Air Alpes

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with Air Alps.
Air Alpes
IATA
ICAO
Callsign
LP ALP AIRALPES
Founded1961
Ceased operations1981
HeadquartersChambéry Airport
Viviers-du-Lac, Savoie, France
Key peopleMichel Ziegler (founder)

Société Air Alpes was a French airline company headquartered in Chambéry Airport and in Viviers-du-Lac, Savoie, near Chambéry.[1] Established in 1961 by Michel Ziegler, the airline's history began in the French Alps.

History

Beech 99 of Air Alpes in 1977
De Havilland Air Alpes in 1979

1960s

Air Alpes was founded in 1961 by Michel Ziegler, with its registered office at

Piper PA-18 Super Cub, mainly offering flying lessons and carrying supplies into the mountains. A PC-6/340 Porter was leased, but on September 2, 1961, it was destroyed during a training flight at the "Col du Dome" in the Mont Blanc mountains. In 1962, a replacement turboprop Pilatus PC-6/A-H2 Porter
was acquired.

Glacier skiing drop-offs were very important during the first years of Air Alpes' operation. The company built its own airstrips, called

Megève Aerodrome was inaugurated on December 20. In November, a six-seat SFERMA SF-60 Marquis
was leased for flights to Lyon Bron Airport.

In 1967 an order was completed for the first de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters with first deliveries scheduled for October. The Twin Otter allowed winter operations into the Courchevel Altiport as they could be equipped with skis. The Twin Otters were also used on Chambéry – Grenoble – Nice – Ajaccio services during the summer months.

In 1968 it was becoming apparent many smaller provincial towns wished to be connected directly to Paris by air. Among some of the smaller regional airlines that begun to fill this need were

Touraine Air Transport (TAT), Air Paris and EAS – Europe Air Services. The French regional air transport sector would eventually comprise as many as 50 regional airlines, operating on 100 regular or seasonal routes. During this period these airlines carried more than 500,000 passengers. In 1969, Air Alpes began flying the Chambéry to Paris – Le Bourget Airport route with five daily flights Monday through Friday. Also in 1969, the first Beechcraft Model 99 15-seat turboprop joined the fleet. In 1970 Ziegler was prominent in establishing the Regional Air Transport Association (ATAR). The association comprised the airlines Air Alpes, Air Alsace, Air Aquitaine, Air Languedoc, Pyrenair, Air Rouergue, Air Antilles, Air Martinique and Guyane Air Transport; and promoted the needs of its members in relation to the larger flag carriers
such as Air France.

1970s

In April 1971 a

Pan American World Airways
were also made.

The association with Air France prompted the decision to place orders for four

Cessna 401, a Cessna 402 and a Cessna 411 with the takeover of these companies. In October 1975 the first of two Fokker F27 Friendship
turboprops arrived. The first F27 route was Chambéry to Paris, the same route initiated by the Corvettes a year earlier.

In 1976 Air Alpes unveiled a new logo for its aircraft and the company. While the majority of the stock remained in the hands of the Ziegler family and Mr. Sylvain Floirat, two new shareholders took part ownership, the chambers of commerce and industry of

Haute Savoie. By 1977 operating the Corvettes proved not to be financially viable for Air Alpes and the four aircraft were withdrawn from the fleet. The added financing by the Chamber of Commerce groups was insufficient and the group TAG Techniques d'Avant Garde became the main shareholder of Air Alpes, with a recovery package put into place after the realization that a number of routes were not profitable. Additional recovery plans led to operations ceasing on several routes, including Chambéry – Grenoble – St. Etienne – Toulouse and Grenoble-Metz; along with the cancellation of a contract for Air Inter
to perform major maintenance/overhaul of the Fokker F27s flown by Air Alpes.

In April 1979 the first of a fleet of

Fairchild Hiller FH-227
were delivered.

1980s

On July 3, 1980, an agreement was signed with TAT for the two companies to share sales, office functions and services. The agreement led to reductions in the F28 and F27 fleet, while two McDonnell Douglas DC-9s were leased the following year. In 1981 TAT acquired over 75% of Air Alpes' shares and the company subsequently ceased operations.

Incidents and accidents

  • 2 September 1961, Pilatus destroyed during a training flight.
  • 15 January 1970,
    Beech 99
    F-BRUF lands short of the runway at Chambéry- Aix-les-Bains Airport. All passengers and crew were safe, and sound but the aircraft was destroyed. Following this accident, the Chambéry-Aix-les-Bains airport (Chambéry Airport) will be equipped with an ILS (Instrument Landing System) to allow the security and reliability of the flights. This had been requested by Air Alpes previously for a long time.
  • 1970, A
    DHC-6 Twin Otter
    is damaged during a training flight at the Courchevel Altiport

References

  1. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 13 February 1975. 247.
  • Air Alpes and the Association Amicales des Anciens d'Air Alpes Archives
  • Les Ailes (year 1962)
  • Aviation Magazine (from 1962 to 1981)
  • Air et Cosmos (from 1964 and 1981)
  • Air Britain News (1972 to 1981)
  • Le Trait d'Union (French Branch from Air-Britain)
  • Newspaper "Le Dauphine Libéré"
  • Newspaper "Le Progrés"

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Alpes.
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