Ozark Air Lines
Encyclopedia
Ozark Air Lines was a commercial airline
that operated in the United States
from 1950 until 1986, when it was purchased by Trans World Airlines
. A second, smaller airline by that same name operated in 2000-2001. Ozark, from 1950 until 1986, had its headquarters on the grounds of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
in St. Louis County, Missouri
.
, Missouri
, and it began operations in January 1945 with service between Springfield and St. Louis using Beech 17 Staggerwing
aircraft. Those were replaced by Cessna AT-17 Bobcat
in the late 1940s. But because a license by the Civil Aeronautics Board was not forthcoming, operations had to be stopped. Another airline, Parks Air Lines, got an operating license so in 1950 Ozark took over Parks Air Lines, to include some Douglas DC-3
s. Flights from St. Louis to Chicago
soon followed, and by 1955 the airline had 13 DC-3s flying to over 25 destinations between Milwaukee, Wichita, Nashville and Indianapolis. Ozark's main hub was Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
.
In 1960, the fleet was upgraded to turboprops with the introduction of the Fokker F27 Friendship
, and to increase capacity the Martin 4-0-4
was introduced in 1964.
, Louisville
, Washington, D.C.
, New York City
, Miami, Tampa
and Orlando
. Soon the DC-3s and F27s were replaced by the Fairchild Hiller FH-227
until October 1978, when the fleet was composed of DC-9s only.
Over the years, Ozark's DC-9-10s were augmented with DC-9-31/32 and DC-9-40s until 1984 when the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 was introduced. The livery of the airline had three swallows painted on the vertical stabilizer of its airplanes. The swallows represented on-time performance. The symbolism was based on the legend of the swallows that return to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, in California, each year precisely on the 19th of March.
at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, a hub for both. Ozark accounted for 26.3 percent of emplanements at STL in 1985, while TWA accounted for another 56.6 percent. On March 1, 1986, the two airlines announced plans to merge: TWA would buy Ozark for $242 million in cash. Shareholders of both airlines approved the merger by late summer, and the U.S. Department of Transportation gave its approval on September 12, 1986.
Ozark ceased to exist as an independent company on October 27, 1986. The Ozark DC-9s were gradually painted with a modified paint scheme to reflect the name "TWA" in the tail. Eventually, over the next couple of years, the fifty airplanes of the Ozark fleet were freshly repainted in the TWA livery.
. The reformed Ozark Air Lines received its operating certificate on February 11, 2000, and began service 10 days later, from Columbia Regional Airport
to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago Midway Airport, using two Fairchild Dornier 328JET
aircraft.
A year later the company ceased operations and sold its assets to the now-bankrupt Great Plains Airlines
, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma
.
which could be reached only in certain areas of the state by dialing 0 and asking the New Jersey Bell
operator to connect to Ozark's WX number
: WX-8300. The number could not be dialed directly by the customer and was only available to certain telephone exchanges where WX was available. (Direct-dial toll-free
service made WX numbers obsolete, and they have been largely phased out.)
appeared in Ozark advertising as a spokesman.
1959 -
1965 -
1969 -
1973 -
1978 -
1980 -
1986 -
Dec. 27, 1968: An Ozark DC-9-10 crashed upon takeoff in Sioux City, Iowa, injuring three. Although there was excessive ice buildup on the airplane, the pilot nevertheless attempted takeoff, and went off the end of the runway before becoming airborne. The right side of the cockpit collided with a tree that also removed the right wing.
On July 23, 1973, Ozark Air Lines Flight 809
, a Fairchild Hiller FH-227B, crashed while on approach to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Of the 45 passengers and crew on board, only seven survived. Microburst-induced windshear and the captain's decision to land in a thunderstorm were cited as the cause.
On December 20, 1983, Ozark Air Lines Flight 650
, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31, struck a snow plow while landing at Sioux Falls Regional Airport
. The driver of the snow plow was killed but no passenger injuries were suffered.
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...
that operated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1950 until 1986, when it was purchased by Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
. A second, smaller airline by that same name operated in 2000-2001. Ozark, from 1950 until 1986, had its headquarters on the grounds of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...
in St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
.
History
Ozark Air Lines' origins date back to September 1943 when it was founded in SpringfieldSpringfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and it began operations in January 1945 with service between Springfield and St. Louis using Beech 17 Staggerwing
Beechcraft Staggerwing
The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger , that first flew in 1932.-Development:...
aircraft. Those were replaced by Cessna AT-17 Bobcat
Cessna AT-17
-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
in the late 1940s. But because a license by the Civil Aeronautics Board was not forthcoming, operations had to be stopped. Another airline, Parks Air Lines, got an operating license so in 1950 Ozark took over Parks Air Lines, to include some 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...
s. Flights from St. Louis to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
soon followed, and by 1955 the airline had 13 DC-3s flying to over 25 destinations between Milwaukee, Wichita, Nashville and Indianapolis. Ozark's main hub was Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...
.
In 1960, the fleet was upgraded to turboprops with the introduction of the Fokker F27 Friendship
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
, and to increase capacity the Martin 4-0-4
Martin 4-0-4
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979, pp. 95, 217. ISBN 0-904597-22-9....
was introduced in 1964.
Jet service
The pure jet age came to Ozark in 1966 with the introduction of the Douglas DC-9-10 and with them the network was expanded to include: Denver, IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Miami, Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
and Orlando
Orlando
Orlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Soon the DC-3s and F27s were replaced by the Fairchild Hiller FH-227
Fairchild Hiller FH-227
The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
until October 1978, when the fleet was composed of DC-9s only.
Over the years, Ozark's DC-9-10s were augmented with DC-9-31/32 and DC-9-40s until 1984 when the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 was introduced. The livery of the airline had three swallows painted on the vertical stabilizer of its airplanes. The swallows represented on-time performance. The symbolism was based on the legend of the swallows that return to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, in California, each year precisely on the 19th of March.
Merger with TWA
In the mid-1980s, Ozark and TWA had a de facto duopolyDuopoly
A true duopoly is a specific type of oligopoly where only two producers exist in one market. In reality, this definition is generally used where only two firms have dominant control over a market...
at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, a hub for both. Ozark accounted for 26.3 percent of emplanements at STL in 1985, while TWA accounted for another 56.6 percent. On March 1, 1986, the two airlines announced plans to merge: TWA would buy Ozark for $242 million in cash. Shareholders of both airlines approved the merger by late summer, and the U.S. Department of Transportation gave its approval on September 12, 1986.
Ozark ceased to exist as an independent company on October 27, 1986. The Ozark DC-9s were gradually painted with a modified paint scheme to reflect the name "TWA" in the tail. Eventually, over the next couple of years, the fifty airplanes of the Ozark fleet were freshly repainted in the TWA livery.
Second Ozark Air Lines (2000-2001)
In 1998, the rights to the airline's name were purchased by William E. Stricker of Columbia, MissouriColumbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
. The reformed Ozark Air Lines received its operating certificate on February 11, 2000, and began service 10 days later, from Columbia Regional Airport
Columbia Regional Airport
Columbia Regional Airport is a public airport located 10 miles southeast of the central business district of Columbia, a city in Boone County, Missouri, USA. The airport covers and has two runways. The Airport is served by one commercial airline and provides general aviation services as well...
to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago Midway Airport, using two Fairchild Dornier 328JET
Fairchild Dornier 328JET
|-References:* Much of the content of this article comes from the equivalent German-language Wikipedia article .-External links:*...
aircraft.
A year later the company ceased operations and sold its assets to the now-bankrupt Great Plains Airlines
Great Plains Airlines
Great Plains Airlines was a regional airline headquartered out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The airline was founded in 2001 a mix of tax credits and government loans totaling $27 million and expanded rapidly, filing with the Air Transportation Stabilization Board for a guarantee of $17...
, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
.
Reservations
From the 1960s through the late 1980s, Ozark Air Lines' reservations department utilized a special toll-free WX telephone prefix in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
which could be reached only in certain areas of the state by dialing 0 and asking the New Jersey Bell
New Jersey Bell
Verizon New Jersey, Inc., formerly New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, is the Bell Operating Company serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 1984, the Bell System Divestiture split New Jersey Bell off into a Regional Bell Operating Company, along with the 21 other BOCs AT&T had a majority stake in...
operator to connect to Ozark's WX number
Zenith number
A Zenith number is a special type of toll-free telephone number in the United States and Canada that was introduced prior to the development of WATS toll-free service. It allows a calling party to call the number's owner at no charge by dialing the operator and requesting the specified Zenith...
: WX-8300. The number could not be dialed directly by the customer and was only available to certain telephone exchanges where WX was available. (Direct-dial toll-free
Wide Area Telephone Service
In U.S. telecommunications, a Wide Area Telephone Service is a long distance service offering for customer dial-type telecommunications between a given customer [user] station and stations within specified geographic rate areas employing a single telephone line between the customer user location...
service made WX numbers obsolete, and they have been largely phased out.)
Advertising
In the late 1960s, comedian George CarlinGeorge Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
appeared in Ozark advertising as a spokesman.
Destinations as of 1986
- Atlanta (Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport)
- BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
(Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
/Iowa CityIowa City, IowaIowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
(The Eastern Iowa AirportThe Eastern Iowa AirportThe Eastern Iowa Airport is a commercial airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the United States. The airport serves Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and other communities in eastern Iowa...
) - ChampaignChampaign, IllinoisChampaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
/UrbanaUrbana, IllinoisUrbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
(University of Illinois Willard AirportUniversity of Illinois Willard AirportUniversity of Illinois Willard Airport is an airport owned and operated by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign located south of Savoy in Tolono Township, Champaign County, Illinois. It serves the greater Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area in East Central Illinois...
) - CharlotteCHARLOTTE- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
(Charlotte/Douglas International AirportCharlotte/Douglas International AirportCharlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
) - ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(Chicago O'Hare International Airport) - Cleveland (Cleveland Hopkins International AirportCleveland Hopkins International AirportCleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public airport located nine miles southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The airport lies just within the city limits of Cleveland...
) - Dallas/Fort Worth (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)
- Denver (Stapleton International AirportStapleton International AirportStapleton International Airport was Denver, Colorado's primary airport from 1929 to 1995. At different times it served as a hub for TWA, People Express, Frontier Airlines and Western Airlines as well as a hub for Continental Airlines and United Airlines at the time of its closure.In 1995 Stapleton...
) - Des Moines (Des Moines International AirportDes Moines International AirportDes Moines International Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Des Moines, a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The airport serves the Des Moines metropolitan area with 19 connections to major airline hubs...
) - Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
) - Fort Lauderdale/HollywoodHollywood, Florida-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
(Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale – Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport is an international commercial airport located in unincorporated Broward County, Florida, three miles southwest of the central business district of Fort Lauderdale...
) - Fort Myers (Southwest Florida International AirportSouthwest Florida International Airport-Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:* November 28, 2007 - A single-engine fixed wing aircraft crashed about 9:20 a.m. one mile west of Runway 6. The crash killed the pilot...
) - Houston (William P. Hobby AirportWilliam P. Hobby AirportWilliam P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
) - IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
(Indianapolis International AirportIndianapolis International AirportIndianapolis International Airport is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Indianapolis, a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority...
) - Jacksonville (Jacksonville International AirportJacksonville International AirportJacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...
) - Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
(Kansas City International AirportKansas City International AirportKansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...
) - Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
(McCarran International AirportMcCarran International AirportMcCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
) - LincolnLincoln, NebraskaThe City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
(Lincoln Airport) - LouisvilleLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
(Louisville International AirportLouisville International AirportLouisville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport centrally located in the city of Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA. The airport covers 1,200 acres and has three runways. Its IATA airport code SDF is based on the airport's former name, Standiford Field...
) - MadisonMadison, WisconsinMadison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
(Dane County Regional AirportDane County Regional Airport-Statistics:-External links:* Dane County Regional Airport: * Wisconsin Airport Directory: * * - Listen live to Madison's Air Traffic Control...
) - Miami (Miami International AirportMiami International AirportMiami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
) - Milwaukee (General Mitchell International AirportGeneral Mitchell International AirportGeneral Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
) - Minneapolis/St. PaulSaint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
(Minneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMinneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
) - Nashville (Nashville International AirportNashville International AirportNashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
) - New Orleans (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLouis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a Class B public use international airport in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 10 nautical miles west of its central business district. The airport's address is 900 Airline Drive...
) - New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
) - OmahaOmahaOmaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
(Eppley AirfieldEppley AirfieldEppley Airfield is a medium hub primary airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Omaha, a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska...
) - Oklahoma CityOklahoma cityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
(Will Rogers World AirportWill Rogers World AirportWill Rogers World Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is located in southwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 6 miles from downtown and is the principal commercial airport of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area...
) - OrlandoOrlandoOrlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
(Orlando International AirportOrlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
) - PeoriaPeoria, IllinoisPeoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
(General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport) - Philadelphia (Philadelphia International AirportPhiladelphia International AirportPhiladelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
) - Quad CitiesQuad CitiesThe Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
(Quad City International AirportQuad City International AirportQuad City International Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Moline, a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority...
) - RaleighRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
/DurhamDurham, North CarolinaDurham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
(Raleigh-Durham International AirportRaleigh-Durham International AirportRaleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...
) - Rochester, MinnesotaRochester, MinnesotaRochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
(Rochester International AirportRochester International AirportRochester International Airport is a nonhub primary airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Rochester, a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. It is the second busiest commercial airport in Minnesota...
) - San Antonio (San Antonio International AirportSan Antonio International AirportSan Antonio International Airport is a commercial airport in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The airport has three runways and covers . Its elevation is above sea level. SAT is a Class C airport.- Overview :...
) - San Diego (San Diego International AirportSan Diego International AirportSan Diego International Airport , sometimes referred to as Lindbergh Field, is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of San Diego, California and from the Mexico – United States border at Tijuana, Mexico...
) - SarasotaSarasota, FloridaSarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
/BradentonBradenton, FloridaBradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
(Sarasota-Bradenton International AirportSarasota-Bradenton International AirportSarasota-Bradenton International Airport is an airport located between Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida. The airport is shared by both Manatee County and Sarasota County . Most airlines refer to the airport on destination maps and flight status displays as just "Sarasota", as that is the more...
) - Sioux City (Sioux Gateway AirportSioux Gateway Airport-History:The construction of Sioux City Army Air Base began in March 1942, about three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Opened on 5 July 1942, it became a major training center during World War II for crew members of B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses...
) - Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls Regional AirportSioux Falls Regional AirportSioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a joint civil and military use airport located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sioux Falls, a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States...
) - St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
(Lambert-St. Louis International AirportLambert-St. Louis International AirportLambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...
) Hub - TampaTâmpaTâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
(Tampa International AirportTampa International AirportTampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
) - Tulsa (Tulsa International AirportTulsa International AirportTulsa International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles northeast of downtown Tulsa, a city in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was originally named Tulsa Municipal Airport, when the city acquired it in 1929...
) - West Palm Beach (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...
) - Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(Ronald Reagan Washington National AirportRonald Reagan Washington National AirportRonald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...
) - WaterlooWaterloo, IowaWaterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
(Waterloo Regional AirportWaterloo Regional Airport- External links :*, official site*...
)
- Note: Regional destinations were served by Ozark Midwest
Fleet history
1959 -
- 24 - 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...
- 3 - Fairchild F-27 Friendship
1965 -
- 21 - 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...
- 15 - Martin 4-0-4Martin 4-0-4|-See also:-Bibliography:* Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979, pp. 95, 217. ISBN 0-904597-22-9....
- 7 - Fairchild F-27 Friendship
1969 -
- 21 - Fairchild Hiller FH-227Fairchild Hiller FH-227The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
- 8 - Douglas DC-9-10
- 9 - Douglas DC-9-30
1973 -
- 3 - de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
- 20 - Fairchild Hiller FH-227Fairchild Hiller FH-227The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
- 8 - Douglas DC-9-10
- 11 - Douglas DC-9-31/32
1978 -
- 13 - Fairchild Hiller FH-227BFairchild Hiller FH-227The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
- 8 - Douglas DC-9-10
- 26 - Douglas DC-9-31/32
1980 -
- 13 - Fairchild Hiller FH-227BFairchild Hiller FH-227The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
- 7 - Douglas DC-9-10
- 33 - Douglas DC-9-31/32
1986 -
- 7 - Douglas DC-9-10
- 36 - Douglas DC-9-31/32
- 3 - Douglas DC-9-40
- 4 - McDonnell Douglas MD-82
Incidents
March 27, 1968: At about 6 p.m., an Ozark DC-9 and an Interstate Airmotive Cessna 150F collided in flight approximately 1.5 miles north of Lambert Field. Both aircraft were in the landing pattern for Runway 17 when the accident occurred. The Cessna was demolished by the collision and ground impact, and both occupants were fatally injured. The DC-9 sustained light damage and was able to effect a safe landing. None of its 44 passengers or five crewmembers was injured.Dec. 27, 1968: An Ozark DC-9-10 crashed upon takeoff in Sioux City, Iowa, injuring three. Although there was excessive ice buildup on the airplane, the pilot nevertheless attempted takeoff, and went off the end of the runway before becoming airborne. The right side of the cockpit collided with a tree that also removed the right wing.
On July 23, 1973, Ozark Air Lines Flight 809
Ozark Air Lines Flight 809
Ozark Air Lines Flight 809 was a regularly scheduled flight from Nashville, Tennessee to St. Louis, Missouri, with intermediate stops at Clarksville, Tennessee, Paducah, Kentucky, Cape Giradeau, Missouri, and Marion, Illinois. On July 23, 1973, while landing at St. Louis, it crashed, killing 38...
, a Fairchild Hiller FH-227B, crashed while on approach to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Of the 45 passengers and crew on board, only seven survived. Microburst-induced windshear and the captain's decision to land in a thunderstorm were cited as the cause.
On December 20, 1983, Ozark Air Lines Flight 650
Ozark Air Lines Flight 650
Ozark Air Lines Flight 650 was a regularly scheduled flight between Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, and Sioux Falls Regional Airport in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. While landing on runway 3 in a snow storm on December 20, 1983, it struck a snow plow on the runway. The impact ripped the...
, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31, struck a snow plow while landing at Sioux Falls Regional Airport
Sioux Falls Regional Airport
Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a joint civil and military use airport located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sioux Falls, a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States...
. The driver of the snow plow was killed but no passenger injuries were suffered.
External links
- Site including history and gathering place for former employees
- Airlinecolors.com Images and historical overview
- http://timetableimages.com/ttimages/oz.htm has several Ozark timetables from 1952-61, showing where they flew, how often, how long it took and how much it cost. They also have route maps for some later years.