Britt Airways

Not to be confused withBrit AirorBritish Airways.

Britt Airways

IATA ICAO Call sign RU BTA JETLINK
Founded	1964(1964) (asVercoa Air Service)
Commenced operations	1975(1975) (asBritt Airways)
Ceased operations	1996(1996) (merged intoExpressJet)
Frequent-flyer program	OnePass
Parent company	People Express Airlines(1986–1987) Continental Airlines(1987–1996)
Headquarters	Terre Haute,Indiana,U.S.
Key people	William Britt Marilyn Britt

Britt AirwaysBeechcraft 99operating forAllegheny CommuteratChicago O'Harein 1975

Britt Airwayswas aregional airlinein theUnited Statesthat operated from 1964 until it merged withExpressJetin 1996. It was established asVercoa Air Servicein 1964 and renamed toBritt Airlineswhen it was purchased by William and Marilyn Britt in 1975 later onBritt Airways.It was based inTerre Haute,Indianauntil 1996. It began as acommuter airline.It primarily operated turboprop aircraft but also flewBritish Aircraft CorporationBAC One-Eleventwinjets as an independent air carrier at one point as well. The airline evolved into a regional air carrier operatingcode shareflights primarily forContinental Airlines.

History

By 1969 Britt Airways purchased a small fleet ofBeechcraft 99light turboprop airliners that were operated under contract asAllegheny Commuterflights on behalf ofAllegheny Airlines.Allegheny had recently begun flights from Chicago O'Hare that were acquired through a merger withLake Central Airlines.Initially, Britt replaced Allegheny on a route between Chicago and Danville, IL.According to the October 29, 1978 Britt Airways system timetable, commuter flights for Allegheny were operated by Britt from the airline's small hub located atChicago O'Hare Airport(ORD) with service toBloomington, IN,Danville, IL,Indianapolis, IN,Muncie, INandTerre Haute, IN,all former Lake Central routes that were acquired by Allegheny.In 1979, Britt was continuing to serve these aforementioned destinations as an Allegheny Commuter air carrier from Chicago and was also flying independently operated service toBloomington, IL/Normal, IL,Champaign, IL/Urbana, IL,Evansville, IN,Galesburg, IL,Indianapolis, IN,Moline, IL,Peoria, IL,St. Louis, MO,Springfield, ILandSterling, IL/Rock Falls, ILwith flights primarily operated from Chicago O'Hare as well as an Indianapolis-Evansville-St. Louis route and an Indianapolis-Champaign/Urbana route.All Allegheny Commuter as well as independently operated services were being flown withBeechcraft 99andSwearingen Metroliner(Metro II model) turboprops at this time.By 1980, the airline had expanded its hub operation at Chicago O'Hare with new service toDecatur, IL,Mattoon, IL/Charleston, IL,andSouth Bend, IN,and had also expanded its fleet with the addition of largerFairchild Hiller FH-227turboprops.

In 1981, Britt began operating as an independent air carrier from a major hub located atChicago O'Hare Airport(ORD) and also from smaller hubs located atSt. Louis Lambert International Airport(STL) andIndianapolis International Airport(IND).By early 1985, the airline was operating jet service as an independent air carrier withBritish Aircraft CorporationBAC One-Eleventwin jets and was also continuing to flyBeechcraft 99,Fairchild Hiller FH-227andSwearingen Metroliner(Metro II model) turboprops.

In 1985, the founder and owner of Britt Airways, Bill Britt, sold the airline toPeople Express.A new hub at St. Louis was established and select flights from St. Louis began operating undercode sharingwith People Express (PE) while other flights, including all flights at Chicago, remained operating under the RU code for Britt Airways.

From late 1985 through late 1986, Britt operatedcode sharingflight services forPiedmont Airlines (1948-1989)as a Piedmont Commuter System air carrier from theDayton International Airport(DAY) in Ohio where Piedmont was operating a hub at the time.

Frank Lorenzo's holding company,Texas Air Corporation,acquired People Express later in 1985.Texas Air Corporation had previously acquiredContinental Airlines(CO) and merged Texas International Airlines (predecessor to Texas Air) and CO under the Continental name in 1982. In 2010 Continental merged intoUnited Airlines.

On February 1, 1987 People Express and Continental were merged retaining the Continental Airlines name. All Britt Airways operations begancode sharingflights under theContinental Expressbanner for Continental from its major hubs located at Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH, nowGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport) inHouston,Texas,and at the former People Express hub at Newark International Airport (EWR, nowNewark Liberty International Airport) inNewark,New Jersey.All flights at Britt's original and long-standing operation at the Chicago O'hare hub were also transitioned to flying as Continental Express however the entire Chicago operation was discontinued in early 1989. Britt also had a single route from the former ChicagoMeigs Fieldairport to Springfield, IL which continued until 1991. According to theOfficial Airline Guide(OAG), in 1989 Britt was the primary Continental Express carrier at Houston Intercontinental operatingATR-42andEmbraer EMB-120 Brasiliapropjet aircraft on feeder services on behalf of Continental.By 1991, the airline was the primary Continental Express carrier at Newark as well operatingATR-42andEmbraer EMB-120 Brasiliaaircraft according to theOAG.

Beginning in November, 1987, Continental Airlines established a hub atCleveland Hopkins Airport(CLE) and Britt began operating as the Continental Express feeder carrier there flyingSwearingen Metroliner(Metro II model) propjets. By 1989, Britt was operating all Continental Express flights from Cleveland withEmbraer EMB-120 Brasiliapropjets.

In 1991, Britt Airways began operatingContinental Expressservice formerly flown byRocky Mountain Airwaysfrom Denver (DEN). According to the October 1, 1991Official Airline Guide(OAG), the airline was operating Continental Express flights from Denver withde Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7andBeechcraft 1900Cturboprops formerly flown by Rocky Mountain Airways as well as withATR-42propjets.

Destinations in 1984

According to its May 29, 1984 route map, Britt Airways was serving the following destinations as an independent air carrier.Destinations noted inboldwere receivingBritish Aircraft CorporationBAC One-Elevenjet service operated by Britt in early 1985.

• Bloomington, IL/Normal, IL
• Bloomington, IN
• Burlington, IA
• Cape Girardeau, MO
• Cedar Rapids, IA- (Iowa City, IAwas served via Cedar Rapids)
• Chicago, IL-O'Hare Airport-Primary Hub
• Champaign, IL- (Urbana, ILwas served via Champaign)
• Cincinnati, OH
• Danville, IL
• Decatur, IL
• Detroit, MI
• Evansville, IN
• Galesburg, IL
• Indianapolis, IN-Secondary Hub
• Lafayette, IN
• Mattoon, IL/Charleston, IL
• Memphis, TN
• Marion, IL/Herrin, IL
• Moline, IL- (Davenport, IAwas served via Moline)
• Muncie, IN
• Paducah, KY
• Peoria, IL
• Quincy, IL
• St. Louis, MO-Secondary Hub
• South Bend, IN
• Springfield, IL
• Sterling, IL/Rock Falls, IL
• Terre Haute, IN-Headquarters for the airline

Fleet

World Airline Fleets 1979(copyright 1979) shows Britt Airways with:

• 10Beech 99
• 1Cessna 150L
• 1Cessna 172M
• 1Cessna 182K
• 1Cessna 402

1987-88 World Airline Fleets(copyright 1987) shows Britt Airways with:

• 12Beech 99
• 2BAC 1-11
• 7Fairchild F-27
• 6Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
• 18Swearingen Metroliner II

Britt operated the following aircraft types at different times over the years. Fleet information is taken from the Britt historical website, www.brittairlines.com

• ATR-42
• Beechcraft 99
• British Aircraft CorporationBAC One-Elevenseries 400 (only jet aircraft type operated by the airline)
• Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
• Fairchild F-27
• Fairchild Hiller FH-227
• Swearingen Metroliner- (Metro II models)

Britt also operatedBeechcraft 1900Candde Havilland Canada Dash 7aircraft formerly flown byRocky Mountain Airwaysfollowing its commencement ofContinental Expressservice in Denver.

Accidents and incidents

• The airline's first fatal accident was on Jan. 30, 1984, when a repositioning flight from Terre Haute, Indiana to Evansville, Indiana crashed shortly after takeoff from Hulman Regional Airport in Terre Haute. Three Britt employees were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board could not determine the cause of the crash but found unauthorized wiring in the plane debris. The plane, N63Z, was destroyed.

• On September 11, 1991,Continental Express Flight 2574,operated by a Britt AirwaysEmbraer 120 Brasilia,crashed while descending intoHouston Intercontinental Airportafter a domestic flight fromLaredo, Texas,killing all 14 occupants. An investigation by theNational Transportation Safety Boardfound that an improperly-maintained horizontal stabilizer failed during approach, causing a severe nose-down pitchover and breakup of the plane.

See also

• List of defunct airlines of the United States

Bibliography

• Eastwood, Tony.Turboprop Airliner Production List.1998. The Aviation Hobby Shop.ISBN0-907178-69-3.