Martz establishes this carrier at Newark in the summer of 1930 to offer scheduled, multistop flights to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Martz inaugurates service on September 1 with a fleet of 1 Ford 4-AT and 2 Bel-lanca CH-300 Pacemakers. A used Fokker Model 4 Universal is acquired in October, allowing frequencies to be increased to twice daily.
On July 15, 1931, service is started to Buffalo, New York. The carrier is sold to American Airways in February 1933, but is allowed to maintain services over its previous routes under its own name until the amalgamation process is completed on March 31.
MARYLAND AIRWAYS: United States (1964-1968). MAis set up at Easton, Maryland, in the fall of 1964 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo services across Chesapeake Bay to Washington, D. C. and Baltimore. Daily Beech 18 roundtrips are inaugurated on November 21 and are maintained into 1968.
MAS (MONTSERRAT AVIATION SERVICES, LTD.): P. O. Box 225, Plymouth, Montserrat; Phone (809) 491-5342; Fax (809) 4916205; Code MNT; Year Founded 1980. Montserrat Airways is formed at Blackburne Airfield, Plymouth, in 1980 and a Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander is purchased with financial support from the U. K. government. Services are flown to the neighboring Leeward Islands.
In 1982, a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter is added. In 1984, the carrier is renamed MASL and in association with LIAT 9Leeward Islands Air Transport, Ltd.) maintains a continuing daily passenger frequency from Blackburne to Antigua’s Coolidge Airport.
Operations continue apace during the remainder of the decade and into the next. The fleet is downgraded to include only one Pilatus-Britten-Norman PBN-2T Islander.
A total of 5,000 passengers are flown in the 6-employee carrier’s lone airplane in 1991. Revenues total $874,000 and allow profits of $63,000 (operating) and $22,700 (net). A Dornier 228 is acquired in 1992.
Services are maintained in 1993-1999, during which years managing director Capt. N. J. Harris’ concern removes its Dornier and replaces it with a second PBN-2T.
MAS AIR, A. S.: Havalimair ic Hatlar, Binasi Kat 3, Yesilkoy, Istanbul, Turkey; Phone 90 (212) 663-0403; Fax 90 (212) 574-0553; Code MSE; Year Founded 1994. Established at Istanbul in late 1994, Mas Air begins domestic and regional revenue passenger and cargo services with three leased Antonov An-24RVs.
Flights continue in 1995-2000. During these years, CEO Ali Sen’s fleet is altered to include 2 CASA C-212-100 Aviocars, 1 Shorts 360100, 1 Bell 222, and 1 Bell 206L LongRanger.
The company is grounded in January 1999 when Clackburne Airfiled is temporarily closed by the volcanic activity of Mount Chance.
MAS AIR (AEROTRANSPORTES MAS DE CARGAS. A. de C. V.): Almacen 22, Aeropuerto Internacional, Mexico DF, 155520, Mexico; Phone 52 (5) 786-9555; Fax 52 (5) 786-9553; Http://www. masair. com. mx; Code MY; Year Founded 1990. MAS is set up at Mexico City on December 12, 1990 to offer international and regional all-cargo charter services on behalf of Promotora Aerea Latinamericana, S. A. de C. V. A workforce of 63 is recruited by Director General/CEO Cristian Ureta, but given the state of the national economy, revenue operations do not immediately begin.
Finally, one each Boeing 707-320C and Douglas DC-8-61F are leased and nonscheduled operations commence on April 29, 1992. Over the next five years, freight is transported on an irregular basis from Mexico City and Cancun to Bogota, Lima, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Viracopos. A DC-8-71F joins the fleet.
In May 1997, the U. S. DOT grants the company permission to include Guadalajara as an intermediate point on all of its approved routes to the U. S.
Flights continue in 1998. A total of 80.34 million FTKs are generated by the 63-worker company.
Cargo traffic falls 21.4% in 1999 to 63.13 million FTKs. Sales of approximately $60 million are generated.
A total of 167 are employed at the beginning of 2000, a gigantic 165.1% increase over the previous 12 months.
The fleet includes 2 DC-8-71Fs. In May, a DC-8-61F, previously operated by Florida West International Airways, is acquired. The B-707-320C is passed to Mexicana Airlines, S. A. de C. V., which employs it to reactivate its Mexicarga, S. A. de C. V. division.
At the end of October, Eagle Global Logistics, new majority owner of Miami Air International, enters into a new strategic all-cargo alliance with LanChile Airlines, S. A., as well as the freight lines it controls, Fast Air Chile, S. A., MasAir, and Florida West International Airways.
To assist with its efforts to increase freight income, LanChile Airlines, S. A. formally purchases a 25% stake in MasAir on December 22 for $5.1 million.
MASLING COMMUTER SERVICES (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1967-1982). Established in September 1967 as the airline division of the Cootamundra-based FBO Masling Aviation and Engineering, Ltd., the carrier acquires an initial fleet of 3 Beech B-80 Queen Airs. Scheduled flights are inaugurated linking the company’s airfield with Sydney, Young, Temora, West Wyalong, and Condobolin.
Services are maintained to these destinations over the next 15 years, during which time frame the fleet is upgraded by the addition of four Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes. In 1971, the company takes 80% controlling interest in newly formed Aeropelican (Pty.), Ltd. Rising fuel prices and the effects of world recession conspire to force the carrier out of business in 1982.
MASON & DIXON AIR LINES: United States (1929-1930). M & D
Is formed at Detroit in the late spring of 1929 to offer multistop passenger flights to Cincinnati. A fleet of all-metal G-2W Flamingos are acquired and revenue service commences in July. Operations continue apace until winter when the carrier stands down.
Flights are resumed in May 1930. A Flamingo is lost in a September 16 accident at Boswell, Pennsylvania. Services cease on November 30, at which point the company has transported 2,028 passengers on the year.
MASSACHUSETTS AIR INDUSTRIES: United States (19641971). E. Anthony & Sons founds this third-level operation at New Bedford in the fall of 1964 to offer scheduled services to Nantucket. Employing Cessna lightplanes, the company begins revenue flights on November 17 and maintains them until the carrier is purchased by Ott-away Newspapers on February 1, 1966.
Although the fleet is upgraded in 1967 by the addition of a Cessna 402, daily roundtrips continue as before until 1971 when the company is purchased by and merged into Executive Airlines.
MASZOVLET. See MALEV HUNGARIAN AIRLINES
MATANE AIR SERVICES, LTD. See QUEBECAIR, LTD.
MATK RUSAVIA: Russia (1997-2000). The International Aviation and Transport Corporation MATK Rusavia is founded in Moscow in 1997 as a joint venture between a number of Russian aviation concerns. Among the 30 shareholders are the airlines Avia Express Cruise and TransEuropean Airlines; the spare parts and maintenance companies Aviazakaz and Svetloyar Avia; the ticket reservation system MTK Sirena; and the AFES insurance company. Boris Likhachev, the former department head of foreign relations at the Soviet Aviation Ministry, is named director general and company headquarters are set up in the same Moscow office building—indeed, on the same floor—as the Russian State Service of Civil Aviation (GSGA).
Among the activities of the new concern are the manufacturer of flight data recorders and other avionics-related computer hardware and software and aircraft management and leasing. In early 1998, arrangements are completed by Rusavia to charter a number of Ilyushin Il-62Ms to Aeroflot Russian International Airlines (ARIA). In the spring, Director General Likhachev approaches the GSGA for an operating certificate deemed necessary for the acquisition of Western-built jetliners, which would then be to be leased to other Russian operators. Plans, which are not fulfilled, are announced for the charter of five Il-96-300s and several unbuilt Tupolev Tu-204s.
During the remainder of the year and in the next two, MATK Rusavia also operates a number of foreign charters employing Il-62Ms, including those coming back from ARIA. These flight activities proceed without incident or headline until the final quarter of 2000.
As GSGA Director Alexander Neradko would reveal to the press on January 16, 2000, Rusavia takes on more business than it can handle for the busy period between Christmas and New Year’s. Although the company held licenses and permits (some of which have apparently turned out to be forged) to fly tourists to destinations in Southeast Asia, a number of its IL-62s had technical problems. Thus, Rusavia did not have available aircraft to repatriate its travelers from Thailand, Indonesia, and other points on nine contracted return flights. Informed of the situation involving the Russian nationals, the GSGA contacts Aeroflot Russian International Airlines (ARIA); Domodedovo Airlines, Rossiya Air Company, and Pulkovo Airlines and asks them, for the good of the image of Russia’s airlines, to complete the flights. The four comply and have all of the tourists home by January 16.
The situation for Rusavia worsens at the end of December. A television crew from RTR, which has just finished putting together a report on the passenger-stranding story, is held up on the road out of Shermetyevo 1 Airport by a gang of masked men who beat them up and steal their tapes. Rusavia and Direector General Likhachev are blamed for the attack on national television over the next several days. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov now calls in GSGA Director Neradko and demands that the GSGA investigate and take action. At New Year’s, Rusavia’s operating certificate is pulled and the government promises new regulations governing air charter operators.
MATSON AIR LINES: United States (1943-1948). Officials of the Matson Navigation Company, who had had their proposal for the startup of an airline turned down in 1942 by the CAB, elect to try again in 1943. On September 22, the company applies for authority to commence a scheduled air service from the U. S. West Coast to Hawaii. No action will be taken in 1944 due to World War II.
A Douglas C-54 is purchased in 1945, converted to civil DC-4 standard, and christened Sky Matsonia. Meanwhile, T. A. Schmidt is appointed operations manager, Leigh Murphy becomes general manager, and E. L. Sloniger, an early colleague of Charles Lindbergh’s, retires from American Airlines to become chief pilot.
While the CAB considers the 1943 Matson request, Capt. Sloniger initiates interim nonscheduled service with the Sky Matsonia from San Francisco to Honolulu on July 5. Flying through the night with company officials and a load of strawberries, the aircraft arrives at sunrise on July 6 and is met by a trio of Hawaiian hula girls. The first passenger flight to Honolulu is made by the Sky Matsonia from Portland on July 30.
Over the next 5 months, 105 flights will be made in which 1,444 passengers are transported, along with 60,889 pounds of freight.
Charter operations continue apace in 1947. The most significant event of the year is the near crash of the second, newly received DC-4 with 33 passengers at Oakland, California, due to engine difficulties. The incident will be employed by author Ernest K. Gann as the basis for his noted 1953 novel The High and the Mighty.
As Matson’s service grows and enjoys success, other carriers worry— particularly Pan American Airways (PAA). Pan Am. now move to block Matson’s certification and, joining forces with United Air Lines, begins to lower fares on its one-way San Francisco to Hawaii service from $195 to $135. Matson cannot afford to compete with these deep discounts and must abandon its Hawaii service. While awaiting the government’s decision, it now undertakes nonscheduled ad hoc flights to destinations as diverse as Paris and New York. Many Puerto Ricans reaching New York from San Juan fly aboard Matson DC-4s.
On July 30, 1948, the CAB rules against Matson and awards the Hawaii route it needs to Northwest Airlines instead. Within a month, Matson shuts the doors of its air transport division and sells both DC-4s.
MATTHEWS AVIATION (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1933-1934). After obtaining a mail contract for a route between Launceston, Tasmania, and Whitemark on Flinders Island, 120 miles offshore, this small carrier is formed at Melbourne in early January 1933. Employing a Saro Windhover, service is inaugurated on January 23. Flight operations cease in February 1934.
MAUI AIRLINES: United States (1985-1988). In addition to scenic charters operated out of the company’s base at Kahului on Maui, this small third-level carrier inaugurates multiple daily nonstop flights from Kuhului to Honolulu on February 1, 1985 with 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200 Twin Otter and 1 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain.
In 1986-1987, President Caleb K. Zia’s airline is transferred to Guam where its 3 DHC-6s and 2 Navajo Chieftains undertake scheduled frequencies to Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. The Pipers are withdrawn in 1988 as Daniel Kong succeeds Zia as president. In deep fiscal difficulty, the company fails late in the year.
THE MAUI COMMUTER: United States (1975-1978). Jack Holman and Robert Frost establish Ananda Air at Kahului in late 1975 to offer scheduled passenger and cargo flights. Quickly changing the corporate identity to that of The Maui Commuter, the two inaugurate flights to Honolulu, Molokai, and Lani with 1 each Piper PA-31-310 Navajo and PA-34 Seneca.
Service continues until the company goes out of business in 1978.
MAVRIK AIRE: Box 2157, Kenai, Alaska 99611, United States; Phone (907) 628-7457; Fax (907) 262-6790; Http://www. mavrikaire. com; Year Founded 1998. Mavrik Aire is established at Kenai in 1998 to provide bush charter services. Employing a pair of Cessna 182 Sky-lanes, scenic tours, fishing and hunting trips, and bear-viewing flights are begun into the surrounding region.
MAVERICK AIRWAYS (1): United States (1974-1975). Maverick is set up at Eagle Pass, Texas, in 1974 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo services to San Antonio. Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six daily roundtrips are duly inaugurated, but cannot be maintained beyond 1975.
MAVERICK AIRWAYS (2): United States (1994-1997). Maverick Airways Corporation, a privately held concern with 35 shareholders, is established at Denver in 1994 to review and promote regional air transportation in the Rocky Mountain area. Pat Carroll is chairman of the organization, with C. Cody Diejroger as president/CEO.
The decision to inaugurate regional and domestic scheduled and non-scheduled passenger services is taken in mid-1996. A workforce is recruited and 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-7-102s are leased from Voyageur Airways, Ltd. of Sudbury, Ontario.
The new entrant receives its FAA operating certificate on November 14. Charter flights to the Colorado communities of Grand Junction and Steamboat Springs commence on December 2. Final authorization from the U. S. DOT is received after the company submits its financial documents.
Scheduled roundtrip services from Denver to Steamboat Springs begins on January 20, 1997. The next day, scheduled roundtrip frequencies are launched from Denver to Grand Junction.
In March, a marketing and code-sharing agreement is signed with Frontier Airlines (2). The arrangement will connect passengers arriving at Denver aboard Frontier flights with Maverick’s service to Steamboat Springs and Grand Junction.
Citing lack of financial return, scheduled frequencies are suspended on May 29 as the two-plane carrier returns to charter work. Passengers with Maverick tickets are able to employ them on United Express (Mesa Air Group) services.
The company shuts its doors by summer’s end. During those months when it is in operation, it transports a total of 10,606 customers.
MAXAIR: W6381 Columbia Drive, Outagamie County Regional Airport, Appleton, Wisconsin 54914, United States; Phone (800) 833-1544; Fax (920) 738-3026; Http://www. maxair-inc. com; Year
Founded 1969. Maxair is established at Appleton in 1969 to provide executive and small group passenger charters throughout northern Wisconsin and surrounding areas. Flights continue without headline or incident during the next 31 years, during which time a second base is set up at Straubel Airport in Green Bay.
In 2000, Charter Manager Patricia Roovers is able to book flights to over 12,000 airports nationwide, using a fleet of Beech 55 Barons, Piper PA-31350 Navajo Chieftains, Cessna 414s, and Beech Super King Air 200s.
MAXAIR, A. B.: Sweden (1998-2001). Max Renard founds this third-level operation at Malmo in the summer of 1998 to offer regional flights linking southern Sweden with Germany and Norway. Employing two Fairchild Metro IIs, scheduled roundtrip revenue flights to Hamburg and Oslo commence on September 1.
Service is maintained in 1999. A SAAB 340B is received at the end of November and is placed into service on a route from Sturup International Airport in Sweden to Oslo, Norway, replacing a Metro II.
On August 14, 2000, twice-weekday return flights are initiated from Malmo to Karlstad. A second SAAB 340B arrives during the fall.
Maxair will cease operations on March 31,2001.
MAY AIR X-PRESS: Rte. 3, P. O. Box 236, New Boston, Texas 75570, United States; Phone (903) 628-6446; Fax (903) 628-5044; Year Founded 1990. Thomas W. May founds this Part 135 all-cargo operation at New Boston, Texas, in 1990 to provide on-demand freight charters to local destinations on behalf of larger express carriers. By 1999, the company fleet includes 8 Beech 18s and 1 Douglas DC-3.
MAYA AIRWAYS, LTD.: Belize (1961-1997). This small, privately owned national carrier is founded by a group of local businessmen, headed by British expatriate Gordon Roe, at Belize City in the spring of 1961. It is established as a division of Maya Corporation, Ltd., with the purpose of replacing British Honduras Airways, Ltd. Charter and scheduled passenger services are begun and maintained to the local communities of Belize City, Corozal, San Pedro, Sartaneja, Puento Gorda, Independence, Orange Walke, and Dangriga.
Four Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders are placed into service and Roe’s son, Trevor, joins the company in 1968, becoming general manager in 1983, the same year Sir. W. H. Courtenay becomes chairman.
By 1984, the employee population of Managing Director Gordon A. Roe’s carrier is 47 and the fleet comprises 4 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders and 3 Cessna 206s. In June, an Islander is sold to Jamaica. The workforce is reduced to 34 in 1985 and a Cessna 206 is replaced by a Cessna 182.
In early 1986, the British Army contracts with the company to operate rest and recreation flights from Belize City to Chetumal, Mexico. Despite the fact that MAL has obtained government authority, the first Islander to arrive is impounded by Mexican officials. The action ends the army arrangement.
In 1987 the fleet is altered by the deletion of the Islanders and their replacement by three BN-2A Trislanders. Scheduled service is inaugurated to Plancencia.
A fourth BN-2A is added in 1988, followed by a fifth in 1991. At this point, the Cessna 206s are withdrawn. Service is maintained throughout the nation in 1992-1993 by General Manager Trevor Roe’s company as a Cessna 182 is acquired. A leased de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 joins the fleet in 1994.
In 1995-1997, shareholding is divided between G. A. Roe & Sons, the Cloverleaf concern, and J. S. Shamon. Brian Roe is chairman, with Trevor Roe as executive director and Pablo Espat as general manager. Flights continue to domestic locations throughout Belize.
In December of the latter year, the local company Island Air is merged with MAL to create Maya Island Airways, Ltd.
World History
