Home > Hughes Airwest

1 History

In 1968, Pacific Airlines (United States) , West Coast Airlines and Bonanza Airlines merged to form Air West . Air West grew quickly, flying to such points as Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Boise and Portland, Orego . The airline used both jet and propeller-driven aircraft; some of its aircraft were also used for employee transportation.

Hungry for another adventure in the airline industry, TWA's former owner Hughes bought the airline in 1970. The airline was then renamed Hughes AirWest.

Hughes saw his new airline expand to several other Western USA cities, and to Mexico. The airline participated in some movies in the 1970s, more notably Clint Eastwood and Sandra Locke 's The Gauntlet .

Eventually, the airline was sold, in 1980, to Republic AirlinesRepublic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways. In 1980, following its buyout of Hughes Airwest, Republic became the largest airline in the United States by destinations served. On Janu, which was, in turn, merged into Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines is an airline headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota. With three major hubs in the United States: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (where it accounts for more than 70% of passenger traffic), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airp.

2 Livery

Hughes AirWest's planes were rather recognizable because of their all banana yellow fuselage and tail colors. Because of this, their airplanes have sometimes been nicknamed such nicknames as the top banana of the skies, etc. Most nicknames given to Hughes AirWest airplanes on aviation books and magazines have to do with bananas. Apart from their all yellow scheme, the airplanes also featured a blue logo that resembled three diamonds on their tails. The name Hughes Airwest, in computer-style lettering, was featured below the front passenger windows.

3 Fleet

• Boeing 727The Boeing 727 was, for a very long time, the most popular jet-liner in the world. The 727 first took the skies during the 1960s, much earlier than its bigger and more famous sister the Boeing 747. The 727 design arose as a compromise between United Airli's
• McDonnell DouglasMcDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It has been part of Boeing since 1997. The company was founded from the firms of James Smith McDonnell and Donald Wills Douglas. DC-9's
• FairchildFor other uses, see Fairchild (disambiguation). Fairchild is the name of a San Antonio, Texas ( USA) -based aircraft manufacturer. History The company was founded by Sherman Fairchild. During the 1950s and 1960s it built 206 Fokker Friendships as the F-27 F-27 's