Swift Aire Lines was a U.S. commuter air carrier that was based in San Luis Obispo, California. The airline's two letter code was "WI".[2] Swift Aire provided scheduled passenger air service wholly within California from the late 1960s until 1981 when it merged with Golden Gate Airlines. Shortly thereafter, Golden Gate experienced financial challenges and ceased all operations.[3]
Swift Aire served as the unofficial hometown airline of San Luis Obispo as the air carrier was founded in 1969 in this small city located on the scenic central coast of California. Swift Aire identified a niche which was the lack of passenger air service at San Luis Obispo at the time. Southwest Airways had previously served San Luis Obispo with Douglas DC-3 aircraft. However, this airline then introduced more modern Martin 4-0-4 prop airliners into its fleet which were too large to operate from the relatively short runway at the San Luis Obispo Airport. During the mid-1950s, Southwest Airways moved its passenger service for all of San Luis Obispo County to the Paso Robles Airport which is located approximately 25 miles north of the city of San Luis Obispo. Southwest Airways subsequently changed its name to Pacific Air Lines which in turn introduced new Fairchild F-27 turboprops into its fleet. Pacific operated F-27 propjet service from Paso Robles to Los Angeles, San Francisco and other California cities. Pacific Air Lines then merged with Bonanza Air Lines and West Coast Airlines to form Air West which continued to serve Paso Robles. Air West was then renamed Hughes Airwest. All three airlines listed San Luis Obispo in their respective system timetables even though their services were actually operated from Paso Robles with Fairchild F-27 propjets. Swift Aire was responsible for the return of air service to San Luis Obispo in 1969 while Hughes Airwest eventually ceased all service to Paso Robles in 1974. Building on its success in San Luis Obispo, Swift Aire then expanded its service to other California cities.
Swift Aire was also responsible for significantly improving air service into San Luis Obispo as well as other cities served by the carrier when it introduced new Fokker F.27-600 turboprop aircraft into its fleet. Swift Aire purchased these 48-seat twin turboprops from the manufacturer. The primary runway at the San Luis Obispo Airport had been lengthened thus facilitating expanded service provided by larger aircraft. The Fokker F.27 propjet was the largest aircraft to operate into San Luis Obispo Airport at the time and greatly enhanced passenger comfort for Swift Aire's customers.
A book on the history of Swift Aire Lines was written in 1979 by an authority on commuter airlines, Dr. Imre E. Quastler of San Diego State University.[4]
On March 10, 1979, Swift Aire flight number 235 operated by a Nord 262 twin turboprop aircraft (registration N418SA, pictured) flying from Los Angeles International Airport to Santa Maria with continuing service to San Luis Obispo crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Santa Monica shortly after departing from LAX. The report on the crash determined the right engine failed during takeoff and the flight crew responded to the alarms by shutting off the left engine rendering the plane powerless. Two crew members and one passenger died while one crew member and three passengers survived. This was the only fatal accident experienced by the airline.[5]
Destinations
Swift Aire served the following destinations during its existence. Those cities appearing in bold were being served by the airline in April 1981 shortly before Swift Aire was merged into Golden Gate Airlines:[6][7][8]
Fokker F.27 Friendship (New build series 600 models. Following the merger of Swift Aire with Golden Gate Airlines and the subsequent failure of the merged carriers, the F.27s were sold to Air North, a regional airline based in the northeast U.S. which subsequently changed its name to Brockway Air. Air North then adopted Swift Aire's green and white paint scheme for their aircraft.)
^Quastler, I.E. (1979). Swift Aire Lines, 1969-1979: The history of an American commuter airline. San Diego: Commuter Airlines Press. ISBN978-0-9602554-0-5. OCLC 4768772. OL 4446703M. Wikidata Q58241102.
^(PDF). Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2012-10-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"DEPARTEDFLIGHTS.COM". www.departedflights.com/. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018. Swift Aire route maps from Aug. 1, 1976; July 1, 1979; April 1, 1981
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Not to be confused with Swiftair or Swift Air Malawi Swift Aire Lines was a U S commuter air carrier that was based in San Luis Obispo California The airline s two letter code was WI 2 Swift Aire provided scheduled passenger air service wholly within California from the late 1960s until 1981 when it merged with Golden Gate Airlines Shortly thereafter Golden Gate experienced financial challenges and ceased all operations 3 Swift Aire LinesRiley Turbo Skyliner at San Francisco in 1974 IATA ICAO CallsignWI IYCommenced operations1969Ceased operations1981Operating basesSan Luis Obispo CaliforniaFocus citiesSan FranciscoSacramentoLos AngelesHeadquartersSan Luis Obispo CaliforniaKey peopleCharles Wiswell founder 1 Employees300 1 Swift Aire served as the unofficial hometown airline of San Luis Obispo as the air carrier was founded in 1969 in this small city located on the scenic central coast of California Swift Aire identified a niche which was the lack of passenger air service at San Luis Obispo at the time Southwest Airways had previously served San Luis Obispo with Douglas DC 3 aircraft However this airline then introduced more modern Martin 4 0 4 prop airliners into its fleet which were too large to operate from the relatively short runway at the San Luis Obispo Airport During the mid 1950s Southwest Airways moved its passenger service for all of San Luis Obispo County to the Paso Robles Airport which is located approximately 25 miles north of the city of San Luis Obispo Southwest Airways subsequently changed its name to Pacific Air Lines which in turn introduced new Fairchild F 27 turboprops into its fleet Pacific operated F 27 propjet service from Paso Robles to Los Angeles San Francisco and other California cities Pacific Air Lines then merged with Bonanza Air Lines and West Coast Airlines to form Air West which continued to serve Paso Robles Air West was then renamed Hughes Airwest All three airlines listed San Luis Obispo in their respective system timetables even though their services were actually operated from Paso Robles with Fairchild F 27 propjets Swift Aire was responsible for the return of air service to San Luis Obispo in 1969 while Hughes Airwest eventually ceased all service to Paso Robles in 1974 Building on its success in San Luis Obispo Swift Aire then expanded its service to other California cities Swift Aire was also responsible for significantly improving air service into San Luis Obispo as well as other cities served by the carrier when it introduced new Fokker F 27 600 turboprop aircraft into its fleet Swift Aire purchased these 48 seat twin turboprops from the manufacturer The primary runway at the San Luis Obispo Airport had been lengthened thus facilitating expanded service provided by larger aircraft The Fokker F 27 propjet was the largest aircraft to operate into San Luis Obispo Airport at the time and greatly enhanced passenger comfort for Swift Aire s customers A book on the history of Swift Aire Lines was written in 1979 by an authority on commuter airlines Dr Imre E Quastler of San Diego State University 4 Contents 1 Accident history 2 Destinations 3 Fleet 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksAccident history Edit Nord 262 turboprop registration N418SA On March 10 1979 Swift Aire flight number 235 operated by a Nord 262 twin turboprop aircraft registration N418SA pictured flying from Los Angeles International Airport to Santa Maria with continuing service to San Luis Obispo crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Santa Monica shortly after departing from LAX The report on the crash determined the right engine failed during takeoff and the flight crew responded to the alarms by shutting off the left engine rendering the plane powerless Two crew members and one passenger died while one crew member and three passengers survived This was the only fatal accident experienced by the airline 5 Destinations EditSwift Aire served the following destinations during its existence Those cities appearing in bold were being served by the airline in April 1981 shortly before Swift Aire was merged into Golden Gate Airlines 6 7 8 Bakersfield California BFL Fresno California FAT Los Angeles California LAX Modesto California MOD Palm Springs California PSP Paso Robles California PRB Sacramento California SMF San Francisco California SFO San Jose California SJC San Luis Obispo California SBP Swift Aire home base Santa Maria California SMX Visalia California VIS Following the merger with Golden Gate Airlines Swift Aire began serving San Diego California via Lindbergh Field SAN Fleet EditAerospatiale N 262 Nord 262 Fokker F 27 Friendship New build series 600 models Following the merger of Swift Aire with Golden Gate Airlines and the subsequent failure of the merged carriers the F 27s were sold to Air North a regional airline based in the northeast U S which subsequently changed its name to Brockway Air Air North then adopted Swift Aire s green and white paint scheme for their aircraft Riley Turbo Skyliner modified de Havilland Heron de Havilland Heron Piper PA 31 NavajoSee also EditList of defunct airlines of the United StatesReferences Edit a b Middlecamp David 9 May 2014 Swift Aire San Luis Obispo s homegrown airline www sanluisobispo com The Tribune Retrieved 5 October 2018 Swift Aire Lines aviation safety net Aviation Safety Network 4 March 2012 Retrieved 5 October 2018 Airlines N to Z Quastler I E 1979 Swift Aire Lines 1969 1979 The history of an American commuter airline San Diego Commuter Airlines Press ISBN 978 0 9602554 0 5 OCLC 4768772 OL 4446703M Wikidata Q58241102 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original on 2012 10 04 Retrieved 2012 10 28 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link CS1 maint unfit URL link DEPARTEDFLIGHTS COM www departedflights com 4 October 2018 Retrieved 5 October 2018 Swift Aire route maps from Aug 1 1976 July 1 1979 April 1 1981 Swift Aire Time Table Images www timetableimages com Bjorn Larssen and David Zekria 6 May 2016 Retrieved 5 October 2018 External links Edit Media related to Swift Aire Lines at Wikimedia Commons Portals California Companies Aviation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swift Aire Lines amp oldid 1109215184, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
