- Overseas National Airways
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The original Overseas National Airways was an American airline, formed in June 1950 as a supplemental carrier. It ceased operations on September 14, 1978. A second related company, took the name in 1978, later renaming to National Airlines, going bankrupt in 1986.
Contents
History - First ONA
Douglas DC-8 of ONA at Zurich in 1975ONA (IATA: OV) was founded in June 1950 as a charter airline and carried both freight and passengers. It was based in Idlewild Airport (now JFK) and had five Douglas DC-6 aircraft in the fleet. Its main function was to carry US military personnel to and from Europe from the east coast of the USA. ONA also had a dedicated Douglas DC-7F for freight operations.
For a brief period from 1964 to 1965, ONA went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize and flights resumed in October 1965, this time operating Douglas DC-8 aircraft. Operations expanded to have flights to the Caribbean, Europe and even to India. In 1968 and the following years, ONA received a fleet of 11 Lockheed L-188 Electra used in freight operations. In the meantime, the DC-8s were servicing the trans Atlantic routes. The next aircraft to be put into operations was the Douglas DC-9, which replaced the Electras and then in 1973 two Douglas DC-10 were received.
In 1978 when airline deregulation went into effect, the board of directors of ONA decided to liquidate the the airline which, due to the value of the company's DC-10 aircraft, was a successful liquidation. The board decided not to try to compete in the newly deregulated environment and as a result ONA ceased flying in October 1978. [1]
History - Second ONA
The second airline to be named Overseas National Airways was created when officials of Overseas National Airways formed a FAR Part 129 leasing company known as United Air Carriers on July 21, 1977. When the Overseas National Airways folded in 1978, the company was renamed to Overseas National Airways and was certified in 1980 under FAR 121 as a cargo and passenger charter company.
In 1982 the company gained approval for scheduled service, leading to the company purchasing the name National Airlines from Pan American World Airways in anticipation of scheduled New York to Paris service. The scheduled service never materialized, although flights on the route were flown as charters.
The company, faced financial problems and by December 1985 it ceased operations, filing for bankruptcy in May 1986.[2]
Incidents
- On 2 May 1970, ALM Flight 980 operated by ONA with a DC-9 named the Caribbean Queen, en route from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to the tropical island of St. Maarten. A few attempts to land in bad weather forced the crew to ditch the Queen. The Caribbean Queen is still at the bottom of the sea. [1]
- On 12 November 1975, an ONA DC-10 ferry flight suffered a bird strike while on take-off roll from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The aircraft was destroyed. All passengers survived. [2]
- On 2 January 1976, an ONA DC-10 suffered an engine problem just before landing in Istanbul, Turkey. The aircraft made an emergency landing and was destroyed. All passengers survived. [3]
- On 13 September 1982, a DC-10-30 EC-DEG which was leased to Spantax, was destroyed by fire after a burst nose-wheel caused the captain to abort take-off in Malaga, Spain. 51 individuals were killed, with 352 surviving.
Historical fleet
- Douglas DC-6
- Douglas DC-8 {see fleet breakdown in next section)
- Lockheed L-188 Electra
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9
- McDonnell Douglas DC-10
Douglas DC-8 fleet
- 2 - Douglas DC-8-21
- 2 - Douglas DC-8-31
- 4 - Douglas DC-8-33
- 1 - Douglas DC-8-33F
- 1 - Douglas DC-8-52
- 5 - Douglas DC-8-55
- 1 - Douglas DC-8-55F
- 7 - Douglas DC-8-61
- 2 - Douglas DC-8-61CF (CF stands for convertible passenger/freighters)
- 10 - Douglas DC-8-63CF
Notes
- ^ Airlines Remembered by BI Hengi, Publisher Midland Publishing
- ^ Tom W Norwood (1996). "1981". Deregulation Knockouts Round One. Airways. p. 62. ISBN 0-9653993-0-3.
- ^ ONA (Version 3) DC-8 Fleet Information
External links
Categories:- Defunct airlines of the United States
- Airlines established in 1950
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