Air Rhodesia
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Founded | 1 September 1967 | ||||||
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Key people | Mervin Eyatt, Ken Greager |
Air Rhodesia was the
The airline was formed as a subsidiary of
Air Rhodesia's mainstay aircraft were Vickers Viscount 700D turboprops and Boeing 720 jetliners, three of which were successfully purchased in April 1973 despite sanctions against the Rhodesian government. After the country was renamed, the airline became known as Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979, before reforming as Air Zimbabwe in 1980.
History
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Central African Airways
By 1954, CAA had expanded to cover routes as far afield as London in the UK. The federation that joined the three shareholders of CAA was dissolved in 1963, and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland prepared to attain their independence the following year, to become Zambia and Malawi respectively. The two new countries expressed a wish to operate their own airlines but this was not straightforward because CAA's core operations were mostly based in Southern Rhodesia, including the engineering base, stores and most of the infrastructure and personnel that were needed to support the airline; only minor repairs to the aircraft could be attempted away from the Salisbury base. A settlement was agreed in December 1963, which provided at least a temporary solution to the problem: CAA would remain in existence but it would be responsible to a higher authority consisting of transport ministers from the three separate governments. Independent subsidiaries of CAA were formed to operate in the three countries: Air Malawi Ltd, based in Blantyre; Zambia Airways Ltd, based in Lusaka; and Air Rhodesia (Pvt) Ltd, based in Salisbury. The administrative arrangements that operated between the three companies proved to be successful and profitable for all three. On 11 November 1965, the Rhodesian Government formalised the Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain, and sanctions were imposed on Rhodesia shortly afterwards by Britain and independent African states, including Malawi and Zambia; this closed down almost all international flights operating through Rhodesia, with the exception of Portugal's TAP Air and South African Airways. Relations between the three sister companies became strained and a split was agreed in 1967.
Air Rhodesia Corporation
Air Rhodesia Corporation came into being on 1 September 1967 while Rhodesia was under international isolation. Unlike Zambia, Malawi maintained "cool" relations with Air Rhodesia Corporation, and as a result, flights between Salisbury and Blantyre were maintained and soon increased; Air Rhodesia posted a profit in its first year of operation. The aircraft were then repainted in a livery consisting of a white top side, with dark blue and light blue "cheatlines" on the fuselage sides; sloping dark blue and light blue stripes also appeared on the vertical fin. The controversial "twiggi bird", a highly stylised representation of the Zimbabwe Bird, the national emblem of Zimbabwe (then-named Rhodesia), was superimposed on the two fin stripes. This was criticised in some circles as being scarcely recognisable as a Zimbabwe Bird, and it was even likened to an Arab dhow under sail.
1973–1978: The Jet Age
Air Rhodesia's profits increased between 1969 and 1970, and the airline continued to perform well despite the challenges brought about by sanctions and the deteriorating political environment within Rhodesia. Passenger services were introduced to
The Bush War
On 3 September 1978, Air Rhodesia Flight 825, a Vickers Viscount with registration VP-WAS, was shot down near Kariba by nationalist guerrillas. Only eight people survived the crash and the ensuing massacre by the guerilla fighters. Just five months later, on 12 February 1979, Air Rhodesia Flight 827, another Viscount, registered VP-YND, was shot down in the same area, killing everyone on board. As a protective measure, all of the surviving Air Rhodesia Viscounts were quickly painted in a special yellowish-green matte paint, and all shiny metal surfaces on the aircraft, including propeller blades and spinners, were painted over. In order to prevent heat-seeking missiles from locking on to the hot jet pipes, specially designed engine guards were fitted to the engine nacelles, which had the effect of significantly increasing the aircraft's fuel consumption. Meanwhile, due to the ongoing war, passenger numbers continued to plummet as fuel prices soared.
1979: Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia
When Rhodesia achieved democracy as Zimbabwe Rhodesia, Air Rhodesia became "Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia". In anticipation of the new political truce bringing about stability and new opportunities, Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia ordered construction of a large new hangar in 1979. Thoughts immediately turned to reopening routes to destinations long closed to the airline as a result of sanctions.
1980–2012: Air Zimbabwe
After independence in Zimbabwe, Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia was renamed "Air Zimbabwe", which went bankrupt in 2012 before being resurrected in 2013.
Fleet
- Douglas C-47(VP-YKP & VP-YNH)
- Vickers Viscount 748D (VP-YNB, VP-YNC, VP-YND)
- Vickers Viscount 754D (VP-YTE (2) & VP-WAR)
- Vickers Viscount 756D (VP-YNI)
- Vickers Viscount 782D (VP-WAS & VP-WAT)
- Boeing 720-025A (VP-YNL, VP-YNM & VP-YNN)
Incidents and accidents
- Vickers Viscount, Strela missile near Kariba Dam by Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) terrorists. 18 of the 56 passengers survived the crash, but ten of them were killed on the ground by a group of ZIPRA terrorists.[5]
- Vickers Viscount, Flight RH827, 12 February 1979 – also shot down by a Strela missile near Kariba Dam by ZIPRA terrorists; all 59 people on board died.
References
- ^ "World Airline Directory". Flight. 95 (3135): 557. 10 April 1969. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
Head Office: Salisbury Airport, Salisbury, Rhodesia.
- ^ "Central African Airways - Rhodesian Study Circle". 2016-01-08. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ "World Airline Survey – Air Rhodesia Corporation". Flight. 93 (3083): 519. 11 April 1968. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Airline History From 1996". Sky Host. 11 April 1996. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- ISBN 0-620-05771-8.
- Peter Bridger et al., Encyclopaedia Rhodesia (College Press Pvt Ltd, Salisbury, Rhodesia, 1973), p. 20