Skyways (British airline)
Encyclopedia
Skyways Limited was an early post-World War II
British
airline
formed in 1946 that soon became established as the largest operator of non-scheduled air services in Europe
.
Its principal activities included the operation of worldwide non-scheduled passenger and cargo services, including trooping and oil industry
support flights, inclusive tour (IT) and ad hoc charters for automobile industry executive
s as well as specialist freight services.
The newly formed airline operated its first flight in 1946 with an Avro York
that had been chartered by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
to carry oil personnel and freight from Langley to Basra
via Manston
, Malta
, Cairo
and Lydda
.
Skyways was a major civilian participant in the Berlin Airlift and became one of Britain
's foremost private, independentindependent from government owned corporations airlines during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Following the airline's liquidation
in 1950 and transfer of the bankrupt
carrier's asset
s to a new company incorporating the name Skyways, control passed to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in 1952. LAC's acquisition of Skyways resulted in concentration of the combined group's operations at London Stansted Airport
.
Low-fare scheduled services commenced in 1953.
Launch of the world's first Coach-Air operation in 1955 resulted in a demerger
that saw those services transferred to new subsidiary
Skyways Coach-Air Limited
.
A number of financial reorganisations during the 1950s provided the funds for a major expansion of Skyways's activities and fleet, culminating in the buyout
of the company in 1961 by Eric Rylands, LAC's former co-owner and managing director
.
Loss of a major freight contract that had accounted for 75% of Skyways's revenue, a failed investment in a regional Caribbean
airline and an expensive aircraft lease led to renewed financial difficulties in 1962. This resulted in Skyways's takeover by newly formed charter operator Euravia
the same year.
A new Skyways emerged in 1975 when, still under Eric Rylands's stewardship, Skyways Cargo Airline assumed the original Skyways's air freight business. Financial difficulties following a period of expansion during the second half of the 1970s led to the cessation of operations in 1980, resulting in the final disappearance of the Skyways name from the UK
air transport
scene.
d in 1929 to provide "instruction in aviation and aerial navigation, aerial and ground signalling", with a W. Knox as chairman and managing director.
Following the end of World War II, the Skyways name was transferred to a newly formed airline operating worldwide, non-scheduled passenger and cargo flights. Former British Overseas Airways Corporation
(BOAC) Director General
Brigadier General A.C. Critchley
was appointed Skyways's new chairman while inflight refuelling pioneer Sir Alan Cobham
became its deputy chairman. Veteran aviator
Captain R.J. Ashley assumed the role of managing director.
, via RAF Manston
, Malta, Cairo, Egypt
, and RAF Lydda
, Palestine
. This flight formed part of a charter contract for regular passenger and cargo services between the United Kingdom
and Persian Gulf
, operated with York
s at a frequency of two return flights per week. Originally, this had envisaged the use of RAF Northolt
as London
terminal. However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation
's refusal to grant private airlines access to Northolt
together with Langley's lack of Customs facilities necessitated a stop at Manston before leaving the UK
. There was also a night stop in Cairo on each leg of the journey. Each round-trip involved 35 flying hours and took four days to complete.
The initial fleet comprised six aircraft: two Avro Yorks, two Avro Lancastrian
s, a de Havilland Dove
and a de Havilland Dragon Rapide
. The Yorks and Lancastrian
s were employed on long-range
passenger and cargo flights while the Dove
s and Rapide
s were used for shorter distance passenger charters.
Following the launch of operations from Langley, Berkshire, by November 1946, Skyways had moved its main operating base to Dunsfold Aerodrome
near Guildford
in Surrey
.
The first year of operations saw Skyway joined by a second York named Sky Courier. Both aircraft were kept busy transporting oil company personnel between the UK and Iraq.
In addition to oil industry support flights, which accounted for the bulk of its operations, Skyways undertook 'aerial cruises' to Zürich
in Switzerland
for Sir Henry Lunn
Ltd, one of the pioneers of the British package holiday
industry. The latter were complemented by 'aerial cruises' from Northolt to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
via Lisbon
, which launched on 15 June 1947 at a frequency of three return flights per week.
Skyways was one of the major civilian participants in the Berlin Airlift, where up to seven of the company's aircraft — three Yorks and four Lancastrians — were employed between November 1948 and August 1949. The former served on the airlift from 16 November 1948 until 15 August 1949 and the latter from early-January until 17 July 1949. The latter were also fitted with additional fuselage tanks to carry diesel and petrol
.
In 1950, the War Office
began awarding trooping flight contracts to Britain's contemporary independent airlines. Skyways was one of the main beneficiaries,as a result of assuming responsibility for the contract the War Office had awarded Lancashire Aircraft Corporation prior to the LAC-Skyways merger
along with Airwork, Hunting
and Eagle
. Following the award of the War Office contract, the airline purchased a large fleet of Avro Yorks from BOAC. These operations included frequent flights between the UK and Singapore
in co-operation with Airwork.
Other areas of activity in which Skyways engaged during its formative years included a growing number of ad hoc passenger and cargo charter flights carrying car manufacturers' executives and various types of freight.
The rapid growth in business resulted in a major expansion of the fleet and workforce that saw the acquisition of additional Yorks and Lancastrians as well as several DC-4
sfour ex-KLM examples, the first two of which joined the fleet in October 1947 and DC-3
s providing employment for more than 1,600 (350 aircrew
and 1,300 ground staff
)by May 1947. This made Skyways Europe's biggest contemporary charter airline.
To support its fledgling operation, Skyways established a maintenance base at Dunsfold Aerodrome. The new maintenance division initially traded as Salmesbury Engineering Ltd.
As the late 1940s' boom turned to bust
, Skyways began selling aircraft and laying off staff. Management attempted to deal with this situation by putting the airline into voluntary liquidation in March 1950 and transferring the remaining assets to a new company bearing the Skyways name on the last day of that month. The new company resumed operations from Dunsfold
with a fleet of six DC-3s the following month. The re-launched business continued to deteriorate and operations ceased again by January 1952, resulting in disposal of remaining aircraft (a pair of DC-3ssold to Gulf Aviation
).
together with two non-airworthy
aircraft that had formed part of Skyways's fleet (a York and a Lancastrian). This takeover resulted in the combined group's headquarters and main operating base relocating to Bovingdon
and the award in June 1952 of a new War Office contract to transport 4,000 troops, their dependents and civilian defence personnel between the UK, Bermuda
and Jamaica
. Joint trooping flights commenced on 2 July 1952.entailing twice-monthly joint LAC-Skyways trooping flights from Bovingdon to Bermuda and Jamaica These used modified Yorks with a new 70,000lb
(31,751kg
) maximum takeoff weight and 36, rear-facing seats. It took 27 hours to reach the Caribbean from the UK, including two intermediate stops at Keflavík
, Iceland
, and Gander
, Canada
, respectively. Service frequency eventually increased to three to four monthly round-trips.
LAC's takeover of Skyways in 1952 resulted in the establishment of Eric Rylands LtdEric Rylands Ltd subsequently acquired ownership of Skyways Coach-Air and the Bibby Line
's minority holding in the Skyways group as well as a new holding company
for Skyways and Skyways Engineering (the renamed Salmesbury Engineering). The Skyways takeover furthermore resulted in Skyways Engineering transferring its base to Stansted
from Bovingdon, where it had moved temporarily following the Hawker Aircraft
company's move to Dunsfold. The large engineering base at Stansted comprised three hangars. This provided the maintenance support for Skyways's new operating base at that airport with sufficient space for the overhaul of the entire LAC fleet, which mainly consisted of Yorks and Lancastrians. Commercial flights from Stansted began in October 1952 with a fleet of Avro Yorks. Following the move to Stansted, in November 1952, Skyways acquired five additional Yorks from Eagle Aviation for £
160,000. This acquisition increased the York fleet to 29, making the airline the world's largest operator of the type. It also lent further support to the company's claim to being the largest independent airline operator in Europe. Another consequence of this takeover was LAC's acquisition of approximately 20% of Morton Air Services
shares previously held by Skyways.
LAC followed up the takeover of Skyways with an announcement concerning the combined group's new strategy
to
In its first year of operation at Stansted (October 1952 to October 1953), Skyways's fleet numbered 33 aircraft, making it one of the largest contemporary independent airlines. During that period, the airline's Stansted operation handled 40,000 troops and accounted for 2.9 million revenue mile
s. The Caribbean contract accounted for just under half of all trooping flights from and to the UK. This was also the time Skyways had been contracted to fly the British, Canadian
and US
equestrian
teams to the Olympic Games
in Helsinki
.
via Malta
. These were marketed as Crusader Coach. The 14-hour trip was operated with Yorks departing the Essex
airport on alternate Wednesdays and cost £75 return (£33 less than competing air services).
In subsequent years, general passenger and freight charters, IT flights and additional scheduled services were added, including a livestock
freight service from Stansted to Beauvais
.
In 1954, Skyways acquired ten Handley Page Hermes
aircraft from BOAC for use on trooping and general charter work.
In 1955, Skyways launched the world's first Coach-Air service linking London and Paris
. In July of that year, the Air Ministry
awarded the airline a lucrative, £1.5 million contract to transport 12,000 troops between the UK and Cyprus
, which had until then only been an intermediate stop on trooping flights between the UK and the Middle
and Far East
. These flights utilised the recently acquired Hermes
. This was also the year it sold a minority stake to the Bibby Line.
In 1956, pressurise
d Hermes replaced unpressurised Yorks on Skyways's Crusader Coach services due to the flights' growing popularity. These 68-seat aircraft also enabled Skyways to become a major supplier of whole-plane charter seats to Britain's contemporary tour operator
s. In December of that year, Skyways's parent company
, LAC, changed ownership as a result of being taken over by British Aviation Services
(BAS), the owners of rival independent airlines Britavia
and Silver City Airways. This resulted in Skyways regaining its independence as its assets (including sister companies Skyways Coach-Air and Skyways Engineering) were not included in BAS's acquisition of LAC.
In 1957, BOAC awarded Skyways a contract to operate regular freight services on its behalf between Heathrow
and Singapore. Yorks initially operated these services. They were subsequently replaced with Hermes.
In autumn 1958, Skyways Coach-Air Limited
was constituted as a separate legal entity, as part of a reorganisation of Skyways's airline operations.
In 1959, Skyways leased four Lockheed Constellation
airliner
s from BOAC. These replaced Hermes on the London—Singapore scheduled freight service Skyways operated on behalf of BOAC. This was the year Skyways embarked upon a major expansion in the Caribbean, following its acquisition of an 80% stake in Bahamas Airwaysthrough Eric Rylands Ltd from BOAC. Skyways allocated two Hermes aircraft with completely refurbished interiors to its new joint venture
, the renamed Skyways (Bahamas) Ltd. However, these did not appeal to the largely US-based clientele of Bahmas Airways, and stiff competition from Pan American World Airways
(Pan Am) between Nassau
, Fort Lauderdale
, Miami and West Palm Beach
resulted in few passengers and mounting losses. As this situation had become untenable, Skyways's holding company, Eric Rylands Ltd, decided to sell back to BOAC its share
s in Bahamas Airways. That year, Skyways also launched scheduled passenger services between London Heathrow
and Tunis
, utilising the refurbished Hermes aircraft that had originally been allocated to the unsuccessful joint venture in the Bahamas. This was furthermore the time London's premier airport became the airline's main operating base.this had resulted in commercial operations being concentrated at Heathrow (with a small amount of revenue services using Gatwick
as well) while Stansted continued to be used for maintenance and training Although the airline's Yorks were by then nearing the end of their service lives, they were still kept busy ferrying spare parts around the world on behalf of BOAC and Pan Am.
s were exclusively used for all passenger flights, including the weekly scheduled service between Heathrow, Tunis and Malta Skyways operated in association with British European Airways
(BEA). This was also the time when Skyways began experiencing growing financial difficulties as a result of the high cost of the Constellation lease, the failed joint venture in the Bahamas and BOAC's cancellation of its freight contract with Skyways that had generated three quarters of the latter's revenue. This resulted in Skyways Ltd's ownership passing to Euravia (London) Ltd
, a newly formed British independent airline concentrating on IT and group charter flights from Luton
.
In October 1962, Euravia (London) took over Skyways for a nominal £1, including four Yorks and three Constellationsacquisition of the ex-Skyways Constellations helped Euravia overcome the capacity shortage it was facing ahead of the 1963 summer charter season but excluding the Coach-Air operation, which remained a separate entity.
Skyways Ltd became a wholly owned subsidiary of Euravia in 1963.
Skyways continued trading under the Skyways of London name until 1964, when Euravia adopted the Britannia Airways
name for all operations following its decision to re-equip its entire fleet with Bristol 175 Britannia
turboprop
s.
for Skyways Coach-Air's freight operations had acquired from Skyways Air Cargo, the defunct airline's cargo subsidiary, in 1970.
Following Skyways Coach-Air's liquidation in early 1971, Air Freight initially continued the former Skyways Air Cargo operationcomprising all-cargo routes from Ashford to Antwerp and Beauvais under its own name and, in February 1973, merged with South West Aviation.
The closure of Ashford Airport
in 1974 resulted in the relocation of Air Freight's headquarters and operating base to nearby Lydd Airport.
In May 1975, Air Freight resurrected the Skyways name, when it began trading as Skyways Cargo Airline. This reorganisation led by Eric Rylands resulted in acquisition of a further three DC-3s and an expansion into North Sea
oil industry
passenger and cargo charters, including the stationing of an aircraft at Aberdeen Airport
. Another two aircraft were stationed at Aberdeen
by autumn 1976.
Skyways Cargo Airline further expanded by adding three Fairchild Hiller FH-227
turboprop freighters to its DC-3 piston freighters. There were also plans to begin scheduled passenger services.
However, Skyways Cargo Airline's expansionist strategy
was not as successful as hoped, and growing financial difficulties forced the closure of Skyways's final incarnation in October 1980.
The worst accident involving a Skyways group aircraft occurred on 2 February 1953. On that day a Skyways Ltd Avro 685 York 1 (registration: G-AHFA) operating the Terceira-Lajes Airport
, Azores
, Portugal
, to Gander Airport
, Newfoundland
, Canada
, sector of a Stansted—Kingston
trooping flight with 39 occupants (six crew and 33 passengers) was lost over the Atlantic Ocean
without trace. The last radio contact was a distress signal
(SOS
) received from the aircraft. The aircraft's last position was 46deg 15'N Long 46deg 31'W. The wreckage was never found. This crash lost Skyways its trooping contract with the War Office.
On 4 March 1956, a Skyways Ltd Handley Page HP.81 Hermes
4 (registration: G-ALDW) was destroyed on the ground at Nicosia Airport
as a result of a bomb explosion in the forward baggage hold while the aircraft was awaiting a full load of 68 passengers.
On 17 August 1978, Douglas C-47B G-AMSM of Skyways Cargo Airline was damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at Lydd Ferryfield.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
British
United Kingdom
The 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...
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...
formed in 1946 that soon became established as the largest operator of non-scheduled air services in Europe
Europe
Europe 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...
.
Its principal activities included the operation of worldwide non-scheduled passenger and cargo services, including trooping and oil industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
support flights, inclusive tour (IT) and ad hoc charters for automobile industry executive
Senior management
Senior management, executive management, or management team is generally a team of individuals at the highest level of organizational management who have the day-to-day responsibilities of managing a company or corporation, they hold specific executive powers conferred onto them with and by...
s as well as specialist freight services.
The newly formed airline operated its first flight in 1946 with an Avro York
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
that had been chartered by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
Anglo-Persian Oil Company
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company was founded in 1908 following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Iran. It was the first company to extract petroleum from the Middle East...
to carry oil personnel and freight from Langley to Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
via Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Lydda
RAF Lydda
Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force base that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately north of Lod; east-southeast of Tel Aviv....
.
Skyways was a major civilian participant in the Berlin Airlift and became one of Britain
United Kingdom
The 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...
's foremost private, independentindependent from government owned corporations airlines during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Following the airline's liquidation
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
in 1950 and transfer of the bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
carrier's asset
Asset
In financial accounting, assets are economic resources. Anything tangible or intangible that is capable of being owned or controlled to produce value and that is held to have positive economic value is considered an asset...
s to a new company incorporating the name Skyways, control passed to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in 1952. LAC's acquisition of Skyways resulted in concentration of the combined group's operations at London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
.
Low-fare scheduled services commenced in 1953.
Launch of the world's first Coach-Air operation in 1955 resulted in a demerger
Demerger
Demerger is a form of corporate restructuring in which the an entity's business operations are segregated into one or more components. It is the converse of a merger or acquisition....
that saw those services transferred to new subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
Skyways Coach-Air Limited
Skyways Coach-Air Limited
Skyways Coach-Air Limited launched the first commercial coach-air operation in late-September 1955, involving a coach trip from Central London to Lympne, a cross-Channel Lympne—Beauvais air sector and another coach journey from Beauvais to the centre of Paris....
.
A number of financial reorganisations during the 1950s provided the funds for a major expansion of Skyways's activities and fleet, culminating in the buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
of the company in 1961 by Eric Rylands, LAC's former co-owner and managing director
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
.
Loss of a major freight contract that had accounted for 75% of Skyways's revenue, a failed investment in a regional Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
airline and an expensive aircraft lease led to renewed financial difficulties in 1962. This resulted in Skyways's takeover by newly formed charter operator Euravia
Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways was the largest charter airline in the United Kingdom, rebranded as Thomsonfly in 2005. Its main bases were Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow...
the same year.
A new Skyways emerged in 1975 when, still under Eric Rylands's stewardship, Skyways Cargo Airline assumed the original Skyways's air freight business. Financial difficulties following a period of expansion during the second half of the 1970s led to the cessation of operations in 1980, resulting in the final disappearance of the Skyways name from the UK
United Kingdom
The 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...
air transport
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
scene.
Beginning
Skyways was incorporateIncorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
d in 1929 to provide "instruction in aviation and aerial navigation, aerial and ground signalling", with a W. Knox as chairman and managing director.
Following the end of World War II, the Skyways name was transferred to a newly formed airline operating worldwide, non-scheduled passenger and cargo flights. Former British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
(BOAC) Director General
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
Brigadier General A.C. Critchley
Alfred Critchley
Brigadier-General Alfred Cecil Critchley, CMG, CBE, DSO was an entrepreneur and politician in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . He served as a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1934 to 1935....
was appointed Skyways's new chairman while inflight refuelling pioneer Sir Alan Cobham
Alan Cobham
Sir Alan John Cobham, KBE, AFC was an English aviation pioneer.A member of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I, Alan Cobham became famous as a pioneer of long distance aviation. After the war he became a test pilot for the de Havilland aircraft company, and was the first pilot for the newly...
became its deputy chairman. Veteran aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
Captain R.J. Ashley assumed the role of managing director.
Early operations
Commercial operations commenced in May 1946 with an Avro York christened Skyway and featuring 30 red leather, armchair-type seats. Captain Ashley was at the controls of the inaugural flight carrying oil industry personnel and freight under contract to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company from Langley Airfield to Basra, IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, via RAF Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
, Malta, Cairo, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and RAF Lydda
RAF Lydda
Lod Air Force Base, also Air Force Base 27, was an Israeli Air Force base that was part of the Ben Gurion International Airport, located approximately north of Lod; east-southeast of Tel Aviv....
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. This flight formed part of a charter contract for regular passenger and cargo services between the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The 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...
and Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, operated with York
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
s at a frequency of two return flights per week. Originally, this had envisaged the use of RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
as London
London
London 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...
terminal. However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
's refusal to grant private airlines access to Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
together with Langley's lack of Customs facilities necessitated a stop at Manston before leaving the UK
United Kingdom
The 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...
. There was also a night stop in Cairo on each leg of the journey. Each round-trip involved 35 flying hours and took four days to complete.
The initial fleet comprised six aircraft: two Avro Yorks, two Avro Lancastrian
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
s, a de Havilland Dove
De Havilland Dove
The de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
and a de Havilland Dragon Rapide
De Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
. The Yorks and Lancastrian
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
s were employed on long-range
Range (aircraft)
The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft....
passenger and cargo flights while the Dove
De Havilland Dove
The de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
s and Rapide
De Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
s were used for shorter distance passenger charters.
Following the launch of operations from Langley, Berkshire, by November 1946, Skyways had moved its main operating base to Dunsfold Aerodrome
Dunsfold Aerodrome
Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England, near the village of Cranleigh, was built by the Canadian Army and civilian contractors as a Class A Bomber Airfield for Army Co-operation Command...
near Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
The first year of operations saw Skyway joined by a second York named Sky Courier. Both aircraft were kept busy transporting oil company personnel between the UK and Iraq.
In addition to oil industry support flights, which accounted for the bulk of its operations, Skyways undertook 'aerial cruises' to Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for Sir Henry Lunn
Henry Simpson Lunn
Sir Henry Simpson Lunn was an English humanitarian and religious figure, and also founder of Lunn Poly, one of the UK's largest travel companies....
Ltd, one of the pioneers of the British package holiday
Package holiday
A package holiday or package tour consists of transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided like a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday. Transport can be via charter airline to a foreign country...
industry. The latter were complemented by 'aerial cruises' from Northolt to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria commonly known as Las Palmas is the political capital, jointly with Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the ninth largest city in Spain, with a population of 383,308 in 2010. Nearly half of the people of the island...
via Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, which launched on 15 June 1947 at a frequency of three return flights per week.
Skyways was one of the major civilian participants in the Berlin Airlift, where up to seven of the company's aircraft — three Yorks and four Lancastrians — were employed between November 1948 and August 1949. The former served on the airlift from 16 November 1948 until 15 August 1949 and the latter from early-January until 17 July 1949. The latter were also fitted with additional fuselage tanks to carry diesel and petrol
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
.
In 1950, the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
began awarding trooping flight contracts to Britain's contemporary independent airlines. Skyways was one of the main beneficiaries,as a result of assuming responsibility for the contract the War Office had awarded Lancashire Aircraft Corporation prior to the LAC-Skyways merger
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
along with Airwork, Hunting
Hunting-Clan Air Transport
Hunting-Clan Air Transport was a wholly private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline that was founded in the immediate post-World War II period. It began trading on 1 January 1946 as Hunting Air Travel Ltd...
and Eagle
British Eagle
British Eagle International Airlines was a major British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline that operated from 1948 to 1968....
. Following the award of the War Office contract, the airline purchased a large fleet of Avro Yorks from BOAC. These operations included frequent flights between the UK and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in co-operation with Airwork.
Other areas of activity in which Skyways engaged during its formative years included a growing number of ad hoc passenger and cargo charter flights carrying car manufacturers' executives and various types of freight.
The rapid growth in business resulted in a major expansion of the fleet and workforce that saw the acquisition of additional Yorks and Lancastrians as well as several DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
sfour ex-KLM examples, the first two of which joined the fleet in October 1947 and 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 providing employment for more than 1,600 (350 aircrew
Aircrew
Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
and 1,300 ground staff
Groundcrew
In aviation, the groundcrew is the support crew supplying the aircraft with fuel and maintenance, as opposed to the aircrew.In airlines, ground crew members include:*Airframe and powerplant technicians*Avionics technicians*Baggage handlers*Rampers...
)by May 1947. This made Skyways Europe's biggest contemporary charter airline.
To support its fledgling operation, Skyways established a maintenance base at Dunsfold Aerodrome. The new maintenance division initially traded as Salmesbury Engineering Ltd.
As the late 1940s' boom turned to bust
Boom and bust
A credit boom-bust cycle is an episode characterized by a sustained increase in several economics indicators followed by a sharp and rapid contraction. Commonly the boom is driven by a rapid expansion of credit to the private sector accompanied with rising prices of commodities and stock market index...
, Skyways began selling aircraft and laying off staff. Management attempted to deal with this situation by putting the airline into voluntary liquidation in March 1950 and transferring the remaining assets to a new company bearing the Skyways name on the last day of that month. The new company resumed operations from Dunsfold
Dunsfold Aerodrome
Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England, near the village of Cranleigh, was built by the Canadian Army and civilian contractors as a Class A Bomber Airfield for Army Co-operation Command...
with a fleet of six DC-3s the following month. The re-launched business continued to deteriorate and operations ceased again by January 1952, resulting in disposal of remaining aircraft (a pair of DC-3ssold to Gulf Aviation
Gulf Air
Gulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
).
LAC takeover and move to Stansted
In March 1952, David Brown and Eric Rylands, owners of the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation (LAC), acquired all Skyways ordinary sharesVoting shares
A voting share is a share of stock giving the stockholder the right to vote on matters of corporate policy and the composition of the members of the board of directors....
together with two non-airworthy
Airworthiness
Airworthiness is a term used to describe whether an aircraft has been certified as suitable for safe flight. Certification is initially conferred by a Certificate of Airworthiness from a National Airworthiness Authority, and is maintained by performing required maintenance actions by a licensed...
aircraft that had formed part of Skyways's fleet (a York and a Lancastrian). This takeover resulted in the combined group's headquarters and main operating base relocating to Bovingdon
RAF Bovingdon
RAF Bovingdon was a Royal Air Force station, located to the west of Bovingdon, two and a half miles south of Hemel Hempstead and two and a half miles south east of Berkhamsted, in Hertfordshire, UK....
and the award in June 1952 of a new War Office contract to transport 4,000 troops, their dependents and civilian defence personnel between the UK, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Joint trooping flights commenced on 2 July 1952.entailing twice-monthly joint LAC-Skyways trooping flights from Bovingdon to Bermuda and Jamaica These used modified Yorks with a new 70,000lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
(31,751kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
) maximum takeoff weight and 36, rear-facing seats. It took 27 hours to reach the Caribbean from the UK, including two intermediate stops at Keflavík
Keflavík International Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Ground transport:Transport between the airport and Reykjavik city is by road only. The distance is 50 km. A new fast freeway was opened 2008. The buses have a timetable adapted to the flight schedule. They go to and from the Reykjavik bus terminal, taking around 45 minutes...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, and Gander
Gander International Airport
Gander International Airport is located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and is currently run by the Gander Airport Authority. Canadian Forces Base Gander shares the airfield but is a separate entity from the airport.-Early years and prominence:...
, 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...
, respectively. Service frequency eventually increased to three to four monthly round-trips.
LAC's takeover of Skyways in 1952 resulted in the establishment of Eric Rylands LtdEric Rylands Ltd subsequently acquired ownership of Skyways Coach-Air and the Bibby Line
Bibby Line
The Bibby Line is a British company concerned with shipping and marine operations.Its parent company, Bibby Line Group Limited, can be traced back to the shipbroking partnership of Bibby & Hall, which was founded in 1801. It is and always has been based in Liverpool...
's minority holding in the Skyways group as well as a new holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
for Skyways and Skyways Engineering (the renamed Salmesbury Engineering). The Skyways takeover furthermore resulted in Skyways Engineering transferring its base to Stansted
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
from Bovingdon, where it had moved temporarily following the Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
company's move to Dunsfold. The large engineering base at Stansted comprised three hangars. This provided the maintenance support for Skyways's new operating base at that airport with sufficient space for the overhaul of the entire LAC fleet, which mainly consisted of Yorks and Lancastrians. Commercial flights from Stansted began in October 1952 with a fleet of Avro Yorks. Following the move to Stansted, in November 1952, Skyways acquired five additional Yorks from Eagle Aviation for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
160,000. This acquisition increased the York fleet to 29, making the airline the world's largest operator of the type. It also lent further support to the company's claim to being the largest independent airline operator in Europe. Another consequence of this takeover was LAC's acquisition of approximately 20% of Morton Air Services
Morton Air Services
Morton Air Services was one of the earliest post-World War II private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations British airlines formed in 1945. It mainly operated regional short-haul scheduled services within the British Isles and between the United Kingdom and Continental Europe....
shares previously held by Skyways.
LAC followed up the takeover of Skyways with an announcement concerning the combined group's new strategy
Strategic management
Strategic management is a field that deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments...
to
- "fly anything anywhere";
- operate all four-engined aircraft under the Skyways of London name;
- maintain Central LondonCentral LondonCentral London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
head offices in Berkeley Street and overseas presences in HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and CanadaCanadaCanada 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...
.
In its first year of operation at Stansted (October 1952 to October 1953), Skyways's fleet numbered 33 aircraft, making it one of the largest contemporary independent airlines. During that period, the airline's Stansted operation handled 40,000 troops and accounted for 2.9 million revenue mile
Revenue passenger mile
Revenue passenger miles and Revenue passenger kilometers are measures of traffic for an airline flight, bus, or train calculated by multiplying the number of revenue-paying passengers aboard the vehicle by the distance traveled...
s. The Caribbean contract accounted for just under half of all trooping flights from and to the UK. This was also the time Skyways had been contracted to fly the British, Canadian
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...
and US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
teams to the Olympic Games
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.
Diversification and reorganisation
In November 1953, Skyways commenced its first low-fare scheduled services from Stansted to NicosiaNicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
via Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. These were marketed as Crusader Coach. The 14-hour trip was operated with Yorks departing the Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
airport on alternate Wednesdays and cost £75 return (£33 less than competing air services).
In subsequent years, general passenger and freight charters, IT flights and additional scheduled services were added, including a livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
freight service from Stansted to Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
.
In 1954, Skyways acquired ten Handley Page Hermes
Handley Page Hermes
The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
aircraft from BOAC for use on trooping and general charter work.
In 1955, Skyways launched the world's first Coach-Air service linking London and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In July of that year, the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
awarded the airline a lucrative, £1.5 million contract to transport 12,000 troops between the UK and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, which had until then only been an intermediate stop on trooping flights between the UK and the Middle
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. These flights utilised the recently acquired Hermes
Handley Page Hermes
The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
. This was also the year it sold a minority stake to the Bibby Line.
In 1956, pressurise
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
d Hermes replaced unpressurised Yorks on Skyways's Crusader Coach services due to the flights' growing popularity. These 68-seat aircraft also enabled Skyways to become a major supplier of whole-plane charter seats to Britain's contemporary tour operator
Tour operator
A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...
s. In December of that year, Skyways's parent company
Parent company
A parent company is a company that owns enough voting stock in another firm to control management and operations by influencing or electing its board of directors; the second company being deemed as a subsidiary of the parent company...
, LAC, changed ownership as a result of being taken over by British Aviation Services
British Aviation Services
British Aviation Services Limited was an early post-World War II airline holding company and air transport operator that could trace its roots back to 1946. Its main activities included trooping, inclusive tour and worldwide passenger and freight charter services...
(BAS), the owners of rival independent airlines Britavia
British Aviation Services
British Aviation Services Limited was an early post-World War II airline holding company and air transport operator that could trace its roots back to 1946. Its main activities included trooping, inclusive tour and worldwide passenger and freight charter services...
and Silver City Airways. This resulted in Skyways regaining its independence as its assets (including sister companies Skyways Coach-Air and Skyways Engineering) were not included in BAS's acquisition of LAC.
In 1957, BOAC awarded Skyways a contract to operate regular freight services on its behalf between Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Singapore. Yorks initially operated these services. They were subsequently replaced with Hermes.
In autumn 1958, Skyways Coach-Air Limited
Skyways Coach-Air Limited
Skyways Coach-Air Limited launched the first commercial coach-air operation in late-September 1955, involving a coach trip from Central London to Lympne, a cross-Channel Lympne—Beauvais air sector and another coach journey from Beauvais to the centre of Paris....
was constituted as a separate legal entity, as part of a reorganisation of Skyways's airline operations.
In 1959, Skyways leased four Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
s from BOAC. These replaced Hermes on the London—Singapore scheduled freight service Skyways operated on behalf of BOAC. This was the year Skyways embarked upon a major expansion in the Caribbean, following its acquisition of an 80% stake in Bahamas Airwaysthrough Eric Rylands Ltd from BOAC. Skyways allocated two Hermes aircraft with completely refurbished interiors to its new joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
, the renamed Skyways (Bahamas) Ltd. However, these did not appeal to the largely US-based clientele of Bahmas Airways, and stiff competition from Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
(Pan Am) between Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, Miami and West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
resulted in few passengers and mounting losses. As this situation had become untenable, Skyways's holding company, Eric Rylands Ltd, decided to sell back to BOAC its share
Equity (finance)
In accounting and finance, equity is the residual claim or interest of the most junior class of investors in assets, after all liabilities are paid. If liability exceeds assets, negative equity exists...
s in Bahamas Airways. That year, Skyways also launched scheduled passenger services between London Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, utilising the refurbished Hermes aircraft that had originally been allocated to the unsuccessful joint venture in the Bahamas. This was furthermore the time London's premier airport became the airline's main operating base.this had resulted in commercial operations being concentrated at Heathrow (with a small amount of revenue services using Gatwick
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick 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...
as well) while Stansted continued to be used for maintenance and training Although the airline's Yorks were by then nearing the end of their service lives, they were still kept busy ferrying spare parts around the world on behalf of BOAC and Pan Am.
Financial difficulties and Euravia takeover
In 1961, the Bibby Line sold its minority holding in the Skyways group to Eric Rylands Ltd, henceforth the holding company for all Skyways subsidiaries. By that time, most of the Hermes had left the Skyways fleet, and ConstellationLockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
s were exclusively used for all passenger flights, including the weekly scheduled service between Heathrow, Tunis and Malta Skyways operated in association with British European Airways
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
(BEA). This was also the time when Skyways began experiencing growing financial difficulties as a result of the high cost of the Constellation lease, the failed joint venture in the Bahamas and BOAC's cancellation of its freight contract with Skyways that had generated three quarters of the latter's revenue. This resulted in Skyways Ltd's ownership passing to Euravia (London) Ltd
Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways was the largest charter airline in the United Kingdom, rebranded as Thomsonfly in 2005. Its main bases were Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow...
, a newly formed British independent airline concentrating on IT and group charter flights from Luton
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
.
In October 1962, Euravia (London) took over Skyways for a nominal £1, including four Yorks and three Constellationsacquisition of the ex-Skyways Constellations helped Euravia overcome the capacity shortage it was facing ahead of the 1963 summer charter season but excluding the Coach-Air operation, which remained a separate entity.
Skyways Ltd became a wholly owned subsidiary of Euravia in 1963.
Skyways continued trading under the Skyways of London name until 1964, when Euravia adopted the Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways was the largest charter airline in the United Kingdom, rebranded as Thomsonfly in 2005. Its main bases were Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow...
name for all operations following its decision to re-equip its entire fleet with Bristol 175 Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
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...
s.
Reconstitution as cargo airline
The Skyways cargo operation survived Dan-Air's takeover of Skyways International's passenger operations in February 1972, using three DC-3s Air Freight Ltdoriginally established in April 1967 as general sales agentGeneral Sales Agent
A general sales agent is a sales representative for an airline in a specific country or region. Typically, the GSA is responsible for selling all products of the airline in its region which includes flight tickets and cargo space...
for Skyways Coach-Air's freight operations had acquired from Skyways Air Cargo, the defunct airline's cargo subsidiary, in 1970.
Following Skyways Coach-Air's liquidation in early 1971, Air Freight initially continued the former Skyways Air Cargo operationcomprising all-cargo routes from Ashford to Antwerp and Beauvais under its own name and, in February 1973, merged with South West Aviation.
The closure of Ashford Airport
Lympne Airport
Lympne Airport , , was a military and later civil airfield at Lympne, Kent, United Kingdom, which operated from 1916 to 1984. RFC Lympne was originally an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returning from, France during the First World War...
in 1974 resulted in the relocation of Air Freight's headquarters and operating base to nearby Lydd Airport.
In May 1975, Air Freight resurrected the Skyways name, when it began trading as Skyways Cargo Airline. This reorganisation led by Eric Rylands resulted in acquisition of a further three DC-3s and an expansion into North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
oil industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
passenger and cargo charters, including the stationing of an aircraft at Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
. Another two aircraft were stationed at Aberdeen
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
by autumn 1976.
Skyways Cargo Airline further expanded by adding three 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...
turboprop freighters to its DC-3 piston freighters. There were also plans to begin scheduled passenger services.
However, Skyways Cargo Airline's expansionist strategy
Strategic management
Strategic management is a field that deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments...
was not as successful as hoped, and growing financial difficulties forced the closure of Skyways's final incarnation in October 1980.
Fleet Details
Skyways Ltd operated the following aircraft types:- Avro LancastrianAvro Lancastrian|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
- Avro 685 YorkAvro YorkThe Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
- de Havilland Dragon RapideDe Havilland Dragon RapideThe de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
- de Havilland DoveDe Havilland DoveThe de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
- 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...
/C-47 - Douglas DC-4Douglas DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
/C-54C-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff... - 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...
- Handley Page HP.81 HermesHandley Page HermesThe Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
- Lockheed L-749A ConstellationLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
Fleet in 1955
In late 1955, the Skyways fleet comprised 28 aircraft.| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| Handley Page Hermes Handley Page Hermes The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines... |
10 |
| Avro 685 York Avro York The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:... |
15 |
| 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... |
3 |
| Total | 28 |
Fleet in 1958
In April 1958, the Skyways fleet comprised 18 aircraft.| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| Avro 685 York Avro York The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:... |
14 |
| 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... |
4 |
| Total | 18 |
Fleet in 1962
In April 1962, the Skyways fleet comprised 9 aircraft.| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| Lockheed L-749A Constellation Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a... |
4 |
| Handley Page Hermes Handley Page Hermes The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines... |
1 |
| Avro 685 York Avro York The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:... |
4 |
| Total | 9 |
Accidents and incidents
There are 13 recorded accidents and incidents during Skyways's 16-year existence from 1946 until 1962. Five of these involved fatalities.The worst accident involving a Skyways group aircraft occurred on 2 February 1953. On that day a Skyways Ltd Avro 685 York 1 (registration: G-AHFA) operating the Terceira-Lajes Airport
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
, Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, to Gander Airport
Gander International Airport
Gander International Airport is located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and is currently run by the Gander Airport Authority. Canadian Forces Base Gander shares the airfield but is a separate entity from the airport.-Early years and prominence:...
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 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...
, sector of a Stansted—Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
trooping flight with 39 occupants (six crew and 33 passengers) was lost over the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
without trace. The last radio contact was a distress signal
Distress signal
A distress signal is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals take the form of or are commonly made by using radio signals, displaying a visually detected item or illumination, or making an audible sound, from a distance....
(SOS
SOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
) received from the aircraft. The aircraft's last position was 46deg 15'N Long 46deg 31'W. The wreckage was never found. This crash lost Skyways its trooping contract with the War Office.
On 4 March 1956, a Skyways Ltd Handley Page HP.81 Hermes
Handley Page Hermes
The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
4 (registration: G-ALDW) was destroyed on the ground at Nicosia Airport
Nicosia International Airport
Nicosia International Airport is a largely disused airport located to the west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. It was originally the main airport for the island, but commercial activity ceased following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
as a result of a bomb explosion in the forward baggage hold while the aircraft was awaiting a full load of 68 passengers.
On 17 August 1978, Douglas C-47B G-AMSM of Skyways Cargo Airline was damaged beyond economic repair in a take-off accident at Lydd Ferryfield.
Sources
(various backdated issues relating to Skyways Ltd, Skyways Coach-Air, Skyways International 1946-1972 and Skyways Cargo Airline 1975-1980) (Airlner World online)External links
- Skyways at the Aviation Safety Network Database
- contemporary timetable images of Skyways Coach-Air and Skyways International
- Skyways C-47B Skytrain G-AMWW at Antwerp Deurne
- Skyways Avro 685 York C1 G-AHEY on the ramp at Berlin Tegel on 1 May 1961. The aircraft sports Skyways of London fuselage titles. This occasion marks the last visit of an Avro York to Berlin.
- Skyways Avro 748 Srs. 1/100 G-ARMV coming in to land at Biggin Hill on 4 May 1963. The aircraft sports Skyways of London fuselage titles.
- Stansted Airport Consultative Committee, Stansted - The Early Years (1942-1966), Flying Troops from across the World