Los Angeles Airways

Infobox Airline
airline = Los Angeles Airways


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ceased = 1971
hubs = Los Angeles, CA
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destinations = Disneyland, Los Angeles area airports
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headquarters = Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles Airways (LAA) was a helicopter airline that was based in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles Airways offered services to area airports as well as Disneyland [cite news|url=http://www.airfields-freeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_OrangeCo_NW.htm|title=Disneyland Heliport, Anaheim, CA|last=Freeman|first=Paul|work=Abandoned and Little Known Airfields] from Los Angeles International Airport. LAA is noted for several first including The first regularly scheduled helicopter mail service on October 1, 1947 [ [http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Government_Role/1930-airmail/POL6.htm Airmail and the Growth of the Airlines ] ] In addition LAA was the first civil operator of the Sikorsky S-61 [ [http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/sik_s-61n.php Sikorsky S-61N] ] introducing them on March 1, 1962 for a purchased price of $650,000 each. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,895186,00.html "The Self-Supporting Helicopter"] Time Magazine December 26, 1960]

Los Angeles Airways ceased operations in 1971 after being purchased by Golden West Airlines. [ [http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac3/Airline/Los%20Angeles%20Airways%20Sikorsky%20S-61L.html Ed Coates Collection] ]

Aircraft Operated

* Sikorsky S-51
* Sikorsky S-55
* Sikorsky S-61

Accidents

* On May 22, 1968 Los Angeles Airways Flight 841 crashed in Paramount, California resulting in the loss of 23 lives. The accident aircraft, airreg|N|303Y|disaster, serial number 61060, was a Sikorsky S-61L. [http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=13185&key=0 NTSB Identification: DCA68A00061969]
* On August 14, 1968 Los Angeles Airways Flight 417 crashed in Compton, California resulting in the loss of 21 lives. The accident aircraft, airreg|N|300Y|disaster, serial number 61031, was the prototype of the Sikorsky S-61L. [http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR69-07.pdf Aircraft Accident Report. Los Angeles Airways, Inc. S-61L Helicopter, N300Y, Compton, California] , Adopted: August 27 1969]

References

External links

* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Los%20Angeles%20Airways&distinct_entry=true Los Angeles Airways on Airliners.net]
* [http://www.airfields-freeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_OrangeCo_NW.htm Disneyland Heliport]
* [http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/usb/laa.htm Los Angeles Airways timetables]