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Hughes Airwest

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox airline

File:Fairchild F-27A N755L Air West SFO 19.09.70 edited-3.jpg
Air West Fairchild F-27A in 1970
at San Francisco International Airport

Hughes Air Corporation, doing business as Hughes Airwest, was a local service carrier from 1970 to 1980 in the Western United States. It was backed by Howard Hughes' Summa Corporation. Its original name in 1968 was Air West and the air carrier was owned by Nick Bez. Hughes Airwest flew routes in the western U.S. and to several destinations in Mexico and Canada; its headquarters were on the grounds of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in unincorporated San Mateo County, California.<ref>"World Airline Directory." Flight International. April 28, 1979. 1379.</ref>

With distinctive all-yellow aircraft, the company slogan was Top Banana in the West;<ref name=topban76>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=huwtbad>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=banrno>Template:Cite news</ref> Hughes Airwest was purchased by Republic Airlines in 1980, which in turn was merged into Northwest Airlines in 1986. Northwest Airlines was then merged into Delta Air Lines in 2010.<ref name=ratohawoct/><ref name=hrmisn>Template:Cite news</ref>

HistoryEdit

On April 17, 1968, three earlier local service carriers in the western U.S. merged to form Air West:<ref name=awmlc>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=niaw>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=stbdet>Template:Cite news</ref>

The initial Air West fleet included Boeing 727-100s, Douglas DC-9s, Fairchild F-27s, and Piper Navajos. The first new addition to the Air West fleet was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, which had been ordered by Bonanza Air Lines.

Hungry for another adventure in the airline industry, TWA's former owner Howard Hughes sought the airline in 1968,<ref name=hmbaw>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=hcwsf>Template:Cite news</ref> and the US$90 million deal was finalized in April 1970.<ref name=awpac>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=erghcdlg>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=awtobhu>Template:Cite news</ref> Renamed Hughes Air West, its call sign became "Hughes Air," and the airline expanded to several cities in the western United States, Canada, and Mexico. With the new yellow paint scheme, unveiled in September 1971, the airline began calling itself Hughes Airwest, two words instead of the initial three.

The airline participated in some movies in the 1970s, notably The Gauntlet with Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke in 1977. Eastwood's character arrives in Las Vegas from Phoenix on the airline and when he phones the airport for flight departure times, Locke's character sarcastically called the airline, "Air Worst." Also in 1977, the airline was operating service from both Burbank (BUR) and Orange County (SNA) to Denver (DEN) via an interchange flight agreement with the original Frontier Airlines.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, 1977 Frontier Airlines Annual Report, route map</ref> Hughes Airwest soon introduced its own jet service to Denver from a number of locations.

Like other local service airlines in the 1970s, Hughes Airwest eliminated many stops and opened longer routes. Service expanded to resorts in Mexico; domestic routes didn't reach east of Utah and Arizona until Denver, Des Moines, Milwaukee, and Houston Hobby Airport were added in 1978. When it ended F-27 turboprop flights in 1979, Hughes Airwest became an all-jet airline with 727-200s, DC-9-10s, and DC-9-30s.

In September 1979, the airline was grounded for two months by a walkout by their ticket agents, reservations handlers, and office employees, who had been without a contract for over a year.<ref name=awsem>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=ntiaws>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=hawfras>Template:Cite news</ref> During 1979, several airlines showed interest in buying Hughes Airwest, including Alaska and Allegheny, with the latter soon becoming USAir.<ref name=aweots>Template:Cite news</ref> The strike was resolved in late October and flights resumed in November. Four months later they were the target of a buyout by Republic Airlines,<ref name=reloaaw>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> which was finalized on October 1, 1980, for $38.5 million.<ref name=ratohawoct/><ref name=mwsnt>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=hnc>Template:Cite news</ref> Minneapolis-based Republic had formed in July 1979 via the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways, the first under airline deregulation.<ref name=ncsamok>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref name=ppokm>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=yvapokm>Template:Cite news</ref>

Republic was acquired by Northwest Airlines in 1986,<ref name=nrmctlc>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref name=twoair>Template:Cite news</ref> which merged into Delta Air Lines in 2010.

Revenue Passenger-Miles (Millions) (Sched Service Only)
Pacific/RW Bonanza West Coast Empire
1951 26 7 11 9
1955 47 23 35 (merged WC)
1960 103 64 93
1965 138 170 122
1970 893 (merged 1968)
1975 1497

Corporate affairsEdit

File:AW9 Air West (5920250419) (2).jpg
The Air West color scheme prior to conversion to Sundance Yellow and Universal Blue
File:Hughes Airwest McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 Silagi-1.jpg
Hughes Airwest DC-9s in 1979

The original headquarters were in two buildings in downtown San Mateo, California, on the San Francisco peninsula.

Its new headquarters were located in San Mateo.<ref>Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives, Volume 3. Standard & Poor's, 1976. p. 638. "Hughes Air Corp d/b/a Hughes Airwest Airlines, 3125 Clearview Way, San Mateo, Cal."</ref> The airline scheduled the move to a new headquarters in late August 1973; the complex was on a hill overlooking San Mateo and San Francisco Bay. The airline relocated two departments from the offices at San Francisco International Airport: flight control and reservations.<ref>"'Big Move' under way to new international headquarters in San Mateo." (Archive) Hughes Airwest newsletter. August 1973. Vol. 5, No. 8. p. 1.</ref>

LiveryEdit

Hughes Airwest's planes were recognizable by their banana-yellow fuselage and tail colors.<ref>Hughes promoted their new colors as "Sundance Yellow" and "Universe Blue." The blue has sometimes been described as purple, but this is an optical illusion when viewed on the yellow expanse of aircraft hull. Since these were not standards-compliant color names, the exact color values are uncertain, and can only be approximated by examining color photographs of Hughes Airwest aircraft.</ref> Their airplanes were often dubbed "flying bananas" and the airline launched an advertising campaign with the catchphrase "Top Banana in the West."<ref name=topban76/><ref name=huwtbad/><ref name=banrno/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Most nicknames given to Hughes Airwest airplanes in aviation books and magazines have to do with bananas. Apart from their all-yellow scheme, the airplanes also featured a blue logo on the vertical stabilizer (tail) that resembled three diamonds connected (possibly a reference to the initials of Howard Hughes). The name Hughes Airwest, in stylized lettering, was featured unconventionally below the front passenger windows.

This livery was devised by the southern California design firm of Mario Armond Zamparelli,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> following the crash of Flight 706 in June 1971, caused by a mid-air collision with a U.S. Marine Corps F-4B jet fighter near Duarte, California.<ref name=lajcia>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name =ahu>Template:Cite news</ref> In late 1971, the company launched a new marketing campaign which included new colors and repainted planes.<ref name=awmkclch>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=prfsbnw>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The cabin windows also had a metallized PET film coating originally,<ref name=huawoc71>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but this proved too costly to maintain. Zamparelli also designed the uniforms of the flight attendants in the new colors, primarily in Sundance Yellow trimmed with Universe Blue.<ref name=alnewstrun>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=pfphawu>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After the sale in October 1980 the all-yellow paint scheme was gradually replaced by Republic's white with blue and green trim. Aircraft tails bore Republic's flying mallard, "Herman the Duck."<ref name=hrmisn/><ref name=hnc/>

FleetEdit

Air West and Hughes Airwest operated the following aircraft types at various times during their existence:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Hughes Airwest fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Boeing 727-193 3 1968 1972
Boeing 727-200 11 1976 1980
Douglas C-47A Skytrain 7 1968 1969
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 5 1970 1980
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15RC 12 1973 1980
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 30 1970 1980
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 2 1971 1980
Fairchild F-27 34 1968 1980
Piper PA-31 Navajo 4 1968 1970

DestinationsEdit

Air West in July 1968Edit

This is a list of destinations taken from the Air West system timetable dated July 1, 1968, when the merger to form Air West became effective.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, July 1, 1986, Air West system timetable</ref> Cities served with jets are noted in bold. Air West was operating Boeing 727-100, Douglas DC-9-10, and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jets, as well as Fairchild F-27 turboprops and small Piper Navajo twin props at this time. The majority of the destinations on this list that did not have jet service were served with F-27 twin turboprops.

ARIZONA:

CALIFORNIA:

  • Bakersfield (BFL)
  • Blythe (BLH)
  • Burbank (BUR): Bob Hope Airport
  • Chico (CIC)
  • Crescent City (CEC)
  • El Centro (IPL)
  • Eureka/Arcata (ACV)
  • Fresno (FAT)
  • Inyokern (IYK)
  • Lake Tahoe (TVL)
  • Long Beach (LGB): Long Beach Airport

IDAHO:

  • Boise (BOI) - Hub
  • Burley/Rupert (BYI)
  • Idaho Falls (IDA)
  • Lewiston (LWS)
  • Pocatello (PIH)
  • Twin Falls (TWF)
  • Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum (SUN)

MONTANA:

  • Great Falls (GTF)
  • Kalispell (FCA)

NEVADA:

OREGON:

  • Albany/Corvallis (CVO)
  • Astoria/Seaside (AST)
  • Baker (BKE)
  • Eugene (EUG)
  • Klamath Falls (LMT)
  • Medford (MFR)

UTAH:

WASHINGTON:

  • Aberdeen/Hoquiam (HQM)
  • Ephrata/Moses Lake (EPH)
  • Olympia (OLH)
  • Pasco/Kennewick/Richland (PSC)
  • Pullman (PUW)
  • Seattle (SEA): Seattle-Tacoma Airport - Hub
  • Spokane (GEG)
  • Tacoma (TIW)
  • Walla Walla (ALW)
  • Wenatchee (EAT)
  • Yakima (YKM)

CANADA:

MEXICO:

  • La Paz (LAP)
  • Mazatlan (MZT)
  • Puerto Vallarta (PVR)
  • Guadalajara (GDL)
  • Guaymas (GYM)

Hughes Airwest in September 1980Edit

In 1980, Hughes Airwest was an all-jet airline operating Boeing 727-200, Douglas DC-9-10, and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 aircraft. The timetable for September 1 lists service to:<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, September 1, 1980, Hughes Airwest system timetable</ref>

ARIZONA:

CALIFORNIA:

COLORADO:

IDAHO:

  • Boise (BOI) - Hub
  • Idaho Falls
  • Lewiston
  • Pocatello
  • Twin Falls

IOWA:

  • Des Moines

MONTANA:

  • Kalispell

NEVADA:

OREGON:

TEXAS:

UTAH:

WASHINGTON:

WISCONSIN:

  • Milwaukee

CANADA:

MEXICO:

  • Manzanillo
  • Mazatlan
  • Puerto Vallarta

Accidents and incidentsEdit

1971 – Flight 706Edit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} On the evening of Sunday, June 6, 1971, Flight 706, a Douglas DC-9-31 collided in mid-air with a U.S. Marine Corps F-4B fighter over southern California near Duarte. All 49 on the airliner and the F-4 pilot were killed; the sole survivor was the F-4 radar intercept officer. Flight 706 had departed Los Angeles for Seattle, with five intermediate stops, the first in Salt Lake City.

1972 – Flight 800 hijackingEdit

Two months after the hijacking by D. B. Cooper of Northwest Orient flight 305, Hughes Airwest was the target of a copycat hijacker in early 1972.<ref name="ctnsjal">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="hjcapoc">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="dethfls">Template:Cite news</ref> After boarding Flight 800 at McCarran airport in Las Vegas in late morning on Thursday, January 20, 23-year-old Richard Charles LaPoint claimed he had a bomb while the plane was on the taxiway and demanded $50,000 cash, two parachutes, and a helmet.<ref name="skycod">Template:Cite news</ref> When these demands were met, 51 Reno-bound passengers and two flight attendants were released; the DC-9 departed eastward toward Denver, followed by two F-111 aircraft of the U.S. Air Force from nearby Nellis AFB.<ref name="parhjcap">Template:Cite news</ref> The parachutes were high-visibility and equipped with emergency locator devices.

Without a coat and in cowboy boots, the hijacker bailed out from the lower aft door over the treeless plains of northeastern Colorado in mid-afternoon. LaPoint was apprehended a few hours later,<ref name="dethfls" /><ref name="chhijcbp">Template:Cite news</ref> with minor injuries and very cold.<ref name="skycod" /><ref name="hi50j">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref name="hftbj">Template:Cite news</ref> The plane, with two pilots and a flight attendant on board, landed safely at Denver's Stapleton airport at 2:55 p.m. MST.<ref name="hjcapoc" /> Facing potential death penalty charges for air piracy,<ref name="hfhwob">Template:Cite news</ref> the Vietnam veteran and former U.S. Army paratrooper<ref name="ctchapr">Template:Cite news</ref> was sentenced to forty years, but served less than eight, and was released from a halfway house in 1979;<ref name="skycod" /> he died at age 60 in his native New Hampshire in 2008.

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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