Falcon Airways
Encyclopedia
Falcon Airways was a British
airline that operated from 1959 to 1961 when the operating licence was withdrawn due to concerns over safety.
at Hurn Airport
to operate charter services from both Hurn and Blackbushe Airport
. In October 1959 the airline acquired three four-engined Handley Page Hermes
piston airliners, although one was sold in December 1959.
In 1960 the airline and the two Hermes
moved its operations from Blackbush to Gatwick but one Hermes was destroyed in a crash in October 1960 and the other was bought by Air Safaris
leaving the airline without any aircraft.
In 1961 the airline bought three 82-seat Lockheed Constellation
s to operate long-range charter flights. Although they needed modification work to meet Air Registration Board requirements. In March Kozubski flew one of the Constellations from Gander to Gatwick with West Indian immigrants, the aircraft had unserviceable radios and navigation equipment. It also did not have enough dinghies onboard and the airline was prosecuted and fined £300. The airline did start to operate the first Constellation in May 1961 but it was withdrawn from for maintenance shortly afterwards. The second aircraft was put into service in July 1961 but was then sold by the airline to another British operator Trans European. The third aircraft was registered in Austria rather than the United Kingdom and the British authorities refused to let the airline operate an unmodified aircraft. This temporarily grounded the airline until the first Constellation returned to service in August 1961 and following the collapse of another British airline the Ministry eventually allowed them to operate the Austrian aircraft. In September 1961 following concerns about safety the airlines operating certificate was withdrawn by the British authorities and the airline ceased to operate.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airline that operated from 1959 to 1961 when the operating licence was withdrawn due to concerns over safety.
History
Falcon Airways Limited was formed in 1959 by Captain M K Kozubski with one Vickers VikingVickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
at Hurn Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
to operate charter services from both Hurn and Blackbushe Airport
Blackbushe Airport
Blackbushe Airport , in the civil parish of Yateley in the north-east corner of the English county of Hampshire, comprises an airfield, much reduced in size since its heyday, a British Car Auctions site, a kart track owned by Camberley Kart Club, and a small business park...
. In October 1959 the airline acquired three four-engined Handley Page Hermes
Handley Page Hermes
The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
piston airliners, although one was sold in December 1959.
In 1960 the airline and the two Hermes
Handley Page Hermes
The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
moved its operations from Blackbush to Gatwick but one Hermes was destroyed in a crash in October 1960 and the other was bought by Air Safaris
Air Safaris
Air Safaris was a British scheduled and charter airline from 1959 to 1962.- History :Air Safaris Limited was formed on 26 November 1959 with four-engined Handley Page Hermes and twin-engined Vickers Vicking airliners to operate scheduled and charter flights based at London Gatwick Airport...
leaving the airline without any aircraft.
In 1961 the airline bought three 82-seat Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
s to operate long-range charter flights. Although they needed modification work to meet Air Registration Board requirements. In March Kozubski flew one of the Constellations from Gander to Gatwick with West Indian immigrants, the aircraft had unserviceable radios and navigation equipment. It also did not have enough dinghies onboard and the airline was prosecuted and fined £300. The airline did start to operate the first Constellation in May 1961 but it was withdrawn from for maintenance shortly afterwards. The second aircraft was put into service in July 1961 but was then sold by the airline to another British operator Trans European. The third aircraft was registered in Austria rather than the United Kingdom and the British authorities refused to let the airline operate an unmodified aircraft. This temporarily grounded the airline until the first Constellation returned to service in August 1961 and following the collapse of another British airline the Ministry eventually allowed them to operate the Austrian aircraft. In September 1961 following concerns about safety the airlines operating certificate was withdrawn by the British authorities and the airline ceased to operate.
Fleet
- Handley Page HermesHandley Page HermesThe Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
- Lockheed ConstellationLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
- Vickers VikingVickers VC.1 VikingThe Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
Accidents and incidents
- On 9 October 1960, Handley Page HermesHandley Page HermesThe Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a British civilian airliner built by Handley Page in the 1940s and 50s. Closely related to Handley Page's Hastings military transport, the Hermes was a low-wing monoplane powered by four piston engines...
G-ALDC overran the runway on landing at Southend Airport, ending up across the Shenfield to SouthendShenfield to Southend LineThe Shenfield to Southend Line is a railway line from Southend-on-Sea to Shenfield in Essex. Almost all trains continue through to London Liverpool Street along the Great Eastern Main Line...
railway line. The aircraft was written off. Of the 76 people onboard, five were taken to hospital with injuries.