Trans Caribbean Airways: Difference between revisions
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[List of defunct airlines of the United States]] |
*[[List of defunct airlines of the United States]] |
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==External sources== |
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* {{cite web |title=Trans Caribbean Airways Flight 505 Aftermath Footage |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfS4wfB0yM0 |website=youtube.com |publisher=Air Crash Daily |language=en |format=video |date=December 28, 2022}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 19:04, 8 May 2024
This article needs to be updated.(September 2023) |
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Founded | May 18, 1945 (as Trans Caribbean Air Cargo Lines) | ||||||
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Commenced operations | December 1945 | ||||||
Ceased operations | March 3, 1971 (Purchased by American Airlines) | ||||||
Hubs | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport | ||||||
Fleet size | 9 | ||||||
Destinations | 9 (by July 7, 1969) | ||||||
Headquarters | New York, New York | ||||||
Key people | O. Roy Chalk |
Trans Caribbean Airways (TCA) was an irregular air carrier (United States charter airline) until 1957, when it was certificated by the Civil Aeronautics Board as an international air carrier to fly from New York City to San Juan, Puerto Rico. TCA thereafter operated as a small scheduled airline specializing in flying from New York (and later Washington, DC) to the Caribbean, adding a small number of additional routes over time until it was purchased by American Airlines in 1971.
TCA was founded and, for its entire existence controlled, by businessman O. Roy Chalk.
Name
TCA was originally organized under the name "Trans Caribbean Air Cargo Lines, Inc.",[1] which continued to be its legal name through 1952, when it became "Trans Caribbean Airlines, Inc.".[2] However, the name "Trans Caribbean Airways" was in use as early as 1946.[3] In 1959 TCA once again changed its legal name, this time to "Transportation Corporation of America dba Trans Caribbean Airways" until 1964, when it reverted to "Trans Caribbean Airlines, Inc.".[4][5]
History
The airline's main headquarters was located at 714 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City for most of the time until it was acquired by American Airlines on March 3, 1971.[6] There was a building in San Juan that was owned by TCA and has a full wall done in tile with the TCA logo.[citation needed]
The female flight attendants wore an unusual uniform hat for a U.S. carrier; it was supposed to be a copy of the Spanish Cordovan hat the color Blue trim in Aqua. It represented the Spanish influence of the Caribbean islands. The uniform was designed by Mrs. O. Roy Chalk, wife of the owner. The last paint job on the tail of the aircraft was a navy blue with an orange palm tree.[citation needed]
Aircraft were also chartered to Military Air Transport for service from McGuire AFB to Frankfurt, West Germany, where the troops referred to it as "Trashcan Airlines".
At the time of its acquisition by American Airlines, Trans Caribbean was operating a small fleet of Douglas DC-8[7] and Boeing 727 jetliners.
Destinations
According to the Trans Caribbean system timetable dated July 7, 1969, the following destinations were served on the east coast of the U.S. and the Caribbean:[8]
- Oranjestad, Aruba (AUA)
- Willemstad, Curacao (CUR)
- Newark, New Jersey (EWR)
- New York City (JFK)
- Port Au Prince, Haiti (PAP)
- St. Croix (STX)
- St. Thomas (STT)
- San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) Hub
- Washington, D.C. (IAD)
Fleet
Trans Caribbean operated the following aircraft types during its existence:[9][10]
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boeing 707-320C | 1 | 1967 | 1968 | Leased from Aer Lingus |
Boeing 720 | 1 | |||
Boeing 727-100 | 3 | 1967 | 1971 | |
Boeing 727-200 | 2 | 1969 | ||
Curtiss C-46 Commando | 2 | 1948 | 1956 | |
Douglas C-47 Skytrain | 2 | 1945 | Unknown | |
Douglas C-54 Skymaster | 7 | 1946 | 1962 | |
Douglas DC-6 | 2 | 1955 | 1957 | |
Douglas DC-6B | 2 | 1960 | 1964 | |
Douglas DC-8-51 | 2 | 1961 | ||
Douglas DC-8-54CF | 3 | 1963 | 1971 | |
Douglas DC-8-55CF | 1 | 1970 | ||
Douglas DC-8-61CF | 3 | 1967 |
Accidents and incidents
- On December 28, 1970, Trans Caribbean Airways Flight 505, a Boeing 727-200 (registered N8790R) made a hard landing and ran off the side of the runway of Cyril E. King Airport. Two of the 48 passengers onboard died in a subsequent fire, and the aircraft was then destroyed by the ensuing conflagration.[11][12]
See also
External sources
- "Trans Caribbean Airways Flight 505 Aftermath Footage" (video). youtube.com. Air Crash Daily. December 28, 2022.
References
- ^ "Transatlantic Cargo Case". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 21: 712. 1955. hdl:2027/osu.32435022360531.
- ^ "ARRETE". Le Moniteur; Journal Officiel de la République d’Haiti. 124 (65). 7 July 1969.
- ^ Airways Plans Debut, Miami Herald, June 11, 1946
- ^ "Docket 10776 Transportation Corporation of America (Formerly Trans Caribbean Airlines, Inc.), Reissuance of Certificate—order E-14592 adopted October 29, 1959". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 30: 1506–1507. 1959. hdl:2027/uc1.b2938521.
- ^ "Docket 15364 Trans Caribbean Airways, Inc., Name Change—order E-21119 adopted July 27, 1964". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 40: 864. 1964. hdl:2027/uc1.b2939172.
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 26, 1970. "Trans Caribbean" 504.
- ^ "TRCA DC-8 Fleet Information". Archived from the original on 2011-03-24. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
- ^ "Airline Timetable Images". Timetableimages.com. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
- ^ "Trans Caribbean Airways Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ "Trans Caribbean Airways". Aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-2A7 N8790R Saint Thomas-Harry S.Truman Airport (STT)". Aviation-safety.net. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Robert Lindsey (December 29, 1970). "2 Die and 51 Hurt in Virgin Islands Jet Crash". Nytimes.com.