Airlines of Australia is a defunct airline that serviced Australia, originally commencing as New England Airlines in 1931, until being absorbed by
Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways (ANA) was Australia's predominant aerial carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s.
The Holyman's Airways period
On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.I ...
in July 1942. ANA itself was sold to
Ansett
Ansett Australia was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne, Australia. The airline flew domestically within Australia and from the 1990s to destinations in Asia. After operating for 65 years, the airline was placed into adminis ...
in October 1957, which was liquidated in 2002.
New England Airways
Airlines of Australia was originally incorporated as the
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
Airways (NEAL) on 1 January 1931, with George A. Robinson as managing director and his future son-in-law,
Keith Virtue
Keith Allison Virtue MBE (23 June 1909 – 7 February 1980) was a pioneer Australian aviator. Sir Lawrence Wackett, in the foreword of Keith Virtue's biography, writes that he was an experienced airman himself but he marvelled at the ability an ...
(1909–1980) as director and chief pilot.
Taking over the
QANTAS
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
Brisbane–Lismore route, the company first used a four-passenger
Mahoney-Ryan B-1 (VH-UIZ) and three-passenger
de Havilland Puss Moth
The de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth is a British three-seater high-wing monoplane aeroplane designed and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company between 1929 and 1933. It flew at a speed approaching 124 mph (200 km/h), making it o ...
(VH-UPM).
Further aircraft were purchased, and more routes acquired and extended.
Airlines of Australia Limited
In October 1935 the new company of Airlines of Australia Limited was floated to replace and incorporate New England Airways. It commenced operations in January 1936. The new company also acquired the rights to manufacturing Sikorsky flying boats.
Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways (ANA) was Australia's predominant aerial carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s.
The Holyman's Airways period
On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.I ...
(ANA) gained a controlling interest in Airlines of Australia in April 1937, although the two airlines and assets retained separate public identities until 1 July 1942. Their two surviving Stinsons were then renamed VH-UKK ''Binana'' and VH-UYY ''Tokana''. Airlines of Australia also held shares in ANA. By 1954, the company was showing a financial loss.
The airline colour was red.
Aircraft
Airlines of Australia owned over twenty aircraft, including:
* VH-UGG ''Lismore'',
Stinson Model A
The Stinson Model A was a moderately successful airliner of the mid-1930s. It was one of the last commercial airliners designed in the United States with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage before the introduction of stressed skin aluminum ...
tri-motor monoplane, brought from the US to Australia by June 1936, crashing in March 1937 at Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland. Crash, killing one pilot and one passenger, involved the right engine.
* VH-UHH ''Brisbane'',
Stinson Model A
The Stinson Model A was a moderately successful airliner of the mid-1930s. It was one of the last commercial airliners designed in the United States with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage before the introduction of stressed skin aluminum ...
tri-motor monoplane, brought from the US to Australia by June 1936,
crashing in February 1937 in the McPherson Ranges, south of Brisbane, Queensland. Crash, killing two pilots and three passengers, attributed to wind down-draft in bad weather.
* VH-UKK ''Townsville'',
Stinson Model A
The Stinson Model A was a moderately successful airliner of the mid-1930s. It was one of the last commercial airliners designed in the United States with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage before the introduction of stressed skin aluminum ...
tri-motor monoplane, brought from the US to Australia by June 1936, was still in existence by March 1945. It was inspected as part of a coronial inquiry investigating the crash of now-Australian National Airways' Stinson A2.W aircraft, VH-UYY ''Grafton'', a fatal crash at
Redesdale, Victoria
Redesdale is a town in central Victoria, Australia. It is located partly in the City of Greater Bendigo local government area and partly in the Shire of Mount Alexander. At the , Redesdale and the surrounding area had a population of 240.
Histo ...
on 31 January 1945, that may have been attributed to a crack in the tail fitting. VH-UKK had developed cracks on two previous occasions.
See also
*
1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash
The 1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash was an accident which occurred on 19 February 1937. The Airlines of Australia (airline), Airlines of Australia Stinson Model A airliner disappeared during a flight from Brisbane to Sydney, carrying fi ...
*
List of defunct airlines of Australia
This is a list of defunct airlines of Australia.
See also
* List of airlines of Australia
* List of airports in Australia
References
Further reading
*
{{List of defunct airlines
*
#Australia
Airlines
An airline is a company ...
References
External links
New England Airways 1931–1936
{{Airlines of Australia
Airlines established in 1935
Airlines disestablished in 1942
Defunct airlines of Australia
Australian companies established in 1935