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Post by chasensfo on Feb 11, 2021 22:02:33 GMT -5
I have incorporated Eduardo's paints into Express One International 1998, redone the aircraft list to utilize his paints more easily for the user installing them, and added a 727-100 which I missed the first time. Note that some of his paints, including the DC-9-10 and 737-200, were active in the early 90s or in 2000 but not in the late 1990s and are not used. I have also modified his standard cargo livery to include the white nose cone version needed for these plans. Download Express One 1998 v2 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 12, 2021 0:14:57 GMT -5
I had thought I posted this here, but looks like I didn't! Thank you sierraair for doing United these plans for 1998! \\United Worldwide Cargo 1998 (Also 1999 plans if you prefer) United Worldwide Cargo (1998-2000) IATA: UA ICAO: UALC CALLSIGN: UNITED United Worldwide Cargo was United Airlines' reentry into the dedicated cargo market, having previously operated DC-8 dedicated cargo aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s. The flights were operated by DC-10-30s which had been retired from passenger service and converted to cargo use, and wore the basic 1993-introduced grey livery but with large "Worldwide Cargo" titles. Operations began in 1998, and initially, San Francisco(SFO) was included in the routing on the way to and from Asia. However, by 1999, SFO had been dropped, though maintenance was sometimes done at SFO still, and JFK and ORD were added to the network, both flying to Asia via ANC. Routes were operated to Tokyo(NRT) and Osaka(KIX), at both of which United had a sizable presence. The KIX route continued onto MNL, which United has stopped flying passenger aircraft to years prior. At the time of the flightplans, 4 DC-10-30CFs were operating. The network stayed about the same over the next year, until United ended cargo operations in 2000, selling the aircraft to FedEx who operated them in the basic United livery with the titles painted over until 2005. Flightplans by Brian Wheatly. Optional flightplans and EVAI DC-10-30CF repaint by Alex Mandus, from the 1999 schedule, are on Avsim here: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=ualcargo_su99.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchThe AIM DC-10-30CF may be found on Avsim here: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=united+cargo+malcontent&CatID=root&Go=Search' 1998 DC-10-30CF routemap: 1999 DC-10-30CF routemap: Download United Worldwide Cargo 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 12, 2021 9:58:19 GMT -5
\\Chalk's Flying Service 1998 Chalk's Flying Service (1917-2007) IATA: OP ICAO: CHK CALLSIGN: CHALKS Chalk's Ocean Airways is one of the longest operating tiny niche carriers in commercial aviation history, operating seaplanes from Miami's Seaplane Base(MPB) for 90 years. The airline was founded by WWI pilot Arthur Burns "Pappy" Chalk as an ad-hoc charter airline in 1917 and named "Red Arrow Flying Service". 2 years later, the airline began some of the first scheduled airline flights in the world, flying to Bimini in the Bahamas in 1919 renamed Chalk's Flying Service". The aircraft initially pulled up to a beach with no infrastructure in Bimini marked by an umbrella in the sand, but in 1926 began using a seaplane base adjacent to an airfield later known as the North Bimini Airport (NSB). The airline became popular with people smuggling liquor from the Bahamas to the USA via Miami, and eventually became a major importer of contraband through the 1920s until the end of prohibition. The airline would continue flying this one route for another 48 years, and Pappy would lead the airline until stepping down from his role of CEO in 1966, though staying active in the company until his death in 1975. In 1974, a company called Resorts International bought the airline and service to NSB was extended to Nassau, where the company owned resorts. As the resorts were located on Paradise Island(PID), a seaplane base was constructed nearby. Yet again, the airline continued flying it's MPB-NSB-PID service for another 17 years until 1991 when Resorts International had an airstrip built adjacent to the seaplane base and began DHC-7 flights as Paradise Island Airways. At this time, the company no longer wished to remain involved in the seaplane operation, and Chalk's was sold to an investment firm in Illinois and continue normal operations while extending service to Ft. Lauderdale(FLL) for land-based operations. Chalk's was again sold in 1996 to a new group dubbed "The Pan Am Air Bridge". By 1998, the carrier was operating to the same 4 cities, and had also added flights to Walker's Cay Airport(WKR) in the Bahamas as well. The airline was flying 3 G-73T Turbo Mallard seaplanes at the time, but usually only 1-2 planes were active on a given day. Flights generally make 1 or 2 roundtrips from FLL or MPB a day and spend the rest of the time on the ground at either airfield, sometimes with long layovers in the Bahamas as well. At the time, Chalk's was the only airline using MPB and NSB, which were essentially private airfields. The carrier would file for bankruptcy in late 1999, and restructure as "Chalk's Ocean Airways" having to sell one of it's Turbo Mallards to save money. By year's end, expansion was undertaken with a cash injection provided by an ex-Eastern Airlines pilot who bought the airline, and orders were placed for 5 more Turbo Mallards and 14 Grumman G-111 Albatross aircraft. Around this same time, the PID airport was closed as Resorts International decided to build new resorts in it's place. The 9/11 attacks heightened US security, and in 2001, Chalks' was forced to close it's MPB headquarters and relocate to FLL due to concerns about a potential terror attack using an aircraft against the Port of Miami or smuggling arms. In 2005, the airline was at fault for it's first fatal accident, which killed 20 people and was videotaped from a nearby beach, becoming an early viral video. This lead to bad publicity and public distrust in the company, and the FAA ordered the carrier to suspend operations pending the investigation. Close to 1 year later in 2006, Chalk's wet-leased Beech 1900Ds from Montana-based Big Sky Airlines and began operating a St. Petersburg(PIE) to FLL to Key West(EYW) route as "Chalk's International Airlines". In 2007, flights were launched from West Palm Beach(PBI) to the Bahamas, but passenger loads were so terrible that 0 tickets were sold on the vast majority of them, with just 14 passengers carried in the first 3 months! By then, the NTSB ruled negligence on the part of Chalk's as the cause for the fatal crash, and the already all but tarnished public image of the carrier was entirely ruined. The FAA revoked the airline's operating certificate, then making KLM, who started flying 2 years later than Chalk's in 1919, the world's oldest operating airline. Though CalClassic's has created an AI Grumman Mallard, it doesn't appear to be a Turbo Mallard, and it is not officially converted to P3Dv4\5 format. Also, I do not know of a Chalk's repaint. If anyone knows of a model\paint, please let us know. G-73T Turbo Mallard: Download Chalk's Flying Service 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 15, 2021 23:25:07 GMT -5
\\Lynx Air International 1998 Lynx Air International (1989-2009) IATA: NONE LISTED ICAO: LXF CALLSIGN: LYNXFLIGHT Lynx Air International was a Ft. Lauderdale(FLL)-based commuter carrier which operated both scheduled flights from Florida to the Caribbean and US Government charters to the Guantanamo Bay(NBW) in Cuba. The carrier initially began operations with a Metroliner III operating flights from FLL to Cap Haitien(CAP), a route neglected by the established carriers in the region. The carrier found success, and flights were soon expanded to destinations in the Bahamas as well. In the 1990s, the carrier earned a contract with the US Government for flights shuttling personnel between Florida and NBW, and the number of charters grew as the airline added Metroliners to the fleet. By 1998, the carrier was also operating scheduled flights from FLL to Grand Turks(GDT) and the Dominican Republic(STI), with a single weekly route from MIA-CAP. The flights were operated by 4 Metroliner IIIs, 2 of which mostly did scheduled flying and 2 of which mostly did charters, with one being MIA based. 2 of the Metroliners wore an ex-Aerolitoral livery while another wore a newly-introduced modern blue and white livery which were to become the full colors of Lynx Air International. The 4th Metroliner, N110AV, I was unable to find photos of, so I have for now assigned it the ex-Aerolitoral livery but I will update the repaints if somebody can find a photo of the aircraft and it is in another livery. The airline added 2 more Metroliner IIIs and a Jetstream 31 in the early 2000s, and later added a Saab 340. Though the airline never had an accident, the FAA suspended their operating certificate in 2008 citing safety concerns. Soon afterwards, Florida Costal Airlines(FCA), a Florida-based Twin Cessna operator, and re-launched some flights using that carriers certificate and assets. In 2009, losses mounted and all flights were suspended yet again, and the company was sold to a Haitian carrier called Salsa Airlines. Despite the sale, flights never resumed and the airline was liquidated after 20 years of service. The DJC Metroliner III in the ex-Aerolitoral livery, worn by most aircraft, may be found here: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=texture.lynx_186294.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchI will eventually paint the other aircraft. Metroliner III scheduled flights: Metroliner III US government charters: Download Lynx Air International 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 16, 2021 2:31:11 GMT -5
\\St Barth Commuter 1998 St Barth Commuter (1995 - Present) IATA: PV ICAO: SBU CALLSIGN: BLACKFIN St Barth Commuter began flying with a single BN-2A Islander in 1995, connecting St. Barths(SBH) to St. Marteen(SXM), and was one of 2 airlines based there at the time, alongside Air Saint Barths which would go on to merge with other carriers and form Air Caribies. Flights were initially operated unlisted from the OAG and IATA on a public charter basis, shuttling passengers to and from their infamous home base during daylight hours. Flights were also occasionally operated to Saint Martin(SFG), the other, smaller commercial airport on the French side of St. Martin, as opposed to the Dutch side where SXM is located. Destinations and routings are real, flight times and numbers are representative. Monday to Friday, aircraft leave SBH at the top of each hour for their 27 minute journey to SXM or SFG, and then depart back to SBH at the top of the following hour. On weekends, a reduced schedule is operated. The airline went on to add several more BN-2s in the 2000s, as well as Cessna 208B Caravans and a Piper PA-23, and flights were expanded as far out as San Juan(SJU). After about 2 decades of expansion, the airline has shed most of it's fleet in recent years and today only operates 5 Cessna Caravans. The repaint is still needed in the original livery of F-OGXA, but I will paint it myself eventually. BN-2A charters: Download St Barth Commuter 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by wernerw on Feb 17, 2021 16:25:53 GMT -5
Thank you, Chasen especially for Hapag-Lloyd. Two remarks however: BJV was used instead of BXN and A310-200 didn't have the range to fly to the Caribbean.
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 17, 2021 23:22:39 GMT -5
Thank you, Chasen especially for Hapag-Lloyd. Two remarks however: BJV was used instead of BXN and A310-200 didn't have the range to fly to the Caribbean. Thank you, I knew about the A310-200, that was a mistake in aircraft numbering. I had also made a mistake where the white A310-300 was the "main" livery. Please everyone re-download v2 (only have to replace the airports list and flightplans list and recompile, no need to enter all the aircraft titles again). Version 2 uses the BJV airport, fixes the special livery issue, and makes it so only A310-300s do the long haul route.
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 18, 2021 4:48:18 GMT -5
Air Atlantic Dominicana is now complete thanks to an AIA 727-200 repaint by piper and Jonathan Alba, link with the flightplans on page 36. \\Orbis Flying Eye Hospital 1998 Orbis Flying Eye Hospital (1982 - Present) IATA: NONE LISTED ICAO: NONE LISTED (I'm using ORB for now for parking, please use "parking_types=RAMP") CALLSIGN: ORBIS The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, founded in 1982 by the New York-based group Orbis International, is a mobile eye care hospital that travels the world and provides free treatment to disadvantaged people who can not seek help or receive corrective lenses for their poor eye sight and other eye related issues including surgery. The project was first started with DC-8-21 N220RB donated by United Airlines, with all the equipment needed for the mission installed on board, and that aircraft visited 24 countries in the first 2 years of service. As the company depended on donations, and DC-8 parts were getting harder to come by as the type was retired from service, the company purchased ex-Novair International Airways DC-10-10 G-GCAL in 1992 using donations from various sources to fund the entire purchase and retrofitting of equipment. The DC-10 used, which was re-registered N220AU, was a very early build, built in 1971 and used as a McDonnell Douglas test aircraft for almost 2 years and was destined to become American Airline's first DC-10. American did not take up this aircraft, and it instead ended up flying with Laker Airways, American Trans Air, Air Hawaii, and later Cal Air International who became Novair. The DC-8 was donated to a museum in China near Bejing and retired, and the DC-10 went to work by years end. For the next several years, the aircraft circled the globe treating thousands of patients. In 1998, the organization decided to establish full-time programs in several of the countries often visited to ensure year-round care when the aircraft was not present. Ethiopia was the first country in this program, followed by others such as Bangladesh, China, India, and Vietnam. Flights continued to many other nations, and Hong Kong(HKG), Khartoum(KRT), and Colombo(CMB) were among other destinations of the DC-10 in the late 1990s. These flightplans use real destinations, with the aircraft spending about 1 day at most to keep it moving, though in real life it sometimes sat on location for weeks. In 2003, an ex-Omni Air International DC-10-30 joined the fleet, and the company briefly had 2 aircraft active. As the aircraft grew very old, FedEx decided to donate an upgraded glass MD-10-30F to Orbis International in 2015 and converted the aircraft at their Alliance Ft. Worth(AFW) maintenance facility, where the aircraft still goes for repair work today. In 2016, both the DC-10-10 and the DC-10-30 were retired while the MD-10-30F entered service, with Moffet Field(NUQ) in the San Francisco Bay Area being chosen as it's hub when not on missions or undergoing maintenance. The DC-10-30 was stored in Victorville(VCV) and broken up in early 2017, while the DC-10-10 was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum adjacent to the Davis Montham Air Force Base(DMA) in Tucson where it sits on display today. The AIM DC-10-30 repaint may be found here: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=aim_dc1010_orbisflyingeyehospital_270275.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchDC-10-10 routemap: Download Orbis Flying Eye Hospital 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 18, 2021 5:05:31 GMT -5
\\Orbital Sciences 1998 Orbital Sciences (1994 - Present) IATA: NONE LISTED ICAO: NONE LISTED (I used "SGZ", please assign "atc_parking_types=RAMP") CALLSIGN: STARGAZER Orbital Sciences is a Mojave(MHV)-based scientific research company who is the last commercial operator of the L-1011, which has been converted for the role of launching airborne satellites to then continue climbing into space for orbit around the earth. Orbital Sciences first launched flights in 1994 using a NASA-operated B-52 bomber, known as "Balls 8", to launch Pegasus XL rockets from a high altitude of 42,000 feet. The project was dubbed "Stargazer", and eventually even resulted in the testing of the X-34 hypersonic research aircraft in the early days of the program. In 1996, L-1011-385 C-FTNJ was acquired from Air Canada to replace Balls 8, and re-registered N140SC. The L-1011 became operational in 1997 and made it's first launches that year. Though the aircraft is based in MHV, launches were often preformed from Vandenberg Air Force Base(VBG) in Southern California, as well as several other test sites as far away as Spain and the Marshall Islands. While the role of this aircraft is quite impressive, it spends the vast majority of it's time on the ramp in MHV and only rarely preforms missions, having launched just 44 rockets in almost 20 years(containing 95 satellites). For pilot currency, the aircraft usually flies once every few months to nearby Palmdale(PMD), where the L-1011s were built, and preforms landing circuits for a while before returning home. I found evidence of this also occurring in Bakersfield(BFL) in the 1990s, so I have the aircraft practicing landings twice per week in PMD and once weekly in BFL, spending the rest of it's time baking in the desert sun at MHV like real life. This L-1011 is still active today in this role, and is the last fully operation L-1011 in the world. The DWAI L-1011, along with 2010 flightplans(to launch sites rather than normal operations), may be found here in a later livery slightly modified from the 1990s version: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=orbital_sciences.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchThe proper livery for the HJG L-1011 may be found here: simviation.com/hjg/aircraft2/lockheed/l1011-100/l-1011-100_orbital_1995_100_n140sc_v2.zipL-1011-385: Download Orbital Sciences 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 18, 2021 5:37:16 GMT -5
\\Clay Lacy Aviation 1998 Clay Lacy Aviation (1968 - Present) IATA: NONE LISTED ICAO: CLY (also use "VIP") CALLSIGN: LACY (use the tail number for the Orca Bay 727) Clay Lacy Aviation is one of the largest ad-hoc charter operators in the United States, based in Van Nuys(VNY) near Los Angeles with hubs all across the US and also offering FBO and various other services related to general aviation. The company was founded by aviation legend Clay Lacy, a former United Airlines pilot who was more or less forced out of the company by his peers for working during a pilot strike, who now holds the record for the most turbine flight hours of any pilot on earth with over 50,000. Clay was very opportunistic and acquired about 40 different aircraft types over the years, operating usually just 1 example of each, and often flying aircraft for a short period of time. These aircraft ranged from small props, to airliners like the 727, to modern business jets like the Global Express, to the DC-3, which remains active doing special flights in United Air Lines colors. In 1998, Clay Lacy Aviation was operating 2 VIP 727-100s, 1 for charters and 1 under contract with the Utah Jazz NBA team, a VIP DC-9-14, and several private jets on both regional and world-wide charters, with aircraft often ending up in Europe, Asia, and even Australia. In addition, from 1996, one 727-200 was acquired from Continental and operated under a Seattle-based subsidiary called "Orca Bay Aviation", with the aircraft based in Vancouver(YVR) and providing transportation for both Vancouver's NBA team, the Grizzlies, and their NHL team, the Canucks. This aircraft did not use the "Lacy" callsign, but the rest of the fleet did. Sports charters are based on actual 1998 schedules using the week with the most traveling, most other VIP charters are based on online data as to 1990s trips actually taken by these aircraft. The Learjets had little information, and were mostly used for Western US charters anyway, so those are representative based on realistic common jet charter routes in the region. All aircraft were based at VNY at the time, and they all will be there at least once per week with the smaller jets often visiting during the week. The DC-3 usually sits idle in VNY other than making appearances at shows, but I have given it 2 short trips to airports visited in the 1990s to get it flying. The company is still operating today with a large and varied fleet of aircraft, including the DC-3. Most repaints are needed, and I plan to do some of them, but the following are available: AIA 727-200 Orca Bay Aviation by myself: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1unkwH-atnItyUlgMJQRfBM20GbbZJDD0?usp=sharingDefault DC-3: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=ualdc3.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchThere is also a callsign modification here: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=callsign_clay_lacy_aviation.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search727-200 Orca Bay Aviation (Vancouver Grizzlies): 727-100 Utah Jazz: 727-100 N727HC VIP: DC-9-14 N13FE VIP: Challenger CL-601 N888WS VIP: Gulfstream GII N264CL VIP: Learjet 23\25\35: DC-3: Download Clay Lacy Aviation 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 19, 2021 21:55:22 GMT -5
Repaint links added for Uganda Airlines 737s, there is still no photo I can find of the Let 410 so that is still incomplete. Also Air Zimbabwe is updated to version 2 now, with repaint links added for the BAe-146s, a working link to the FSX model for Rick Piper's Viscount, the addition of the BAe-146-100 to the flightplans, the aircraft re-ordered for better parking at HRE, and the cruise speeds changed to AIG standard.
Hoping to have all paints finished needed for HRE soon with updates to carriers if needed.
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 22, 2021 3:23:04 GMT -5
Air Botswana, Aero Zambia and Cameroon Airlines have been updated to version 2 with new repaint links added and other changes, including a new special livery for Air Botswana. Aero Zambia repaint links added as well for the 737-200s and 707, as has the missing 737-200 Aero Zambia hybrid for Interair of South Africa. I had thought I had uploaded Air Malawi here, but it looks like I only uploaded it to AIG. Here it is, updated from the previous version if you already had it: //Air Malawi 1998 v2 (added 2nd 737-300 leased from Air Holland, changed cruise speeds to AIG standard) Air Malawi (1964-2013) IATA: QM ICAO: AIM CALLSIGN: MALAWI Air Malawi was the national airline of the sub-saharan East African nation of Malawi. Though a poor nation, the country is popular for regional tourism with many remote lodging sites popular for safari adventures. The carrier began as part of the conglomerate airline Central African Airways (CAA), which like Air Afrique, was a multinational carrier. In 1967, Malawi became an independent nation, and the airline adopted the Air Malawi name. Though Lilongwe(LLW) is the main transport hub for Malawi, the airline was actually based in Blantyre(BLZ), Malawi's second largest city and financial capital. Initially the airline flew large props, but eventually it took on jets like the Bac 1-11 and VC-10. During it's early history, the airline mostly focused on connecting South Africa with points in Malawi and neighboring nations. The VC-10, leased from BOAC, was used to launch a flight to London(LGW) on a BLZ-NBO-LGW route in 1974. Sadly, this long haul service was short-lived as the airline was forced to return the VC-10 in 1978 due to rising operating costs, and these flights never did return. From then on, the carrier served regional routes only with the exception being a 747SP leased from South African Airways and painted in Air Malawi colors for 40 days in 1974 just to be shown off on a charter to London Heathrow(LHR) by the Malawian President at the time. The airline went through several aircraft types, such as the Shorts Skyvan and the HS-748, and also flew 3 different 737-300s. But by 1998, the fleet was down to 2 737-300, one of which was on a short-term lease from Air Holland and operated in a hybrid livery for a few months in 1998, a ATR 42-320, a Do-228-212, and a Cessna 208 Caravan with a second on order to replace the Do-228. The airline served a handful of international routes in the region with the 737 and ATR, with a focus city in Harare(HRE), while the Cessna 208 and Do-228 were used domestically, largely on flights to the various lodge destinations. Most of these destinations were remote airstrips that have not had airline service in years, so it is unlikely most of them are AI capable by default. The 737 makes it as far north as Kenya and down to South Africa. This was the end of stability for the carrier, as by the year 2000, the airline was privatized and was then in severe turmoil for the next 13 years. With limited government support and little revenue, the airline couldn't keep up with modern expectations, and did not seriously begin to explore electronic ticketing and public internet resources until 2009. Ethiopian Airlines bought a 49% stake in the carrier in 2013, but as it quickly became apparent that the airline was in a state where creditor repossessions seemed imminent, the company was quickly liquidated. The airline maintained the same livery from the late 1980s until 2013. Flightplans by Vadmin Stepanyuk and myself. The Do-228 is needed, the rest of the paints are available: AIA 737-300v2: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=ai733aml.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchFAIB 737-300 Air Holland Hybrid (my edit of Eduardo Villanueva's Air Holland texture): drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1RgEC1SgIsAhXac7SMBX5iVke4cLT1tqrOSP ATR-42-320: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=atr43_air_malawi.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchHTAI Cessna 208 Caravan: On flightsim.com as "c208bmal.zip" Default FSX\P3D Cessna 208 Caravan(in case you prefer this): On Flightsim.com as "c208b_air_malawi.zip" 737-300: ATR42-320: Do228\Cessna 208: Download Air Malawi 1998 v2 flightplans here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 22, 2021 6:42:42 GMT -5
With this next airline, all scheduled flights to Zambia and Malawi are now completed. \\Zambian Express Airlines 1998 Zambian Express Airlines (1995-1998) IATA: OQ ICAO: SZX CALLSIGN: ZAMBEX Zambian Express Airlines was a Zambian regional airline based in Lusaka(LUN). Zambian Express Airlines was founded in 1995 when the national carrier, Zambian Airways, shut down for a few years to restructure, leaving many routes open for the taking. For most of it's life, the airline only had to compete with the small start-up carrier Aero Zambia and small charter carriers with 4-19 seat props on most of it's routes. The airline operated a hub in Livingstone(LVI) and used it as a stop on all it's scheduled flights between LUN and Johannesburg(JNB). The bulk of the scheduled flying was done by a pair of Beech 1900Ds and a lone ATR42-300, while a 727-100 leased from Million Air of South Africa did charters and a twice weekly JNB-NLA-LUN route and a PA-31 Navajo and a Beech Catpass 200 did some regional and domestic routes. Photos of this airline are hard to come by, but the ATR42 wore a striking black and white livery, while I am unsure about most of the rest of the fleet. Photos taken in the region in 1998 often have a South African registered Albino 727-100 at the terminal, and I suspect this may be the 727-100. Any help is appreciated. Some of the aircraft did not fly much at all on certain days of the week, but I did not find evidence of charters beyond the 727 operations. I gave the 727 charters based on popular holiday retreats for Zambians and on photo evidence of where I found the Albino 727. Despite limited competition, the small airline failed just 3 years into operating in late 1998. Competitor Aero Zambia flew on until 2000 when it was caught in an arms smuggling ring, and leaving Zambia without a scheduled IATA air carrier for a few years until Zambian Airways restarted in the early 2000s. Repaints needed, but I will do the ones I can find photos of. 727-100 scheduled flights: 727-100 charters: ATR42-300: B1900D\Beech Catpass 200: PA-31 Navajo: Download Zambian Express Airlines 1998 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Feb 25, 2021 5:14:28 GMT -5
\\America West 1999 America West (1983-2007) IATA: HP ICAO: AWE CALLSIGN: CACTUS America West Express operated by Mesa Airlines (1993-2007) IATA: HP ICAO: ASH (also use "AWEX" for parking) CALLSIGN: AIR SHUTTLE America West was a major US airline based in Phoenix(PHX) with a large hub in Las Vegas(LAS) and a short-lived hub in Columbus(CMH). America West was one of dozens of start-up low cost airlines founded in the United States in the first several years after the deregulation of the airline industry in 1978. America West was founded in 1981, with the name suggested by the secretary of CEO Ed Beauvais, and began operations with 3 leased 737-200s in 1983. The initial route structure was for high frequency service on short-haul routes, mostly to Southern California, offering low fares but full service unlike competitors like Southwest who advertised no frills flying. The first aircraft were painted with the word "West" in the titles painted silver, instead of red like the rest of the titles. In 1984, the livery was modified to all red titles and another 8 airplanes were added by years end, bringing the fleet size to 11 and the destinations up to 13 already. The airline quickly found success, and adapted an interesting plan to cross-train employees to do various jobs as well as to ensure they all owned stock equivalent to 20% of their first years salary in the company. Flight attendants, for example, also may have worked some of the month in the airlines reservations office, or doing ticketing or gate duties at the airport while pilots may have also worked as dispatchers. Despite these requirements, the airline paid it's employees far below the industry average, but the employees believed that one day the airline could grow into something huge. In 1985, the airline devised a plan to open up a "late night" hub in LAS to utilize aircraft that otherwise would sit idle over night before an early morning flight back to PHX. During the day, LAS would not see many America West flights. But at night as aircraft arrived on their last flight from PHX for the night, they would turn around to do a late night flight to LAS and then return to the "out station" in the middle of the night, often between 1 to 3 AM, and then return to the PHX hub full of connecting passengers in the morning like normal. Unlike most cities, LAS is very alive at night, and the airline gambled that passengers would prefer to check out of the hotels but then keep gambling, drinking, or partying until late at night to get the most out of their last day in Vegas. The gamble was a great success, and over the years, the late night LAS hub would steadily grow into a one-of-a-kind middle of the night massive operation. By 1986, the airline had grown so quickly in PHX that a temporary concourse with 11 gates had to be constructed and the new T4 was constructed with the planned growth of the carrier in mind. That same year, Republic Airways, which had a focus city in PHX, merged with Northwest Airlines, who elected to begin withdrawing the non-hub routes from PHX over the next few years, further fueling expansion for America West. At the same time, Northwest decided not to keep the Rolls Royce powered 757-200s acquired from Republic in favor of acquiring Pratt & Whitney-powered 757s in the future, leading to the sale of these aircraft to America West. Around the same time as the larger jets were added, which allowed US East Coast expansion including the carriers first red-eye flights, America West also began adding newer 737-300s, 737-100s, and even DHC-8-100s to create a regional network connecting PHX with various smaller communities underserved by major air carriers at the time. Flights to Mexico were also launched around the same time. All this expansion came at a heavy cost, and America West was on the verge of bankruptcy by the end of 1986. Making moves to survive in 1987, America West surrendered the South Concourses of the new T4 to rival Southwest Airlines, which was roughly half of the carriers planned future gates, and 20% of the company was sold to the parent company of Ansett Australia. At the end of the decade, America West would actually operate a few aircraft in Australia during a pilot strike at Ansett Australia, and the company would also be caught in a scandal where several of it's management pilots as, well as stake holders at Ansett, pleaded guilty to conspiring with drug cartels for narcotics trafficking from Mexico which indirectly lead to the cartel's assassination of 9 Buddhist monks in PHX. Despite these grave public findings and the recent bankruptcy scare, the carrier decided to add 4 ex-KLM 747-200s to launch flights from LAS and PHX to Sydney(SYD) in cooperation with Ansett via Hawaii and Japan. However, the US President Ronald Regan, committed to the war on drugs, refused to grant the route authority to America West to fly to Australia in light of recent events, and instead gave the proposed slots to another carrier. The carrier added the 747-200s to the fleet anyway, and launched flights to Honolulu(HNL) continuing on to Nagoya(NGO), while also applying for slots at Tokyo Narita(NRT) and using the 747s on transcon services to JFK. In 1990, the first Airbus A320s delivered to the US, originally built for Pan Am but then sold to Braniff II after the failing Pan Am cancelled the orders, sat in the desert after the failure of Braniff II. America West bought these aircraft and placed large future orders for more A320s. The aircraft offered the range of routes currently served by the 757s but with less capacity, ideal for medium sized cities on medium haul routes and the aircraft were largely used to form the CMH hub later in 1993. When the Gulf War broke out, America West's 747s were utilized for frequent troop transport missions in support of "Operation Desert Storm". Though Las Vegas and Hawaii were both very popular with Japanese travelers, a tradition in which Japanese people tend to shy away from flying on carriers engaged in war sharply affected the yields on flights to NGO and HNL. Though the PHX-NRT slot was eventually approved by the Japanese authorities, the 747s were stored at various airports across the Southwestern United States in 1992 and eventually broken up, and all flights to Hawaii and Japan ended. Again finding themselves in financial hardship as oil prices shot up during the war, America West also disposed of it's DHC-8s and commuter network, instead signing an agreement with commuter carrier Mesa Airlines to being operating flights on behalf of America West with Beech 1900s and later, DHC-8s. The CMH hub started in 1993 allowed America West to expand into Eastern US cities where they only had 1-2 daily flights or, in the case of airports like Washington National(DCA), didn't fly at all. For expansion from PHX to the Midwest USA to cities like Des Moines(DSM) where America West felt the 737s were too big but the commuter aircraft did not have the range to operate and were to small, America West acquired 2 Fokker 70 jets and used them to start a subsidiary of Mesa Airlines called "Desert Sun Airlines". These aircraft only operated for 2 years between 1995 and 1997. Around this same time, America West entered codesharing agreements with Continental and British Airways, offering passengers full connectivity from hubs such as Newark(EWR), Houston(IAH), and London Heathrow(LHR), while also entering smaller agreeements with Northwest Airlines and Air China on specific routes. With this agreement, America West increased it's flights to EWR from LAS, PHX, and CMH to about 10 daily with most being operated by larger 757 jets. America West began painting various special liveries across it's 757 fleet in the mid 1990s, mostly honoring sports teams in the PHX area as well as the state flags of Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio where America West had it's hubs. The last remaining 737-100 was also painted with a special "Phoenix Suns" decal and used as the VIP transport for that basketball team in a special configuration with about 1/3 of the plane in a business class layout. Though the rest of the 737-200 fleet was all coach, this aircraft did operate scheduled flights during the off-season for basketball charters! In 1996, a new livery was introduced in time for the arrival of the first A319s, with bold green and red colors. Around this time, a focus city was opened in Orange County(SNA) with flights to Reno(RNO) and Sacramento(SMF), with RNO being dropped by the end of 1999 and SMF a few years later. By the end of the 1990s, America West was operating over 6,000 flights per week. The commuter network out of PHX had grown considerably, with the last Mesa EMB-120s being phased out in favor of newer larger CRJ-200s, which were arriving very quickly, while DHC-8-200s and Beech 1900Ds served the smaller markets. The CRJs enabled America West to grow into smaller West Coast markets like Eugene(EUG) and Monterey(MRY), a trend which would continue over the next several years, while the props mostly flew shorter routes around Arizona, Southern California, and Western Colorado. Some CRJs were also CMH based with a route network that didn't overlap with the PHX network. The advent of CRJs and the move away from 19-seat airliners were the catalyst to a purge of small regional airports by the major airlines at the end of the 1990s, and some airports served in these plans like Gallup(GUP) and Farmington(FMN) were dropped by America West Express by the end of 1999 and those airports remain with no commercial service today. The CRJ-200s and DHC-8s were all in the new 1996 America West livery, though some CRJ-200s had experimental billboard titles, while the EMB-120s all wore the Mesa house livery as did several CRJ-200s and Beech 1900Ds. No B1900Ds ever got the new America West livery. The regional network was operated mostly out of PHX, with DHC-8s overnighting in BFL and PSP and a CRJ-200 from SBA making a middle-of-the-night roundtrip to LAS as part of the late night hub. Even in 1999, America West's LAS operation was rather dead during the day, aside from flights to key markets like some cities in California as well as PHX and CMH, but had grown into a huge operation from about 2230-0130 each day. The vast majority of cities served from LAS were only served via this late night hub, with a huge arrival bank between 2230-2330 and a huge departure bank from 000-0130. Likewise, from PHX, America West invested heavily in the idea of connecting banks. So much so that rather than spread out flights, it was common on trunk routes to places like LAX or LAS to see 3 different flights operating within 10 minutes of each other rather than all operating maybe 15-20 minutes apart, followed by no more flights for at least 1 hours. America West relied heavily on connectivity, and this strategy, though odd at a glance, helped to fuel rapid expansion. The 757 fleet mostly flew transcon routes, but also flew on some high density routes to the US West Coast and did some flying out of CMH. The A319s and A320s did a mix of transcons and West Coast flying, while the 737-300s made up the bulk of the schedule and the 737-200s generally stuck to the Western USA. No 737s served CMH in the late 1990s. There were 7 special 757 liveries at the time, while 1 remained in the old livery. All A319s were delivered in the new colors, but the rest of the fleet was a big mix of new and old colors, though the majority of 737-200s still wore the old colors. The airline would go on to expand LAS into a hub the rest of the day as well, with Mesa CRJs moving in to create a regional network across the Western United States. America West would establish another subsidiary of Mesa Airlines, called Freedom Airlines, to circumvent pilot contracts at Mesa to operate CRJ-700s and CRJ-900s on behalf of America West Express, while an ERJ-145 contract was signed with Chautauqua Airlines out of CMH. Eventually, Freedom Airlines would dissolve and the CRJ-700s would go away while the CRJ-900s joined the Mesa fleet in large numbers. Flights to Hawaii returned with 757s in the early 2000s, and the CMH hub was closed in 2003, 10 years after it had opened. In the late 2000s, US Airways was struggling, and after joining the Star Alliance ahead of a planned merger with United Airlines, the deal fell through. Though the US Airways name would be kept, America West merged with US Airways in 2007, retaining it's CEO Doug Parker, the "CACTUS" callsign and AWE codes while moving the company headquarters to Tempe, Arizona near PHX. The merger was tough by any standards, and for the next 6 years or so, America West planes\crews remained based in PHX\LAS while US Airways crews remained based in the East Coast hubs, and there was no overlapping of crews with the airline operating like 2 separate carriers. By the time the companies were fully merged in the early 2010s, American Airlines found themselves in a similar position to US Airways had been in back in 2007, and US Airways and American merged. Though the name "American Airlines" is retained today along with that carriers' codes and callsign, Doug Parker took over as CEO, many functions are preformed in Tempe near PHX, and again, the America West management is running the airline. As I already have plenty of NBA VIP charter aircraft flying around the 1998\99 project skies, I elected to have the 737-100 flying scheduled passenger flights, so no special codes are required for that aircraft. America West, like many airlines, obviously often swapped 737-200\300s and A320\A319s, so many extra aircraft were generated. I trimmed the fleet the best I could, but in the end, there is an extra A319 and 737-300 which are segregated in case you wish to exclude them. About 30 of the 6000+ weekly flights did not fit in this fleet, but I made sure that no city lost all it's service and tried to leave out PHX-LAS flights if possible. Thank you Eduardo Villanueva for mailing me this schedule along with several others in support of this project. Most of the America West Express paints are needed(some were painted but lost to the Avsim hack), the following paints are completed: AIG 757-200: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=aig_757-200_awe.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchFAIB A320: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=faib_a320-200_awe.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchFAIB A319: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=faib_a319-100_awe.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchFAIB 737-300: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=faib_737-300_awe.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchFAIB 737-200 (includes mock 737-100): library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=faib_737-200_awe.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchRFSL CRJ-200 (part of large Mesa Airlines package): mpai4fs.com/2022/04/10/mesa-airlines-crj-100-200-operated-by-everobody/HTAI B1900D America West 1984 colors: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=america_west_express_oc_mesa_airlines_b1900d_n132yv.zip&CatID=root&Go=SearchHTAI B1900D Mesa colors v1: library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=b1900d_mesa.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search HTAI B1900D Mesa colors v2 (part of this package): library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=united_express_1993_fleet.zip&CatID=root&Go=Search 757-200: A320: A319: 737-300: 737-100\200: CRJ-200 operated by Mesa Airlines: DHC-8-200 operated by Mesa Airlines: Beech 1900D operated by Mesa Airlines: Download America West 1999 Flightplans Here
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Post by chasensfo on Mar 5, 2021 4:09:12 GMT -5
Repaint links updated for APA International, Crossair, and Air One. Thanks to piper for the APA A300!
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