American Flyers Airline
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American Flyers Airline was a United States airline that operated from 1949 to 1971. It initially started in Dallas with Douglas DC-3 aircraft. From 1960 to 1967 it took delivery of fifteen Lockheed Constellation and Lockheed L-188 Electra propeller aircraft. Starting in 1967 it began equipping itself with jet aircraft, starting with three Boeing 727 aircraft (one leased from Braniff International Airways). Around this time the airline moved its core operations to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. By 1970, American Flyers was operating four Douglas DC-8 Series 63CF and one Boeing 707 aircraft.
It was taken over by Universal Airlines on May 25, 1971, which in turn was absorbed by Saturn Airways the next year. Their DC-8 fleet went to Flying Tiger Line.
AFA was founded by Reed Pigman who was an early aviation pioneer that was instrumental in developing the VOR navigation system that is currently used worldwide today.
Virginia Pigman (spouse) continued to operate the American Flyers School of Aviation after Mr. Pigman's death in early 1966...
Many of the employees of both the airline and school had a very affectionate relationship with Mr. Pigman who frequently piloted the fleet of Lockheed Electra's on military charter flights nationwide...
Mr. Pigman's demise was a result of an inflight incompacitation that ultimately resulted in the loss of many military transients that were being flown under a Department Of Defence contract charter from an east coast location enroute to Fort Ord, California with a service stop and crew change in Ardmore, Oklahoma...
Existing weather at Ardmore that faithful evening was scattered thunderstorms, tornado warnings and also indications of wind sheer in the approach route to Ardmore Airport...
There is a memorial at the Ardmore Airpark for the crew and passengers that were involved in this tragic fatality.
For more details contact leehhiltoniii@bellsouth.net
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