Nationwide Airlines
Encyclopedia
Nationwide Airlines was an airline
based in Lanseria
, South Africa
. It operated scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg
.. On April 29, 2008 the Airline halted operations.
for the United Nations
and the World Food Programme
, as well as ad hoc passenger and cargo charters. Domestic scheduled operations were started in December 1995 as Nationwide Airlines, which was one of four companies within the group consisting of Nationwide Air Charter, Nationwide Aircraft Maintenance and Nationwide Aircraft Support. In 2003 it inaugurated an intercontinental service with widebody aircraft. It is privately owned and has 800 employees (at March 2007).
Nationwide planned to expand its international operations with flights to Munich
and possibly Shanghai
or Beijing
. A second Boeing 767
was to enter service in November 2006, however Nationwide failed to secure the purchase. Aircraft that were also under consideration for the longhaul routes were the Boeing 747-400
and Boeing 777-200ER
. In February 2005, the airline began updating its fleet by introducing its first Boeing 737-500
into service. It thus became the only operator of the -500 type in South Africa.
In March 2008 the airline was awarded as the most punctual scheduled airline in 2007 between London and Johannesburg for the second consecutive year according to UK CAA statistics.
en route to OR Tambo International Airport. Allegedly, a small pice of Foreign Object Debris (aka 'FOD') was ingested by the engine, causing a failure and vibrations that caused a pre-existing stress fracture in one of the engine retaining bolts to fail . This retaining bolt failure put sufficient strain on the engine pylon that it completely detached from the wing(to prevent wing damage) while the pilots performed an emergency one engine climb. The engine
fell onto the runway
, causing the airport to close and various other aircraft
to be diverted to George Airport
. During the accident, the aircraft also lost most of its 'A' system hydraulic fluid (and a substantial quantity of fuel from the right wing tank) via the now severed connections between the fuel and hydraulic system and the right engine. This kind of separation, and severance of the lines had been anticipated by Boeing engineers, but due to the nature of the separation, the break in the lines occurred deeper into the wing than the pre-planned breaking point. Amongst other failures, this also degraded the wheel brakes, and the nose wheel steering would not function. The undercarriage would also not extend normally and had to be lowered manually. Rather than risk stressing the wing by trning the aircraft, the plane made a more or less striagh flight to Roben Island where it condicted an emergency landing. Back at Capetown, the detached engine remained to the east of the runway, and was only moved after an initial inspection by the accident investigators. Captain Trevor Arnold and First Officer Daniel Perry were in command of this flight, numbered CE723. Daniel Perry was the pilot flying at the time of the accident. No-one was injured.
to ground all Nationwide aircraft for non compliance with the applicable Civil Aviation regulations .
The airline had 30 days to either comply with the regulation or appeal.
December 7, 2007: The CAA granted the 767-300 permission to fly on their Johanesburg to London route The airline had planned to resume domestic flights the following week.
December 24, 2007: Nationwide aircraft had been granted permission to resume operations, but the airline had lost most of its holiday season passengers during the shut down and were operating with a reduced fleet size. According to Rodger Whittle, Nationwide's corporate quality director, the airline struggled to accommodate the remaining holiday season traffic and revenue were under stress.
By May, 2008 liquidation proceedings were already in progress. December 2008 saw the first ever auction of Boeing aircraft in South Africa
According to aviation industry analyst Iain McCreary of the consultancy Insight SRI , this is the only know case of a Foreign Object Debris (FOD) strike forcing an airline into bankruptcy ("if not as the cause, then as a precipitating event")
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Lanseria
Lanseria
Lanseria is a place in the northwest of the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the location of Lanseria International Airport, which is the smaller of Johannesburg's two international airports - the main international airport is OR Tambo International Airport to the east of the city...
, 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...
. It operated scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, 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...
.. On April 29, 2008 the Airline halted operations.
History
The airline was founded in 1995 by Chief Executive Vernon Bricknell and began operating charter services within AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and the World Food Programme
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
, as well as ad hoc passenger and cargo charters. Domestic scheduled operations were started in December 1995 as Nationwide Airlines, which was one of four companies within the group consisting of Nationwide Air Charter, Nationwide Aircraft Maintenance and Nationwide Aircraft Support. In 2003 it inaugurated an intercontinental service with widebody aircraft. It is privately owned and has 800 employees (at March 2007).
Nationwide planned to expand its international operations with flights to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and possibly Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
or Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. A second Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
was to enter service in November 2006, however Nationwide failed to secure the purchase. Aircraft that were also under consideration for the longhaul routes were the Boeing 747-400
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
and Boeing 777-200ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
. In February 2005, the airline began updating its fleet by introducing its first Boeing 737-500
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
into service. It thus became the only operator of the -500 type in South Africa.
In March 2008 the airline was awarded as the most punctual scheduled airline in 2007 between London and Johannesburg for the second consecutive year according to UK CAA statistics.
Destinations
Nationwide Airlines served the following destinations (at April 2008):- AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
- South AfricaSouth AfricaThe 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...
: Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, George, 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...
, Kruger Park, Port Elizabeth - ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
: LivingstoneLivingstone, ZambiaLivingstone or Maramba is a historic colonial city and present capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, a tourism centre for the Victoria Falls lying north of the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls...
- South Africa
- EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(London Gatwick AirportLondon Gatwick AirportGatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
)
- United Kingdom
Incidents and accidents
November 7, 2007: A Nationwide Airlines Boeing 737-200 lost its right engine a few seconds after liftoff from Cape Town International AirportCape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport is the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. Located approximately from the city centre, the airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport in the suburb of...
en route to OR Tambo International Airport. Allegedly, a small pice of Foreign Object Debris (aka 'FOD') was ingested by the engine, causing a failure and vibrations that caused a pre-existing stress fracture in one of the engine retaining bolts to fail . This retaining bolt failure put sufficient strain on the engine pylon that it completely detached from the wing(to prevent wing damage) while the pilots performed an emergency one engine climb. The engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
fell onto the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
, causing the airport to close and various other aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
to be diverted to George Airport
George Airport
George Airport is an airport located in George, South Africa. It was formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport, named after the state president who lived in this part of the country.In 2004, the airport served 199,000 passengers, up from 154,000 in 2003....
. During the accident, the aircraft also lost most of its 'A' system hydraulic fluid (and a substantial quantity of fuel from the right wing tank) via the now severed connections between the fuel and hydraulic system and the right engine. This kind of separation, and severance of the lines had been anticipated by Boeing engineers, but due to the nature of the separation, the break in the lines occurred deeper into the wing than the pre-planned breaking point. Amongst other failures, this also degraded the wheel brakes, and the nose wheel steering would not function. The undercarriage would also not extend normally and had to be lowered manually. Rather than risk stressing the wing by trning the aircraft, the plane made a more or less striagh flight to Roben Island where it condicted an emergency landing. Back at Capetown, the detached engine remained to the east of the runway, and was only moved after an initial inspection by the accident investigators. Captain Trevor Arnold and First Officer Daniel Perry were in command of this flight, numbered CE723. Daniel Perry was the pilot flying at the time of the accident. No-one was injured.
Grounded
November 29, 2007: The existence of a pre-existing stress fracture in the engine retaining bolt (caused by mechanic error due to over tightening) led the South African Civil Aviation AuthoritySouth African Civil Aviation Authority
The South African Civil Aviation Authority is the South African national aviation authority, overseeing civil aviation and governing investigations of aviation accidents and incidents. It is headquartered in the Midrand community of Johannesburg.-External links:* *...
to ground all Nationwide aircraft for non compliance with the applicable Civil Aviation regulations .
The airline had 30 days to either comply with the regulation or appeal.
December 7, 2007: The CAA granted the 767-300 permission to fly on their Johanesburg to London route The airline had planned to resume domestic flights the following week.
December 24, 2007: Nationwide aircraft had been granted permission to resume operations, but the airline had lost most of its holiday season passengers during the shut down and were operating with a reduced fleet size. According to Rodger Whittle, Nationwide's corporate quality director, the airline struggled to accommodate the remaining holiday season traffic and revenue were under stress.
Halt of Operations
April 29, 2008 In January, Nationwide resumed operations and attained a gradual recovery of the business however in the months of March and April they faced a 30% increase in fuel costs coupled with a decrease in passenger load factors. Nationwide's already critical cash-flow meant operations were no longer sustainable without external, third party finance. An effort to sell 51% of the airline that Spring had failed, and as a result management decided to voluntarily cease all flight operations.By May, 2008 liquidation proceedings were already in progress. December 2008 saw the first ever auction of Boeing aircraft in South Africa
According to aviation industry analyst Iain McCreary of the consultancy Insight SRI , this is the only know case of a Foreign Object Debris (FOD) strike forcing an airline into bankruptcy ("if not as the cause, then as a precipitating event")
Fleet
The Nationwide Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at April 2008):- 3 Boeing 727-200Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
(Used mostly for charter and regional work) - 11 Boeing 737-200Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
(Used on primary domestic and regional routes) - 2 Boeing 737-500Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
(Used on primary domestic and regional routes) - 1 Boeing 767-300ERBoeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
(Used on Johannesburg-Gatwick route)