Butler Air Transport
Encyclopedia
Butler Air Transport was a limited liability company
created by Cecil Arthur Butler to operate air transport primarily among New South Wales
airports in Australia
, from 1934 until 1959.
. After getting a pilot's license, he became a barnstormer
before in 1934 winning the contract for the Charleville, Queensland
to Cootamundra, New South Wales
leg of the England-Australia airmail route. The Butler Air Transport Co lost the contract on its expiry in 1938, but went on to operate as a civil airline, serving country towns in New South Wales and Queensland.
During World War II
, Butler continued operating on a limited scale, and also manufactured parts for the Australian war effort on a cost recovery basis. At the end of the war, Butler registered Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd as a public company, that became the most successful airline in New South Wales, operating three Douglas
DC-3s, Avro Anson
s, De Havilland Heron
s and three Airspeed Ambassador
s.
Butler encouraged employee ownership of the company, and in 1947 they owned 51 per cent.
In the 1950s the Government of Australia
sought to nationalise the airlines, and adopted a "two airline policy" favouring Ansett Airlines and Qantas Airways. Arthur Butler fought against the trend, including an intended buy-out in the early 1950s by Australian National Airways Pty Ltd
. In 1955 Butler acquired two Vickers
Viscount
s. Reginald Ansett's Ansett Transport Industries Ltd acquired A.N.A. in 1957, thus acquiring appreciable stock in B.A.T., then acquired more from staff stockholders until he controlled the Butler airline. Despite a legal and boardroom battle to retain or regain control, Arthur Butler lost. In late 1958, Butler was offered the position of Managing Director but instead left the company, which was effectively absorbed into Ansett as Airlines of New South Wales
in 1959, then into Ansett Express.
Ironically, Arthur Butler was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1958 for services to aviation.
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
created by Cecil Arthur Butler to operate air transport primarily among New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
airports in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, from 1934 until 1959.
History
Arthur Butler OBE (1902-1980) was an English-Australian aviator whose first aviation experience was as a toolmaker and later ground engineer in Sydney then Hay, New South WalesHay, New South Wales
Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales , Australia. It is the administrative centre of Hay Shire Local Government Area and the centre of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains....
. After getting a pilot's license, he became a barnstormer
Barnstorming
Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called a flying circus. Barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight...
before in 1934 winning the contract for the Charleville, Queensland
Charleville, Queensland
Charleville is a town in south western Queensland, Australia, 758 kilometres by road west of Brisbane . It is the largest town and administrative centre of the Murweh Shire, which covers an area of 43,905 square kilometres...
to Cootamundra, New South Wales
Cootamundra, New South Wales
Cootamundra is a town and Local Government Area in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. At the 2006 census, Cootamundra had a population of 5,566. It is located on the Olympic Highway at the point where it crosses the Muttama Creek, between Junee and...
leg of the England-Australia airmail route. The Butler Air Transport Co lost the contract on its expiry in 1938, but went on to operate as a civil airline, serving country towns in New South Wales and Queensland.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Butler continued operating on a limited scale, and also manufactured parts for the Australian war effort on a cost recovery basis. At the end of the war, Butler registered Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd as a public company, that became the most successful airline in New South Wales, operating three Douglas
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
DC-3s, Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s, De Havilland Heron
De Havilland Heron
The de Havilland DH.114 Heron was a small, propeller-driven British airliner that first flew on 10 May 1950. It was a development of the twin-engine de Havilland Dove, with a stretched fuselage and two more engines. It was designed as a rugged, conventional low-wing monoplane with tricycle...
s and three Airspeed Ambassador
Airspeed Ambassador
The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador was a British twin piston engined airliner that first flew on 10 July 1947 and served in small numbers through the 1950s and 1960s.-Design and development:...
s.
Butler encouraged employee ownership of the company, and in 1947 they owned 51 per cent.
In the 1950s the Government of Australia
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
sought to nationalise the airlines, and adopted a "two airline policy" favouring Ansett Airlines and Qantas Airways. Arthur Butler fought against the trend, including an intended buy-out in the early 1950s by Australian National Airways Pty Ltd
Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways was Australia's predominant carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s.-The Holyman Airways Period:On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.II VH-UEE Miss Launceston between Launceston, Tasmania and Flinders...
. In 1955 Butler acquired two Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
s. Reginald Ansett's Ansett Transport Industries Ltd acquired A.N.A. in 1957, thus acquiring appreciable stock in B.A.T., then acquired more from staff stockholders until he controlled the Butler airline. Despite a legal and boardroom battle to retain or regain control, Arthur Butler lost. In late 1958, Butler was offered the position of Managing Director but instead left the company, which was effectively absorbed into Ansett as Airlines of New South Wales
Airlines of New South Wales
Airlines of New South Wales callsign "NEWSOUTH" was an Australian domestic regional airline that operated from 1959 until its merger into Ansett in 1993. It was formed by Reg Ansett's takeover of Butler Air Transport...
in 1959, then into Ansett Express.
Ironically, Arthur Butler was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1958 for services to aviation.
Services
Butler Air Transport operated to the following airports:| From | To | Commenced | Times | Aircraft | Fares (1 way) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Bathurst | 16/12/1949 | 1100 | Douglas 21 seat | 1₤10s | |
| Sydney | Bega | |||||
| Sydney | Bourke | |||||
| Sydney | Brewarrina | |||||
| Sydney | Casino | |||||
| Sydney | Charleville | |||||
| Sydney | Coffs Harbour | |||||
| Sydney | Coonamble | |||||
| Sydney | Cunnamulla | |||||
| Sydney | Dubbo | |||||
| Sydney | Evans Head (Lismore) | |||||
| Sydney | Grafton | |||||
| Sydney | Nyngan | |||||
| Sydney | Parkes | |||||
| Sydney | Tooraweena (Gilgandra & Coonabarabran) | |||||
| Sydney | Walgett | |||||
External links
- Butler Air Transport Co - images held by the Powerhouse MuseumPowerhouse MuseumThe Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
, Sydney- Arthur Butler Archive - includes files and pilot logbooks
- Australian Airline Tickets - Airlines of N.S.W. - images of Butler baggage tags, circa 1954-55
- Australian Civil Aircraft VH-AMA - AZY Series - Ed Coates Collection:
- see 5 entries, including VH-AOG DC-3 (crashed and written off at Bourke, New South WalesBourke, New South Wales-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
on 15 December 1955)
- see 5 entries, including VH-AOG DC-3 (crashed and written off at Bourke, New South Wales