web-catalog        Post DeRegulation Air Mail First Flights         Ozark Air Lines

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page US027Ozark (Revised 01/29/2008)

Background: The Airline Deregulation Act took effect of December 1, 1978. The main purpose of the Act was to remove government control from commercial aviation and expose the passenger airline industry to market forces. This Act changed the face of civil aviation in the US. Air Mail would continue to be carried by Air Carriers but the old system of CAM and FAM routes would evolve into Air Mail flown by individual US airlines to both domestic and foreign destinations.

Ozark Airlines was originally an intra-state carrier operating out of Springfield MO flying Beech D-17's and Cessna T-50's. It was incorporated in September 1943 but did not commence scheduled flight services until July 1950.

        AM-91 was awarded to Parks Air Lines and on September 15, 1950 it inaugurated flight service between East St Louis and Chicago IL flying DC-3's. Two weeks after Parks' first flights, on September 26, 1950 the Civil Aeronautics Board nullified the award to Parks in favor of Ozark Air Lines. Ozark moved its base to St Louis MO and absorbed Park's modest fleet of DC-3s. AM-107 was awarded to Ozark Airlines and on November 6, 1950 it began scheduled flight service between Indianapolis IN and East St Louis IL.

Douglas DC-9

OZ-D2E	781201	Saint Paul MN	Ozark Air Lines		$3.00
OZ-D2Ef	781201	Twin Cities MN	Ozark Air Lines		$3.00
OZ-D3E	781201	Rochester MN	Ozark Air Lines	Earl H Smith	$3.00
OZ-D4E	781201	Des Moines IA	Ozark Air Lines	Bob R Harrison & Earl H Smith	$3.00
OZ-D5SE	781201	Cedar Rapids IA	Ozark Air Lines	Jim S Hucko	$3.00
OZ-D6SE	781201	Moline IL	Ozark Air Lines	Jim S Hucko	$3.00
OZ-D7SE	781201	Peoria IL	Ozark Air Lines	Bob R Harrison	$3.00
OZ-D8NW	781201	Atlanta GA-Moline IL or Cedar Rapids IA	Ozark Air Lines	Earl H Smith	$3.00
OZ-D8NWf	781201	Atlanta GA-Moline IL or Cedar Rapids IA	Ozark Air Lines	Earl H Smith	$3.00
OZ-D8NE	781201	Atlanta GA-Peoria IL	Ozark Air Lines	Jim S Hucko	$5.50
OZ-D8NEf	781201	Atlanta GA-Peoria IL	Ozark Air Lines	Jim S Hucko	$4.50
OZ-D8W	781201	Atlanta GA-Des Moines IA Rochester MN or Minneapolis/Saint Paul MN	Ozark Air Lines	Bob R Harrison	$3.00
OZ-D8Wf	781201	Atlanta GA-Des Moines IA Rochester MN or Minneapolis/Saint Paul MN	Ozark Air Lines	Bob R Harrison	$3.00

        Ozark Air Lines ceased operating in October 1986 when TWA bought the carrier and took over it routes and aircraft.

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