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Independent Air

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Independent Air
707 at Milan 1989
IATA ICAO Call sign
ID[1] IDN[2] SKYLARK[2]
FoundedApril 3, 1970[3]
Commenced operations
1981 (1981)
Ceased operations
November 1990 (1990-11)
Operating bases
Smyrna, Tennessee
Atlanta
Fleet sizeSee Fleet
HeadquartersSmyrna, Tennessee (1986–1990)
Hapeville, Georgia (1970–1986)
Key peopleAlvin L. Pittman (CEO)
Orien L. Dickerson (CFO)
FoundersHarry R. Maugans
James "Hamp" H. Vason
Employees60 (1989)[4]
Atlanta Skylarks
FoundedJune 14, 1966[5]
Commenced operations
July 1966 (1966-07)[6]
Ceased operations
1981 (1981)
Operating bases
Atlanta
HeadquartersHapeville, Georgia
Key peopleHarry R. Maugans
James "Hamp" H. Vason
FoundersEd Blair
W. Lee Miller[6]
707 Amsterdam 1985. This was the aircraft that crashed in the Azores in 1989

Independent Air was a US airline that evolved from a company established in 1966 to operate the Atlanta Skylarks, an air travel club. Air travel clubs were a form of low-cost air transport that avoided regulation by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), a now-defunct Federal agency that, at the time, provided tight economic regulation of almost all US air transport. Until 1981, the club itself held Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authority to operate commercial aircraft, but Independent exercised club functions and owned the aircraft. In 1981, Independent Air gained its own FAA authority to operate large commercial aircraft, and from 1983 it was certificated as a charter airline.

Executives of defunct former supplemental air carrier Capitol Air acquired the airline in 1985 and raised money with an initial public offering through a penny stock broker later shut by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) for fraud. In 1986, the airline moved to Capitol's former headquarters in Smyrna, Tennessee. Independent was already losing substantial sums when, in early 1989, it suffered a high profile crash that killed 137 Italian tourists. The airline ceased operation the next year.

The airline's assets and certificate were bought by a new group and resuscitated as charter operator Airline of the Americas (AoA) in 1992. AoA played a role in the travel office controversy (aka "Travelgate") of the Clinton administration. In January 1993, the airline became UltrAir, which for six months unsuccessfully attempted high-end business-oriented scheduled service from Houston. The airline then tried conventional scheduled airline service before shutting down in July 1994.

Ultrair's assets and certificated in turn were bought and resuscitated in 1995 as Virginia-based Paradise Airways, renamed to Prestige Airways, which operated both charters and limited scheduled service from Flint, Michigan, and also to the United States Virgin Islands. Prestige ended service in April 1997.

History

[edit]

Atlanta Skylarks

[edit]

The Atlanta Skylarks were an air travel club formed (and operating its first trip) in 1966, using a Douglas DC-7.[6] While the club was non-profit, club functions were contracted to (and aircraft provided by) by profit-making Skylark Enterprises.[7] In 1970, Skylark Enterprises became a wholly-owned subsidiary of a new company, controlled by Harry R. Maugans and James "Hamp" H. Vason—Independent Air.[8] Despite the name, Independent at that time did not hold certification necessary to operate club aircraft. Instead the Skylarks held FAA certification directly (Federal Aviation Regulation Part 123, or FAR Part 123) created specifically for air travel clubs.[9] In 1973, the club entered the jet age with a Boeing 720. In the mid-1970s, Skylarks flew about 40 trips a year, most of them a few days long, to the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and northern South America. Once a quarter it flew a longer trip to Europe or South America.[10] Skylarks was also briefly one of the few US operators of the Sud Aviation Caravelle, with two in the fleet in summer 1976, both exiting by 1978[11] (see External links for a photo). In 1981, following 1978 US airline deregulation, operational responsibility for flying Skylarks aircraft transferred to Independent Air after it acquired FAR Part 125 authority (allowing it operate large commercial aircraft not in common carriage).[12]

Atlanta airline

[edit]

After acquiring Part 125 authority, Independent Air broadened its scope beyond Skylarks to fly a limited number of charter flights and acquired a second Boeing 720.[13] In 1983, Independent Air received charter authority from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), completing its transition to an airline.[14] It gained scheduled airline authority the next year.[15] In 1985 the airline successfully avoided being shut by the FAA over noise standards that would otherwise have grounded the airline January 1 due to a shortage of hush kits for its Boeing 707s (it had already agreed to ground its Boeing 720s, for which no hush kits were available). It successfully argued to a Federal appeals court that the FAA had arbitrarily given waivers to some airlines that it had not, in similar circumstances, given to Independent.[16][15]

Independent Air Financial Results(1)
USD 0001985[17]1986[18]1987[19]1988[20]1989[21]1990[21]
Operating revenue 3,3376,40310,32514,84916,1687,687
Op profit (loss) (269)1,134(1,146)(2,086)(1,240)(2,101)
Net profit (loss) (48)1,043(2,942)(2,182)(1,199)(2,050)
Op margin (%) -8.117.7-11.1-14.0-7.7-27.3
(1) As filed with the Department of Transportation

Pittman era

[edit]
707 Paris August 1989. This aircraft, leased in from May 1989 to May 1990, replaced the Azores crash aircraft.[22]

Alvin L. Pittman was a former president and long-time officer of Capitol Air,[23] a former supplemental air carrier that ceased operation in 1984.[24] He and another former Capitol executive, Orien L. Dickerson, along with silent partners, bought the carrier in April 1985 for $213,590, Pittman becoming CEO, Dickerson CFO. In October, Independent Air Holdings (which included a travel agency and the Skylarks management) executed an initial public offering through broker Stuart-James, selling 46% of Independent Air Holdings for proceeds of $2.8 million dollars (over $8.5 million in 2026 terms). The airline bought a Boeing 727-100 with the proceeds (sold in 1988—see External links for photo).[25][26] Stuart-James was a highly aggressive penny stock promoter[27] that shut down in 1990; an SEC attorney later said Stuart-James was a "factory for fraud."[28] The company changed its headquarters from Hapeville, Georgia to Smyrna, Tennessee in 1986, occupying Capitol's old offices at Smyrna Airport.[29][30]

On February 8, 1989, Independent Air suffered the crash of flight 1851, a Boeing 707 on approach to Santa Maria in the Azores, on a flight from Italy to the Dominican Republic, killing all 137 Italian tourists and the crew of seven on board (see Accidents). The Italian minister of transport, Giorgio Santuz [it], banned the airline from Italy, pending the accident report.[31] Tour operators cancelled contracts.[32] As the nearby table shows, the airline had already made significant losses in 1987 and 1988. The crash further increased pressure on the airline and by November 1990 it had ceased flying.[32] During 1990, the airline, at the direction of CFO Orien Dickerson, improperly withdrew cash held in escrow accounts for future charter flights, for which Dickerson was later fined $5,000 by the US Department of Transportation, and banned from the airline industry for a year.[33]

UltrAir
Airline of the Americas
727-200 March 1993
IATA ICAO Call sign
RL[34] ULT[35]
AOA[34]		 ULTRAIR[35]
ALL AMERICAS[34]
FoundedJune 21, 1991 (1991-06-21)
Commenced operations
June 1992 (1992-06) as Airline of the Americas
January 16, 1993 as UltrAir
Ceased operations
July 13, 1994 (1994-07-13)
Operating bases
Smyrna, Tennessee
Fleet sizeSee Fleet
DestinationsSee Destinations
HeadquartersHouston, Texas
Smyrna, Tennessee
Key peopleBarney Kogen
FoundersCharles P. Caudle
Gordon A. Cain
Employees200 (July 1994)[36]

Airline of the Americas/UltrAir

[edit]
727-200 Miami December 1992

Charles P. Caudle was the former leader of pilots Pan Am inherited when it merged with National Airlines.[37] Gordon A. Cain was a Houston executive who had engineered successful buyouts of petrochemical businesses.[38] The two created Airline of the Americas (AoA) to acquire the assets of Independent Air, primarily a lease on a facility at Smyrna Airport, spare parts and its FAA certificate.[39] AoA launched as a charter airline in June 1992, operating from the same Smyrna Airport office space previously occupied by Independent and Capitol.[30] Certification came too late to get tour company business that summer, so it flew press charters for the administration of George H.W. Bush.[40] In November 1992, Cain partnered with Barney Kogen, who had sold his travel agency business to American Express, to create UltrAir out of AoA, appealing to business travelers, with a large first class section and more legroom throughout the aircraft. Headquarters moved to Houston.[41] Service launched on 16 January 1993[42] with service from Houston to New York and Los Angeles. Passengers earned miles on American Airlines' AAdvantage program.[43]

Caudle left in February, his replacement in April, reportedly due to conflict with Kogen;[44] by then UltrAir had dropped Los Angeles due to low fares.[45] Starting in May, IRS investigators controversially investigated UltrAir as part of the White House travel office controversy; no wrongdoing was uncovered and Caudle was found to be due a $4,900 refund.[46] The airline stopped scheduled service on July 25; the airline's June load factor was only 17%.[47] Kogen gave up his investment days earlier.[48] UltrAir's operating loss for the first six months of 1993 was $15.8 million on revenue of $9.8 million of which scheduled revenue was only $4.3 million.[49]

The airline resumed scheduled service November 11, 1993, this time with an Wal-Mart-inspired everyday low price-strategy from New York Kennedy Airport to Florida.[50] In May 1994 this expanded to include Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama.[51] The airline discontinued operations again as of July 13, 1994.[36]

Prestige Airways
Paradise Airways
727-200 Miami March 1995
IATA ICAO Call sign
OI[34] PAI[52] SEA RAY[52]
Commenced operations
March 1995 (1995-03) as Paradise Airways
November 1995 as Prestige Airways
Ceased operations
April 24, 1997 (1997-04-24)
Operating bases
Smyrna, Tennessee[53]
Fleet size3 Boeing 727-200s[54]
DestinationsSee Destinations
Parent companyNavCom Aviation
HeadquartersManassas, Virginia
FoundersElijah "Zeke" Jackson

Paradise Airways/Prestige Airways

[edit]
Prestige 727-200 flying for Sunair, Fort Lauderdale January 1996

In October 1994, UltrAir assets were sold to NavCom Aviation, which owned a fixed base operator at Manassas, Virginia.[55] NavCom launched the airline as Paradise Airways in March 1995.[53] Paradise became Prestige in November.[56] The airline flew both charters (including for tour operators and virtual airlines) and some limited scheduled service. For instance, Prestige flew for the extremely short-lived Sunair, a virtual airline flying from Cincinnati to Florida in December 1995/January 1996.[57][58] It also flew for Jet Express, a virtual airline serving Myrtle Beach and Savannah from 1996.[59] Scheduled service by Prestige included service to the Virgin Islands (December 1995 to January 1997)[60] and from Flint, Michigan (September 1996 to February 1997).[61] Operations ended 24 April 1997.[56] NavCom was controlled by Elijah "Zeke" Jackson. His companies, including Prestige, on occasion did not pay employees and vendors. He was later sued by the United States Department of Labor for collecting but not depositing funds for employee 401(k) retirement accounts.[62][63][64]

Accidents

[edit]
  • 8 February 1989: Independent Air Flight 1851 inbound from Milan Bergamo Airport, crashed on approach to Santa Maria Airport in the Azores, Portugal, killing all 137 passengers and 7 crew on board in Portugal’s deadliest aviation accident. The passengers were all Italian tourists en-route to the Dominican Republic.[65] Probable cause was failure of the crew to stay above the minimum altitude clearly marked on their charts. Contributing factors included poor/inaccurate radio communication on the part of air traffic control and the crew, failure to maintain a sterile cockpit, inaccurate flight plan, including an unauthorized route, apathetic attitude to altitude issues, including ignoring ground proximity warning system alarms, and an adequately trained and inexperienced crew.[66]

Destinations

[edit]

UltrAir

[edit]

January 1993:[43]

July 1994:[51]

Prestige Airways

[edit]

Virgin Islands service:[60]

Flint, Michigan service:[61]

Fleet

[edit]

Atlanta Skylarks

[edit]

July 1966:[6]

December 1977:[67]

Independent Air

[edit]

March 1984:[68]

March 1988:[69]

Airline of the Americas/UltrAir

[edit]

December 1992:[70]

December 1993:[71]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Klee, Ulrich (May 1989). JP airline-fleets international 89 (23 ed.). Glattbrugg, Switzerland: Bucher Publications. p. 296. ISBN 9783857581236.
  2. 1 2 Contractions, 7310.1K (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. 1 June 1988. p. 3-14. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "Business Search results for "Independent Air"". Georgia Corporations Division. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  4. ↑ "A U.S.-owned charter airliner carrying 138 Italian tourists and..." United Press International archive. 8 February 1989. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Business Search results for "Atlanta Skylarks" Control number A602329". Georgia Corporations Division. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Clubhouse Takes to The Skies". Atlanta Journal. 17 (8): 11-D. 17 July 1966.
  7. ↑ CAB103 1983, p. 8.
  8. ↑ "Independent Air Buys Skylark". Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution. 21 (2): 18-C. 14 June 1970.
  9. ↑ CAB103 1983, p. 9.
  10. ↑ Low-Cost Air Transportation Act: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate, Ninety-Fourth Congress, First Session on S. 421, February 13 and 14, 1975 (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 172. hdl:2027/mdp.39015076082166.
  11. ↑ Eastwood, A.B.; Roach, J. (2004). Airliner Production List Volume 2. West Drayton (UK): The Aviation Hobby Shop. p. 494. Line numbers 87, 102.
  12. ↑ CAB103 1983, pp. 10–11.
  13. ↑ CAB103 1983, p. 10.
  14. ↑ "Independent Air, Fitness Investigation". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 103: 1–32. August–September 1983. hdl:2027/osu.32437000534061.
  15. 1 2 Independent Air, Inc. v. Department of Transportation, 767 F.2d 1488 (11th Cir. 1985).
  16. ↑ "Independent Air wins a round in anti-noise case". Atlanta Constitution. 118 (50): 11-C. 26 August 1985. ISSN 2473-1609.
  17. ↑ Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months ending December 1985 and 1986 (Report). Cambridge, MA: U.S. Department of Transportation. December 1986. p. 107. hdl:2027/coo.31924083422703.
  18. ↑ Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months ending December 1986 and 1987 (Report). Cambridge, MA: U.S. Department of Transportation. December 1987. p. 109. hdl:2027/coo.31924064773801.
  19. ↑ Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months ending December 1987 and 1988 (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation. December 1988. p. 104. hdl:2027/coo.31924083422638.
  20. ↑ Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months ending December 1988 and 1989 (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation. December 1989. p. 107. hdl:2027/coo.31924083422927.
  21. 1 2 Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months ending December 1989 and 1990 (Report). Cambridge, MA: U.S. Department of Transportation. December 1990. p. 111. hdl:2027/coo.31924066547047.
  22. ↑ Eastwood & Roach 2005, p. 41, Serial 20178.
  23. ↑ "A.L. Pittman appointed Capitol Airways president". Rutherford Courier. XLVIII (17): 1. 7 September 1978. OCLC 11354395.
  24. ↑ "Capitol Air Discontinues Flight Operations". Aviation Week and Space Technology. 121 (23): 31. 3 December 1984. ISSN 0005-2175.
  25. ↑ "Independent Air Holdings: the little charter line that feels it can". The Atlanta Constitution. 119 (1): 11C. 16 June 1986. ISSN 2473-1609.
  26. ↑ Eastwood & Roach 2005, p. 68, Serial 18815.
  27. ↑ "Poison wine in new bottles". Forbes. 140 (7): 32. 5 October 1987. ISSN 0015-6914.
  28. ↑ "Expelled stock dealers appeal". Spokesman-Review (Spokane). 114 (124): A-17. 10 October 1996. ISSN 1064-7317.
  29. ↑ "Airport future bright?". Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro, TN). 142 (508): 1E. 21 July 1991. ISSN 0745-2683.
  30. 1 2 "1-jet charter service opens at Smyrna". Tennessean. 88 (162): 4-E. 10 June 1992. ISSN 1053-6590.
  31. ↑ "Volunteer firefighters searching a densely wooded mountainside found the..." United Press International archive. 10 February 1989. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  32. 1 2 Hengi, B.I. (2004). Airlines Remembered. Midland Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 9781857800913.
  33. ↑ "Startup airline data sought". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 67 (122): A-1. 30 November 1993. ISSN 1068-624X.
  34. 1 2 3 4 Norwood, Tom W. (2006). Deregulation Knockouts. Round Two. Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. p. 147. OCLC 77065792.
  35. 1 2 Change 4 to Order 7310.1N, Contractions (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. 20 July 1995. p. 3-3-51. hdl:2027/ufl.31262091395771.
  36. 1 2 "UltrAir is hanging up its wings for a second time". Houston Chronicle. 93 (269): 1-D. 9 July 1994. ISSN 1074-7109.
  37. ↑ "Pan Am employe group to attempt takeover of company". Miami Herald. 71 (172): 12A. 21 May 1981. ISSN 0898-865X.
  38. ↑ "Businessman buys 2 small aviation firms". Houston Chronicle. 91 (122): 1B. 12 February 1992. ISSN 1074-7109.
  39. ↑ "Smyrna Airport new home for charter flyers". Daily News-Journal (Murfreesboro, TN). 143 (823): 1E. 31 May 1992. ISSN 0745-2683.
  40. ↑ White House: Travel Office Operations (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: General Accounting Office. May 1994. p. 26. GGD-94-132. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  41. ↑ "Chic UltrAir about to take flight". Houston Post. 108 (222): B-3. 12 November 1992. ISSN 1060-3484.
  42. ↑ "Ceremony launches new upscale airline". Houston Chronicle. 92 (96): C-1. 17 January 1993. ISSN 1074-7109.
  43. 1 2 "UltrAir Flight Information". timetableimages.com. UltrAir. 17 January 1993. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  44. ↑ "UltrAir loses 2nd president". Houston Post. 109 (20): B-1. 24 April 1993. ISSN 1060-3484.
  45. ↑ "Airlines renewing fare wars". Houston Chronicle. 92 (189): 1-C. 20 April 1993. ISSN 1074-7109.
  46. ↑ Investigation of the White House Travel Office Firings and Related Matters: Fifteenth Report by the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Together With Minority and Additional Views (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 26 September 1996. pp. 103–108. hdl:2027/uiug.30112001235933.
  47. ↑ "Last UltrAir flight: no tears but regrets". Houston Chronicle. 92 (286): 9-A. 26 July 1993. ISSN 1074-7109.
  48. ↑ "UltrAir founder says new venture will fly". Houston Post. 109 (112): A-1. 25 July 1993. ISSN 1060-3484.
  49. ↑ Air Carrier Financial Statistics Quarterly: Second Quarter and Twelve Months ending June 1994 and 1993 (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation. June 1994. p. 116. hdl:2027/coo.31924078048711.
  50. ↑ "UltrAir to return as budget carrier". Houston Chronicle. 93 (10): 1-D. 23 October 1993. ISSN 1074-7109.
  51. 1 2 "Ear-to-ground UltrAir seeks last minute buyer". Houston Post. 110 (99): C-1. 12 July 1994. ISSN 1060-3484.
  52. 1 2 Contractions 1995, p. 3-3-38.
  53. 1 2 "NAVCOM announces launch of airline". Journal Messenger (Woodbridge, VA). 125 (291): B2. 11 March 1995. ISSN 0745-6859.
  54. ↑ Wegg, John, ed. (1997). North American Airlines Handbook. Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. p. 94. ISBN 9780965399319.
  55. ↑ "NAVCOM plans carrier service". Journal Messenger (Woodbridge, VA). 125 (172): B2. 22 October 1994. ISSN 0745-6859.
  56. 1 2 Norwood 2006, p. 84.
  57. ↑ "No-frills airline starts in Cincinnati". Evansville Courier. 151 (312): C4. 15 November 1995. ISSN 0739-165X.
  58. ↑ "The no-frills, no-whine tale of Sunair". Cincinnati Enquirer. 155 (280): C1. 14 January 1996. ISSN 2575-5706.
  59. ↑ "New jet service lands in Savannah". Island Packet (Hilton Head, SC): 11-A. 17 May 1996. ISSN 0746-4886.
  60. 1 2 "Prestige Airways Begins Scheduled Service Today". Aviation Week. 21 December 1995. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  61. 1 2 "Prestige Airways in Flint". Flint (MI) Journal. 121 (292): A9. 21 January 1997. OCLC 9974225.
  62. ↑ "Two aviation companies lay off 80 workers". Tennessean. 93 (106): 1E. 16 April 1997. ISSN 1053-6590.
  63. ↑ "Prestige Airways gets extension on Bishop debts". Flint (MI) Journal. 122 (327): D2. 25 February 1998. OCLC 9974225.
  64. ↑ "U.S. files lawsuit against Manassas corporations". Potomac News (Woodbridge, VA). 41 (199): A3. 11 April 2000. ISSN 0094-0178.
  65. ↑ "Jet crash kills 144". Fort Lauderdale News. 77 (66): 1A. 9 February 1989. ISSN 0744-8147.
  66. ↑ Duke, Thomas A. (February 1995). "Aircraft Descended Below Minimum Sector Altitude and Crew Failed to Respond to GPWS as Chartered Boeing 707 Flew into Mountain in the Azores" (PDF). Accident Prevention. 52 (2). Flight Safety Foundation: 1. ISSN 1057-5561. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 December 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  67. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Statistical Handbook Calendar Year 1977 (Report). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 71. hdl:2027/mdp.39015006111978.
  68. ↑ "Turbine-Engined Fleets of the World's Airlines, 1984". Exxon Air World. 36 (2): 21. 1984. ISSN 0014-5068.
  69. ↑ "Turbine-Engined Fleets of the World's Airlines, 1988". Exxon Air World. 40 (2): 29. 1984. ISSN 0014-5068.
  70. ↑ World Jet Airplane Inventory: Year End 1992 (Report). Boeing. March 1993. pp. 64–65.
  71. ↑ World Jet Airplane Inventory: Year End 1993 (Report). Boeing. March 1994. pp. 64–65.
[edit]
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