Air Carolina - Misplaced Pages

Regional Airline

Air Carolina (Florence Airlines)

IATA	ICAO	Call sign
FN	—	—

Founded

1967; 57 years ago (1967)

Ceased operations

1980; 44 years ago (1980)

Fleet size

Destinations

Headquarters

Florence, South Carolina

Key people

Sheffield P. Wilds
William E. Smith

Air Carolina, originally known as Florence Airlines, was an American regional airline initially based in Florence, South Carolina, with piston aircraft service within the Carolinas and Georgia. The company was originally certified as Florence Airlines, on December 5, 1967, by Sheffield P. Wilds, who was the airline's first president.

History

In 1973, Florence Airlines was operating three daily scheduled passenger and cargo flights between Florence, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina, with a fleet of one Aero Commander 500B and two Piper Cherokee Sixes. Between 1973 and 1976, they also used a Piper Cherokee 140 for pilot training purposes.

By early 1975, William E. Smith had become president of the airline, and had added one Piper Cherokee Arrow to their fleet, but service had been reduced to just twice daily passenger service between Florence, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

On March 30, 1975, the airline began operating under the name Air Carolina, and served Atlanta, Georgia, Greenwood, South Carolina, Anderson, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina, using Piper Navajo Chieftains, Britten Norman Islanders, and a single Twin Otter.

By 1981, their passenger service was operating between Charlotte, Hickory, North Carolina, and Florence. Its fleet then consisted of two Piper Navajo Chieftains, one Piper Navajo, one Piper Aztec, one Piper Seneca, and one Piper Lance.

The airline was later absorbed by Atlantis Airlines in 1980.

Destinations

Gilbert Field (FLO), Florence, South Carolina (from 1973)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Charlotte, North Carolina (from 1973)
Atlanta, Georgia (by 1975)
Greenwood, South Carolina (from March 30, 1975)
Anderson, South Carolina (by 1975)
Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina (by 1981)

Fleet

Over the duration of its operations, Florence Airlines and Air Carolina utilized numerous aircraft, with a preference for Piper Aircraft models:

1 - Aero Commander 500B
2 - Piper Cherokee Six
3 - Piper Navajo Chieftain — N59820, N59982, N27677
1 - Piper Navajo — N165YS
1 - Piper Cherokee 140 — N56821
1 - Britten Norman Islander — N30BN - STOL capable twin prop
1 - de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter - STOL capable twin turboprop
1 - Piper Navajo
1 - Piper Aztec
1 - Piper Seneca — N55321
1 - Piper Lance

References

^ "Flight International". Flight Global. 1975-03-13: 257. Retrieved 2014-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ "Flight International". Flight Global. 1973-03-01: 310. Retrieved 2014-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ "NTSB Identification: MIA74DLG24". National Transportation and Safety Board. Archived from the original on 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 168229". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
"Florence Airlines Announces A New Name Air Carolina". Florence, South Carolina: Florence Morning News. March 30, 1975. p. 6. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
^ "Air Carolina". Historic Commuter Airlines of Florida and Georgia. Sunshine Skies. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
^ Charles Moore (1975-10-03). "Air Carolina "Well Pleased" With Passenger Traffic From Greenwood". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. p. 9. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
^ "Flight International". Flight Global. 1981-11-07: 1389. Retrieved 2014-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
"Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
"Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
"Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
"Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
"N30BN". airliners.net. Used for scheduled commuter services between CLT and HKY.
"Air Carolina (Florence Airlines)". Plane Logger. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
"Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net. Retrieved 16 April 2018.