North Central Airlines
Encyclopedia
North Central Airlines was founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin
. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota
.
Auto Company (FWD), a major manufacturer of four-wheel transmissions
and heavy-duty trucks
based in Clintonville, Wisconsin
, opened a flight department and traded a company truck for a Waco
biplane
for their company's use. In 1944 company executives decided to start an airline
. In 1946 airline service was started between six Wisconsin
cities. This led the company to purchase two Cessna Bobcats
. Soon after this the airline purchased three Lockheed Electra 10A
s. They increased service to 19 cities, and (with increasing revenues) purchased three more Electra 10As, and then 6 DC-3s.
from Wisconsin
to Minneapolis, Minnesota
. Along with the move the name was changed to North Central Airlines. Soon after this the airline ran into some financial
troubles when their President
, Francis Higgins
, left, making Hal Carr the President. Carr quickly got the company out of debt
and made it more reliable. Over time, the company expanded its fleet to 32 DC-3s. It also became the busiest local carrier in the North Central United States
.
. In 1960 North Central hit the one million passenger mark and had service to 90 cities. The airline added routes to Canada
. The airline even worked with the United States Government to aid troubled airlines in South America
. As the airline grew it needed larger planes. The firm decided to buy 5 Douglas DC-9-31s in 1965, and the Convair 340s were also changed from piston
power to turboprop
power, the converted aircraft becoming Convair 580s. The airline continued to buy more DC-9s and numerous Convair
planes. In 1969 North Central Airlines moved its administrative and operational headquarters to a building on the south side of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; as of 2009 the building was the Building C Maintenance and Administrative Facility of Northwest Airlines
. The airline flew to many major cities by the 1970s.
At the time the Federal government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, North Central was designated a "local service carrier," operating a combination of turboprop and jet aircraft to mostly serve cities within one region of the United States, and also helping feed passengers to larger "trunk airlines" that served cities nationwide. North Central did fly to some more distant cities, such as Washington, D.C.-National, New York-LaGuardia, Boston, Denver and Tucson.
. In 1979, a merger of the two airlines formed Republic Airlines
. Republic later acquired San Francisco-based Hughes Airwest
. Republic kept North Central's hubs at Minneapolis and Detroit, and Southern's hub at Memphis, Tennessee. But within a few years it closed down Hughes' hub in Phoenix, Arizona; reduced North Central's sizeable station at O'Hare International Airport
; and reduced Southern's sizeable station at Atlanta. Republic also quickly downsized North Central's operations to and among smaller airports in the upper Midwest, concentrating its fleet at the Minneapolis and Detroit hubs.
In 1986, Republic was merged with Northwest Airlines
, which also operated a hub at Minneapolis and had a large operation at Detroit, thus ending the legacy of Wisconsin Central and North Central.
Clintonville, Wisconsin
Clintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Early history
In 1939, the Four Wheel DriveFour Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
Auto Company (FWD), a major manufacturer of four-wheel transmissions
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
and heavy-duty trucks
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
based in Clintonville, Wisconsin
Clintonville, Wisconsin
Clintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
, opened a flight department and traded a company truck for a Waco
Waco Aircraft Company
The Waco Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, USA. Between 1919 and 1947, the company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes....
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
for their company's use. In 1944 company executives decided to start an airline
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...
. In 1946 airline service was started between six Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
cities. This led the company to purchase two Cessna Bobcats
Cessna AT-17
-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
. Soon after this the airline purchased three Lockheed Electra 10A
Lockheed Model 10 Electra
The Lockheed Model 10 Electra was a twin-engine, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2...
s. They increased service to 19 cities, and (with increasing revenues) purchased three more Electra 10As, and then 6 DC-3s.
Post Wisconsin Central history
In 1952, the airline moved its headquartersHeadquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Along with the move the name was changed to North Central Airlines. Soon after this the airline ran into some financial
FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
troubles when their President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Francis Higgins
Francis Higgins
Peter Higgins was a British athlete who mainly competed in the 400 metres....
, left, making Hal Carr the President. Carr quickly got the company out of debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
and made it more reliable. Over time, the company expanded its fleet to 32 DC-3s. It also became the busiest local carrier in the North Central United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
A growing airline
In the late 1950s the airline began to outgrow its fleet of DC-3s. The airline purchased 5 Convair 340s from Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
. In 1960 North Central hit the one million passenger mark and had service to 90 cities. The airline added routes to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The airline even worked with the United States Government to aid troubled airlines in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. As the airline grew it needed larger planes. The firm decided to buy 5 Douglas DC-9-31s in 1965, and the Convair 340s were also changed from piston
Piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...
power to turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
power, the converted aircraft becoming Convair 580s. The airline continued to buy more DC-9s and numerous Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
planes. In 1969 North Central Airlines moved its administrative and operational headquarters to a building on the south side of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; as of 2009 the building was the Building C Maintenance and Administrative Facility of Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
. The airline flew to many major cities by the 1970s.
At the time the Federal government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, North Central was designated a "local service carrier," operating a combination of turboprop and jet aircraft to mostly serve cities within one region of the United States, and also helping feed passengers to larger "trunk airlines" that served cities nationwide. North Central did fly to some more distant cities, such as Washington, D.C.-National, New York-LaGuardia, Boston, Denver and Tucson.
Merger
Following North Central's success, it moved to buy Atlanta-based Southern AirwaysSouthern Airways
Southern Airways was a regional airline operating in the United States from its founding by Frank Hulse in 1949 until 1979 when it merged with North Central Airlines to become Republic Airlines, which on October 1, 1986, became part of Northwest Airlines, which in 2008 became a part of Delta Air...
. In 1979, a merger of the two airlines formed Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines (1979-1986)
Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
. Republic later acquired San Francisco-based Hughes Airwest
Hughes Airwest
Hughes Airwest was an airline that was backed by Howard Hughes. Hughes Airwest flew routes around the western United States and to certain points in Mexico and Canada. The airline was purchased by Republic Airlines on October 1, 1980...
. Republic kept North Central's hubs at Minneapolis and Detroit, and Southern's hub at Memphis, Tennessee. But within a few years it closed down Hughes' hub in Phoenix, Arizona; reduced North Central's sizeable station at O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
; and reduced Southern's sizeable station at Atlanta. Republic also quickly downsized North Central's operations to and among smaller airports in the upper Midwest, concentrating its fleet at the Minneapolis and Detroit hubs.
In 1986, Republic was merged with Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
, which also operated a hub at Minneapolis and had a large operation at Detroit, thus ending the legacy of Wisconsin Central and North Central.
Historical fleet
- Lockheed Model 10 ElectraLockheed Model 10 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 10 Electra was a twin-engine, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2...
- Douglas DC-3Douglas 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...
- Convair CV-240-340
- Convair CV-240-580
- Douglas DC-9-31
- Douglas DC-9-32
- Douglas DC-9-51
Accidents
North Central Airlines planes were involved in four accidents in which there were fatalities, two in 1968 and two in 1972. Among them were:- On December 27, 1968, North Central Airlines Flight 458North Central Airlines Flight 458On December 27, 1968, North Central Airlines Flight 458 crashed into a hangar while attempting a night landing in poor weather at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Of the 41 passengers and 4 crew, only 17 passengers and one crew member survived...
, a Convair CV-580, crashed into a hangarHangarA hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
while attempting to land at O'Hare International AirportO'Hare International AirportChicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
in Chicago, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, killing 27 of the 45 people on board and killing one and injuring six people on the ground. - On June 29, 1972, all five people on board North Central Airlines Flight 290, a Convair CV-580, were killed when the plane collided with Air WisconsinAir WisconsinAir Wisconsin Airlines Corporation is an airline based at Outagamie County Regional Airport in the town of Greenville, Wisconsin, United States, near Appleton. Air Wisconsin is the largest privately held regional airline in the United States...
Flight 671 and crashed into Lake WinnebagoLake WinnebagoLake Winnebago is a freshwater lake in eastern Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest lake entirely within the state.-Statistics:...
near AppletonAppleton, WisconsinAppleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
, WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. - On December 20, 1972, North Central Airlines Flight 575, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31McDonnell Douglas DC-9The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
, was cleared by an air traffic controller for takeoff from O'Hare International AirportO'Hare International AirportChicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
in Chicago, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, while Delta Air Lines Flight 954, a Convair CV-880, was taxiing across the runway. Ten of the 45 people on board the North Central DC-9 were killed in the resulting collision and 15 were injured; there were two minor injuries on the Delta CV-880.