Slov-Air
Encyclopedia
Slov-Air was an airline
from Czechoslovakia
(respectively Slovakia
following the dissolution
), which provided services for agriculture, civil engineering and the industry.
begane to built up an in-house airline for its corporate travel demand, operating small aircraft or gyrocopters
like the Cierva C.30. Following the establishing of communism in Czechoslovakia
in 1948, Bata Shoes was nationalised
, and the airline was re-organized as Svitlet.
When in 1950 CSA
was established as state airline of Czechoslovakia, Svitlet was transformed into a CSA-department, operating as Agrolet henceforth. In 1955, Agrolet became independent again as a utility airline mainly for agricultural flights. It operated out of Prague Ruzyně Airport using a fleet of the following aircraft types:
On 1 January 1969, Agrolet was nenamed Slov-Air and moved its headquarters to Bratislava
, catering for the demands of the Slovak part of the country. Starting in 1972, the helicopter fleet was modernised with Mi-8s
.
Following the Velvet Revolution
in 1989 and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia
in 1993, it was initially intended to transform Slov-Air in the flag carrier
of Slovakia
. These plans were dropped, when with Slovak Airlines
an all-new state airline was created in 1995. Slov-Air was dismantled over the following years and split up into several independent companies for agricultural, medical, military and passenger services, most notably Aero Slovakia
. The airline license
of Slov-Air was officially revoked only in 2001, though.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
(respectively Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
following the dissolution
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
), which provided services for agriculture, civil engineering and the industry.
History
The roots of the airline can be traced back until the 1924, when the Bata Shoe companyBata Shoes
Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operating 3 business units worldwide – Bata Metro Markets, Bata Emerging Markets and Bata Branded Business. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production...
begane to built up an in-house airline for its corporate travel demand, operating small aircraft or gyrocopters
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
like the Cierva C.30. Following the establishing of communism in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
The Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948 – in Communist historiography known as "Victorious February" – was an event late that February in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, ushering in over four decades...
in 1948, Bata Shoes was nationalised
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
, and the airline was re-organized as Svitlet.
When in 1950 CSA
Czech Airlines
Czech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
was established as state airline of Czechoslovakia, Svitlet was transformed into a CSA-department, operating as Agrolet henceforth. In 1955, Agrolet became independent again as a utility airline mainly for agricultural flights. It operated out of Prague Ruzyně Airport using a fleet of the following aircraft types:
- Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, Polikarpov Po-2 KukuruznikPolikarpov Po-2The Polikarpov Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik for maize; thus, 'maize duster' or 'crop duster'), NATO reporting name "Mule"...
, Antonov An-2Antonov An-2The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
, L-60 Brigadýr and Z-37 Čmelák for agricultural services, - L-200 MoravaLet L-200 Morava|-See also:-References:*Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.* at Ugolok Neba site -External links:** at Flying revue magazine *...
for medical and corporate passenger transport, - Mi-1Mil Mi-1The Mil Mi-1 The Mil Mi-1 The Mil Mi-1 ( (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 32", NATO reporting name "Hare") was a Soviet three- or four-seat light utility helicopter. It was the first Soviet helicopter to enter serial production. It is powered by one 575 hp Ivchenko AI-26V radial. It entered...
and Mi-4Mil Mi-4The Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles.-Design and development:...
helicopters for civil engineering projects.
On 1 January 1969, Agrolet was nenamed Slov-Air and moved its headquarters to Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, catering for the demands of the Slovak part of the country. Starting in 1972, the helicopter fleet was modernised with Mi-8s
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
.
Following the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
in 1989 and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
in 1993, it was initially intended to transform Slov-Air in the flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. These plans were dropped, when with Slovak Airlines
Slovak Airlines
Slovak Airlines was an airline based in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was the flag carrier of the Slovak Republic operating a scheduled service to Moscow, Brussels and international charter flights to Russia, Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Tunisia and Italy. The company also ran wet-lease...
an all-new state airline was created in 1995. Slov-Air was dismantled over the following years and split up into several independent companies for agricultural, medical, military and passenger services, most notably Aero Slovakia
Aero Slovakia
Aero Slovakia is an aviation company based in Slovakia offering a range of aviation services, including air taxi operations. The company has its head office on the grounds of Nitra Airport, Nitra...
. The airline license
Air Operator's Certificate
An air operator's certificate is the approval granted from a national aviation authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and system in place to ensure the safety of its employees and the general public...
of Slov-Air was officially revoked only in 2001, though.
Accidents and incidents
- On 31 July 1969, a Slov-Air Antonov An-2Antonov An-2The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
(registeredAircraft registrationAn aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
OK-KHD) crashed near DrogomyślDrogomyslDrogomyśl is a village in Gmina Strumień, Cieszyn County, in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland. It has a population of 2,121 and lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia, on the Vistula River....
, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. - On 18 April 1972, a Slov-Air Let L-410 Turbolet was hijacked during a scheduled flight from PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to Mariánské LázněMariánské LázneMariánské Lázně is a spa town in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. The town, surrounded by green mountains, is a mosaic of parks and noble houses...
by two of the nine passengers on board, who demanded to be taken to non-communist West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. The aircraft diverted to NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, where (according to the then West German procedure) all persons who wished to do so could claim political asylum. - On 8 June of the same year, a similar situation occurred onboard a Slov-Air flight from Mariánské Lázně to Prague (operated by a Let L-410, registered OK-ADN, and carrying 2 pilots and 15 passengers). A armed hijacker entered the cockpit and demanded to be taken to West Germany. In the ensuing ruckus, the pilot was shot dead. The aircraft did not have enough fuel to fly to MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
like it was intended by the highjacker, so an off-airport landing in a field near WeidingWeidingWeiding is a municipality in the district of Cham in Bavaria in Germany....
was performed. The perpetrator as well as nine passengers fled the scene. - In September 1981, a Slov-Air An-2 (registered OK-KIM) crashed near ZnojmoZnojmoZnojmo is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria, connected to Vienna by railway and road . The royal city of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I on the plains in front of Znojmo Castle...
following another hijacking attempt. - On 25 August 1982, another Slov-Air An-2 (registered OK-JIK) crashed near Smedava.
- On 13 March 1992, a Slov-Air Let L-410 (registered OK-PDI) carrying 9 passengers was damaged beyond repair in a crash landing at Žilina AirportŽilina AirportŽilina Airport is an airport serving Žilina, Slovakia. It is located near the village of Dolný Hričov, approximately 10 km west of Žilina itself. The airport is used for both international and domestic flights, as well for private flights, amateur sport flights, air ambulance flights and...
.
External links
- History of Agrolet (in Czech)
- History of Slovair (focused on helicopters, in Czech)