Island Air Service (fictional)
island lifeline, micro size, GB.
- Ownership
- private
- Starting fleet
- 1 x de Havilland Dragon Rapide
- Bases
- LEQ
- Starting routes
- LEQ-ISC
- Confidence
- estimated (to be verified)
Fleets and networks are approximations for the prototype and are scaled to the model. Source: General knowledge, approximate. Needs a primary source before release.
Evidence
Facts about this airline that were checked against published sources. Fleet counts for 1958 could not be sourced for any airline, so the starting fleets above remain estimates.
| Field | Year | Checked value | Agreement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| real operator 1958-1963 | 1958 | The real operator of the Land's End (St Just) to St Mary's air service was British European Airways (state corporation) from 1 February 1947 until May 1964, flying de Havilland Dragon Rapides. No other scheduled operator flew from Land's En | new | landsendairport.co.uk, ukairfieldguide.net |
| independent entrant 1961-1963: Mayflower Air Services | 1961 | Mayflower Air Services Ltd began Scilly services in 1961 from Roborough (Plymouth) airport (also listed at St Mawgan) with two Dragon Rapides; managing director Sqn Ldr K.P.H. Cleife; one Rapide (G-AHLM) was written off on take-off at St Ma | new | en.wikipedia.org, airlinehistory.co.uk |
| aircraft type | 1958 | DH.89 Dragon Rapide throughout 1958 to 1963 (BEA and Mayflower). A Rapide carried seven passengers plus pilot in the 1963 accident. Dragon Rapides had replaced Dragons from 1938. | close | penwithlocalhistorygroup.co.uk, asntest.flightsafety.org |
| frequency (flights per week) | 1957 | Up to 20 round trips a day at the 1957 peak on the BEA service (very roughly 140 round trips a week at peak). The 1937 opening service was one flight each way daily except Sundays; 1939 summer up to eight return trips a day. | differs | landsendairport.co.uk, penwithlocalhistorygroup.co.uk |
| air passengers per year | 1953 | 36,000 passengers in 1953 (record), plus over 50 tons freight and 12 tons mail. 1957 fares on the BEA service: 1 pound 10 shillings single and 2 pounds 10 shillings return (as printed on the airport history page). By the end of 1962 the Rap | new | landsendairport.co.uk |
| subsidy | 1963 | No recurring operating subsidy found. In the Commons on 13 May 1963 the Minister of Aviation said the Scilly service "costs B.E.A. a small annual loss" and that the Rapides would be replaced by a helicopter service, with a once-for-all gove | differs | api.parliament.uk |
| helicopter replacement | 1964 | Decision announced 13 May 1963 (BEA to buy two Sikorsky S-61 helicopters). First helicopter service 1 May 1964 (Penzance Heliport page; Penwith note) or 2 May 1964 (Wikipedia Land's End and St Mary's pages), flown from Land's End; Penzance | new | api.parliament.uk, en.wikipedia.org |