| Chalk's Ocean Airways |
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Information AboutChalk's Ocean Airways |
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HISTORY The airline was founded by Arthur "Pappy" Chalk, and started ''ad-hoc'' charter operations in 1917. After "Pappy" Chalk served in the Army Air Corps in World War I , he returned to Miami and commenced scheduled service as Chalk's Airlines between Miami and Bimini in the Bahamas in February 1919. During Prohibition , Chalk's was a major source of smuggling alcohol from the Bahamas to the United States. In 1926 a landfill island, Watson Island , was created in Biscayne Bay close to Miami. Chalk's built an air terminal there, and operated from the island for the next 75 years. Arthur Chalk continued to be involved in the daily operations of the airline until he retired in 1975. Arthur Chalk died in 1977 at the age of 88. In the 1980s Resorts International purchased Chalk's Airlines, and Chalk's became the primary air carrier to Paradise Island , near the Bahamanian capital Nassau , where Resorts International owned and operated hotels and other resort facilities. Resorts International sold Chalk's in 1991 to United Capital Corp. of Illinois which expanded service to Key West, Fla. In 1996, United sold Chalk's to a group of investors, who operated the airline under the name Pan Am Air Bridge. In early 1998, Texas -based aircraft lease company, Air Alaska , purchased 70% of Pan Am Air Bridge, but following the collapse of Air Alaska, Pan Am Air Bridge filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in February 1999. Later the same month the company re-emerged as Chalk's International Airlines, finally emerging from Chapter 11 on 2 August 1999 under new ownership. On 17 December 1999 , the airline was relaunched as Chalk's Ocean Airways. It is wholly owned by Jim Confalone. SERVICES Chalk's Ocean Airways operates services from Fort Lauderdale to the following international scheduled destinations (at January 2005): Bimini and Nassau . FLEET The Chalk's Ocean Airways fleet consists of four Grumman G-73 Turbo Mallard aircraft (following the December, 2005 crash of Flight 101). ACCIDENTS On December 19 , 2005 , Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101 from Watson Island to Bimini crashed off Miami Beach, Florida . Witnesses said they saw smoke billowing from the plane before it exploded, with the right wing separating as the aircraft plunged into the ocean. Twenty people — 18 passengers and two pilots — were on board. The Coast Guard recovered 19 bodies initially, then two Miami-Dade firefighters fishing on their day off found the 20th victim on Friday, December 23. Investigators later identified cracks in the main support beam connecting the wing to the fuselage. The plane was a Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard registration N 2969, manufactured in 1947. It was the first fatal passenger accident for Chalk's Ocean Airways. {Link without Title} EXTERNAL LINKS REFERENCES |
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