Falcon Airways was a British charter airline that operated from 1959 to 1961 when the operating license was withdrawn due to concerns over safety.
History
Falcon Airways Limited was formed in 1959 by Captain Marian Kozuba-Kozubski with one
Vickers Viking
The Vickers Viking was a British single-engine amphibious aircraft designed for military use shortly after World War I. Later versions of the aircraft were known as the Vickers Vulture and Vickers Vanellus.
Design and development
Resear ...
at
Hurn Airport to operate charter services from both Hurn and
Blackbushe Airport.
In October 1959 the airline acquired three four-engined
Handley Page Hermes piston engine airliners, although one was sold in December 1959.
In 1960 the airline and the two
Hermes
Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
moved its operations from Blackbushe to Gatwick Airport but one Hermes was destroyed in a crash in October 1960 and the other was bought by
Air Safaris leaving the airline without any aircraft.
In 1961 the airline bought three 82-seat
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first civil airliner family to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cab ...
s to operate long-range charter flights.
Although they needed modification work to meet Air Registration Board requirements.
In March when Kozubski flew one of the Constellations from
Gander, Newfoundland,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
to
London Gatwick
Gatwick Airport , also known as London Gatwick Airport (), is the secondary international airport serving London, West Sussex and Surrey. It is located near Crawley in West Sussex, south of Central London. In 2024, Gatwick was the second-bu ...
with West Indian immigrants, the aircraft had unserviceable radios and navigation equipment.
It also did not have enough dinghies onboard and the airline was prosecuted and fined £300.
The airline did start to operate the first Constellation in May 1961 but it was withdrawn from service for maintenance shortly afterwards.
The second aircraft was put into service in July 1961 but was then sold by the airline to another British operator Trans European.
The third aircraft was registered in
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
rather than the United Kingdom and the British authorities refused to let the airline operate an unmodified aircraft.
This temporarily grounded the airline until the first Constellation returned to service in August 1961 and following the collapse of another British airline the Ministry eventually allowed them to operate the Austrian aircraft.
In September 1961 following concerns about safety the airlines operating certificate was withdrawn by the British authorities and the airline ceased to operate.
Fleet
* 3
Handley Page Hermes
* 3
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first civil airliner family to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cab ...
* 1
Vickers Viking
The Vickers Viking was a British single-engine amphibious aircraft designed for military use shortly after World War I. Later versions of the aircraft were known as the Vickers Vulture and Vickers Vanellus.
Design and development
Resear ...
Accidents and incidents
*On 9 October 1960, a
Handley Page Hermes G-ALDC overran the runway on landing at
Southend Airport
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...
, ending up across the
Shenfield to Southend railway line. The aircraft was written off.
Of the 76 people on board, five were taken to hospital with injuries.
See also
*
List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
*
{{Airlines of the United Kingdom
Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom
Airlines established in 1959
1959 establishments in the United Kingdom
Airlines disestablished in 1961
1961 disestablishments in the United Kingdom