants now marketed as the Hawker 800. It was known as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 until 1977...
N235KC of Florida Commuter Airlines crashed into the sea 7.3 kilometres (3.9 nmi) off Grand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International Airport is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas. The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and The Port Group...
, Freeport, BahamasFreeport, BahamasFreeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of Grand Bahama of the North-west Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted 50,000 acres Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of...
during an illegal flight from Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
- On 12 September 1980, Douglas DC-3ADouglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
N75KW of Florida Commuter Airlines, operating a scheduled international passenger flight from West Palm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
, Palm Beach, FloridaPalm Beach, FloridaThe Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Grand Bahama International Airport crashed into the seaFlorida Commuter Airlines crashThe Florida Commuter Airlines Flight 65 crash into the Atlantic Ocean near West End Settlement on Grand Bahama Island occurred on September 12, 1980. The Douglas DC-3 departed West Palm Beach, FL at 20:35 and crashed at about 20:58 leaving no survivors. The plane was not recovered...
6.5 kilometres (3.5 nmi) off West EndWest End, Grand BahamaWest End is the oldest town and westernmost settlement on the Bahamian island of Grand Bahama. It is the current capital of Grand Bahama, contrary to the belief that Freeport City is the capital of the island. It is also the third largest settlement in the Bahamas...
. All 34 on board were killed. The aircraft was on an international non-scheduled passenger flight from Palm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Grand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International Airport is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas. The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and The Port Group...
. Although the cause of the accident was never determined, it is known that the aircraft flew into a thunderstormThunderstormA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
and that there were pre-existing deficiencies with the pitot tubePitot tubeA pitot tube is a pressure measurement instrument used to measure fluid flow velocity. The pitot tube was invented by the French engineer Henri Pitot Ulo in the early 18th century and was modified to its modern form in the mid-19th century by French scientist Henry Darcy...
and static system on the aircraft. Florida Commuter Airlines were criticized for their poor maintenance regime.