Wings Airways

Wings Airways was a commuter airline based out of Wings Field in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

Wings Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
WQ WAW WING SHUTTLE
Founded1976
Commenced operationsFebruary 21, 1977
Ceased operationsEarly 1991
Operating basesBlue Bell, Pennsylvania
Fleet size3 different types of aircraft.
HeadquartersBlue Bell, Pennsylvania
Key peopleHenry McNeil, Richard Fox, William Arner

The airline focused primarily on shuttling passengers to nearby airports throughout the region. Wings Airways promised faster commute times to and from major airports for those living in neighboring suburban areas of Philadelphia. The primary route served by the air carrier was the short hop between Wings Field (KLOM) (BBX) in Blue Bell and the Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL)(PHL) which was a flight of less than 15 minutes. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, Wings operated a high frequency shuttle service between LOM and PHL with up to 22 round trip flights on weekdays.[1]

However, the airline then shutdown during the early 1990s due to the construction of Interstate 476 and other highways and freeways in the greater Philadelphia area, which made it easier for those living in the suburbs to access Philadelphia International Airport. According to a publication by 2004 newsletter from Wings Field, there were 152 operations a day at Wings Field (55,540 for the year) during the airline's peak in 1990.[2]

Fleet
Wings Airways Fleet
Aircraft Total
Britten-Norman Trislander 4
Britten-Norman Islander 6
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 1

All three of the above aircraft types featured short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance. Wings Airways was one of the few commuter airlines in the U.S. to operate the Trislander in scheduled passenger service.

Destinations

United States:

See timetables at http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/usc/wings.htm

See also

References
  1. departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 & Dec. 15, 1989 editions of the Official Airline Guide (OAG), Blue Bell-Philadelphia flight schedules
  2. Wings Connections - Vol. 1, Summer 2004
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