Wien Air Alaska
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Commenced operations | June 1927 | ||||||
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Ceased operations | November 23, 1984 | ||||||
Operating bases | Focus cities SEA, Seattle, WA | | |||||
Frequent-flyer program | Premium Bonus Account | ||||||
Key people | Noel Wien, Ralph Wien, Sigurd "Sig" Wien, Merrill Wien |
Wien Air Alaska (IATA: WC) was a United States airline that was the result of a merger of Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) and Wien Alaska Airways (WE). It initially used the name Wien Consolidated Airlines (WC) following the merger in July 17, 1968.[1] In August 1, 1973, Wien Consolidated became Wien Air Alaska. The company was famous for being the first airline in Alaska, and one of the first in the United States. It ceased operations on 23 November 1984, at which point it was operating as Wien Airlines.[2]
History
In 1925, Wien purchased a Fokker F.III monoplane with a cabin built in 1921 in Amsterdam for the Fairbanks Airplane Company, and it was shipped to Seward, Alaska, by boat, then shipped in pieces via the Alaska Railroad to Fairbanks. Ralph Wien, Noel's brother, came with him, to work as a mechanic. They assembled the Fokker F.III Monoplane in Fairbanks. Yet, Noel and Ralph quit the company in Nov. 1925.[3]: 123–126
Noel and Ralph Wien went into partnership with Gene Miller, and purchased a very used Hisso Standard from the Fairbanks Airplane Co. in 1927. In June they established their business in Nome, servicing
On 20 Oct. 1928, Wien Alaska Airways, Inc. was incorporated with Noel as president, Ralph as vice-president, and Miners and Merchants Bank president Granville (Grant) R. Jackson as secretary. The new company built a hangar at Weeks Field and promptly ordered a Hamilton Metalplane.[3]: 255–256 [4]: 55–58
Noel taught Ralph how to fly in 1924. Ralph was killed on October 12, 1930, while flying a diesel-powered Bellanca Bush plane with Fr. Philip Dolen,
In 1929, Noel, Ralph and Grant Jackson sold Wien Alaska Airways to Avco. Noel's company plus Anchorage Air Transport and Bennett-Rodebaugh Company were merged into a new company called Alaskan Airways Inc. Noel flew for Alaskan Airways from Feb. 1931 until Jan. 1932. In Aug. 1932, once his non-compete clause ended, Noel restarted Wien Airways of Alaska, Inc. Northern Air Transport of Nome merged with Wien in 1936. In 1936, Wien had the first air-to-ground radio links in Alaska, and by 1937, Noel had 3 other pilots flying Wien's 8 aircraft, and 3 other mechanics worked with Sigurd Wien, his brother, while 3 people administered their offices in Fairbanks and Nome.[3]: 288–291, 294, 303–305 [4]: 128–129, 244–245
Sig received his
Noel Wien was forced to sell his shares to Sig in 1940, so Noel could pay for his wife's medical care. He returned as a vice-president and continued to fly for the airline into the 1950s. Noel then worked public relations for the company into the 1970s.[3]: 336, 340
Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) was formed on 8 May 1947 with Ray Petersen as president. The company was an amalgamation of Ray Petersen Flying Service, Northern Airways, Walatka Air Service, and Northern Air Service. Ray Petersen had started Ray Petersen Flying Service in 1937, based in
The front cover of the September 16, 1968 Wien system timetable stated, "Alaska's First Airline with America's Newest Jet the 737".
Also in 1968, Wien merged with Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA). Sig was named chairman, Ray Petersen president, and Noel and Fritz board members. The new company was called Wien Consolidated Airlines until August 1, 1973, when the company name became Wien Air Alaska. Sig retired and Ray assumed the roles of chairman, president and
Expansion came at a price, as Wien was pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. Household Finance, controlling owners since 1979,[10] then dumped its investment in the airline and sold the company to Wien's President, Jim J. Flood, in 1983.[11][12] He shut down the airline,[13] and on November 23, 1984, Wien was liquidated for profit. Noel's son, Merrill, said the end of his family's airline came when it "was bought by a corporate raider on a leveraged buyout and was liquidated for about twice what the stock was selling for. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 made this possible." in an interview with Avweb.[2]
Before Wien Air folded in 1985, they were known as the second-oldest airline in the United States.
The company pioneered jet service to gravel runways [.
According to the
Noel Wien's sons flew in an open cockpit biplane from Anchorage's 'Park Strip' to Fairbanks on the 75th anniversary of their father's flight. The municipality of Anchorage and the FAA allowed the plane to take off from the grass park, which was used as a runway in 1924.[16]
Timeline
- 1924 – 1926 Northern Air Transport[17]
- 1926 – 1935 Wien Airways of Alaska[18]
- 1935 – 1968 Wien Alaska Airlines (WE)[19]
- 1968 – 1973 Wien Consolidated Airlines (WC)[20]
- 1973 – 1984 Wien Air Alaska (WC)[21]
- 1982 – 1984 Wien[22]
- September 1984- November 1984 Wien Airlines
Destinations
Destinations in 1984
By March 1984, Wien Air Alaska had expanded its scheduled passenger flights into the western U.S. in addition to continuing to serve many destinations in Alaska. All of the cities in the lower 48 states were served with
- Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)
- Anchorage, AK (ANC)
- Aniak, AK (ANI)
- Barrow, AK (BRW)
- Bethel, AK (BET)
- Boise, ID (BOI)
- Cordova, AK (CDV)
- Denver, CO (DEN)
- Dillingham, AK (DLG)
- Fairbanks, AK (FAI)
- Galena, AK (GAL)
- Homer, AK (HOM)
- Kenai, AK (ENA)
- King Salmon, AK (AKN)
- Kodiak, AK (ADQ)
- Kotzebue, AK (OTZ)
- McGrath, AK (MCG)
- Nome, AK (OME)
- Oakland, CA (OAK)
- Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
- Portland, OR (PDX)
- Prudhoe Bay, AK (SCC)
- Reno, NV (RNO)
- St. Mary's, AK (KSM)
- Salt Lake City, UT (SLC)
- Seattle, WA (SEA)
- Unalakleet, AK (UNK)
- Valdez, AK (VDZ)
Wien previously served Juneau (JNU) and Ketchikan (KTN) in Alaska as well as Whitehorse (YXY) in the Yukon Territory of Canada with
Fleet
Throughout its existence, Wien Air Alaska has operated many types of aircraft, with majority of its fleet being propeller driven. This is a complete list of all aircraft types ever operated by the airline:
Aircraft | In Fleet | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Beech 18 | - | ||
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker | - | ||
Bellanca CH-400 | - | ||
Boeing 247 | - | ||
Boeing 727-100
|
7 | N490W, N495WC, N496WC, N497WC, N498WC, were acquired from United Airlines in March 1981 and left the fleet in September 1982. The final two were leased in 1984 from Continental Airlines. N40481, N40487 | |
Boeing 727-200
|
4 | N274WC, N275WC, N276WC, were leased from Ansett Australia in December 1983. LV-MIM was leased from Aerolineas Argentinas in April 1984. | |
Boeing 737-200
|
14 | N2711R, N492WC, N4905W, N4907, N493WC, N4906, N4951W, N4952W, N54AF, G-BKMS, N7395F, G-ILFC, EI-BOC, N7397F | |
Cessna 165 Airmaster | - | ||
Cessna 170 | - | ||
Cessna 185 | - | ||
Curtiss C-46 | - | ||
de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver | - | ||
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | - | Some ex-Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) received | |
Douglas DC-3 | - | ||
Douglas DC-4 | - | ||
Douglas DC-8-63
|
3 | N2674U, N906R, N774FT | Contract cargo operations for UPS |
Fairchild C-82 | - | ||
Fairchild Pilgrim | - | ||
Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
|
- | ||
Fairchild F-27B[24] / Fokker F.27 | - | Mixed passenger/freighter Combi aircraft variant with large cargo door ordered by Wien, some ex-Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) received | |
Fokker F.III | - | Operated by Noel Wien at the Fairbanks Airplane Company | |
Fokker Universal | - | ||
Ford Trimotor | - | ||
Grumman Mallard | - | Some ex-Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) received | |
Hamilton Metalplane H-45
|
- | ||
Lockheed L-749 Constellation | - | ||
Noorduyn Norseman | - | ||
Pilatus Porter
|
- | ||
Republic Seabee
|
- | ||
Shorts Skyvan
|
- | ||
Standard J-1 | - | ||
Stearman C3 | - | ||
Stinson SB-1 Detroiter | - | ||
Stinson SM-2 Junior
|
- | ||
Stinson SR-9 Reliant | - | ||
Travel Air 6000 | - | ||
Total | - |
Boeing 727s
Wien Air Alaska had purchased several Boeing 727-100 Combis in 1981 to provide extra capacity for its routes, which by then extended well into the lower 48 states. At the end of 1983, about a year before it folded, it acquired three of Ansett Australia's oldest 727-200s. By the end of 1984, the president of Wien Air Alaska, Jim J. Flood, attempted to restructure the company as Wien Airlines, which was shown on the September 1984 timetable. The three Australian 727-200s were leased, at that time, to Republic Airlines (and later to the resurrected Braniff Airways after Republic's merger with Northwest Orient in 1986). In the event Wien Airlines did not emerge as a passenger service and was probably a "paper company" merely to handle the leases of the former Wien Air Alaska fleet. Wien Air Alaska ceased to function as an airline on, 23 November 1984 after 60 years of flying. On November 28, 1984 Wien Air Alaska began bankruptcy proceedings and finally folded on October 25, 1985.
Boeing 737-200s
In 1968 Wien merged with Northern Consolidated Airlines (NCA) and became known as Wien Consolidated Airlines until August 1, 1973 when the company name was changed to Wien Air Alaska.
Wien was the launch customer for the
The company pioneered jet service to gravel runways, and helped develop the Boeing 737-200 Combi aircraft configuration which allowed mixed freight and passenger loads on the main deck of the aircraft.
One former Wien aircraft (N4952W) was later acquired by First Air, an Arctic Northern Canadian airline, which then crashed operating as First Air Flight 6560 (C-GNWN) at Resolute Airport in the high Arctic region of Canada. Other primary users of the Boeing 737-200 Combi version in Alaska were Alaska Airlines and MarkAir.
Incidents and accidents
- December 2, 1968 – Flight 55: Fairchild F-27B crashed into Spotsy Lake, Pedro Bay, Alaska; all 39 people on board were killed.[25]
- August 30, 1975 – Flight 99: Fairchild F-27B crashed on approach to Gambell, Alaska; 10 of the 32 passengers and crew on board were killed.[26][27]
See also
References
- ^ https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/wc1/wc68/wc68-1.jpg
- ^ "Wien Air Alaska". StanWing. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0553289195.
- ^ ISBN 9781575101477.
- ^ Dickson Jr., Roy; McLaren, Dorothy D. "Biographies (W-Y) of 1920s-1930s Era Alaska Bush Pilots". Roy Dickson 1930s Alaska Bush Pilot. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ISBN 0-87840-494- 5. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ ISBN 9781888125627.
- ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Sept. 16, 1968 Wien Consolidated Airlines system timetable
- ISBN 9780979643279. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ Huntley, Brian A. (July 21, 1979). "Wien sale announced". Anchorage Daily News. p. A-1.
- ^ Kleeschulte, Chuck (July 2, 1983). "New Wien owner plans to spread the wealth". Anchorage Daily News. p. C-8.
- ^ "A Wien Chronology". Anchorage Daily News. October 29, 1985. p. A16.
- ^ "Wien won't fly for 25 days as it restructures operations". Deseret News. Associated Press. November 7, 1984. p. 6B.
- ^ http://www.departedflights.com, March 2, 1984 Wien Airlines system timetable & route map
- ^ Oct. 15, 1981 Official Airline Guide (OAG)
- ISBN 9781943328758.
- ^ "Northern Air Transport". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Wien Airways of Alaska". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Wien Alaska Airlines". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Wien Consolidated Airlines". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Wien Air Alaska". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Wien". Airline History. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ departedflights.com, March 2, 1984 Wien Air Alaska system timetable route map.
- ^ https://www.airliners.net/photo/Wien-Air-Alaska/Fairchild-F-27B/2236658/L
- ^ "39 die in Alaskan crash". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 3, 1968. p. 1.
- ^ "Propjet crashes in Alaska". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. August 31, 1975. p. 2A.
- ^ "Eskimo villagers rescue crash survivors". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 1, 1975. p. 2A.
- Ira B. Harkey Jr., Noel Wien - Pioneer Alaska Bush Pilot, and discussions in 2005 with Merrill and Richard Wien, sons of the founder.
- [1] Merrill Wien interview, by Joe Godfrey Avweb 2002
- [2] Wien Airlines, a good example of how to bankrupt a company by Charlie Dexter, U. of Alaska, Fairbanks
- CHAPTER FOUR - The Wien Brothers The Last of the Bush Pilots (Mass Market Paperback - Bantam Air and Space Series)
by Harmon Helmericks, copyright 1969, pages 43 to 58
External links
- Wien television commercials
- KentWien.com – Founder's grandson has a few bits of Wien nostalgia on his site
- Wien N-number fleet lists by time period
- Timetable Images.com - Wien Air Alaska
- Air Times.com - Wien Air Alaska