< Reveal sidebar

TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: Air Ecosse

Air Ecosse aircraft (Photo: Tim Rees – Gallery page http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-Ecosse/Short-330-200/1046777/LPhoto http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/7/7/1046777.jpg, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28492450)

In June 1977, Scottish carrier Air Ecosse took to the skies on its inaugural flight from Aberdeen to Wick, Scotland. The subsidiary of parent company Fairflight Charters, the airline operated both scheduled passenger flights and mail flights on behalf of Royal Mail.

Simply designed, many of its aircraft featured a white body with a basic red stripe running down each side, and referenced itself with slogans such as “Your Friendly Scottish Airline” and “The Businessman’s Wings,” which appeared on various timetables over the short years of its existence.

Air Ecosse’s hub was located at Aberdeen, and initial destinations included Glasgow, Manchester, Wick, Sumburgh, and Dundee. Three years into the launch of operations, the carrier expanded its route network further and began mail operations.

Over the course of its history, the airline served airports in various different countries. While the bulk of their routes focused on Scotland and England, it also served cities in the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Ireland, and Northern Ireland.

The airline operated several different short-range aircraft types, primarily the DHC-6 Twin Otter, Short 330-200, Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, Britten-Norman Trislander, and Handley Page HPR-7 Herald 209.

In November 1988, just a brief 11 years after beginning operations, the commuter airline was taken over by Peregrine Air Services Limited. It was rebranded as Aberdeen Airways, which filed for bankruptcy protection soon after and eventually failed.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff
Latest posts by AirlineGeeks.com Staff (see all)

Author

  • Ashley Magoon

    Ashley is currently a senior in high school and plans on pursuing a career in aviation or journalism. Her favorite airplanes include the Boeing 777, 737MAX, and Airbus A350. She enjoys taking flights on various airlines to different airports and planespotting at her local airports.

    View all posts

Subscribe to AirlineGeeks' Daily Check-In

Receive a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights right in your inbox.

Related Stories

How Southwest Squashed High-Speed Rail in Texas

In the early 1990s, a bullet train named the Texas TGV promised to revolutionize transportation in the Lone Star State.…

12 Years Ago: A Look Back at the United-Continental Merger

The airline industry is well-known for being cutthroat and competitive, where there are turbulent times and moments of success and…

1280px-Delta_Air_Lines_Boeing_727-225;_N8890Z@FRA;10.10.1995_(5471579532)

Remembering Delta’s Intra-European 727 Flights

Rarely does an airline operate narrow-body aircraft in regional markets outside of its home country. While this practice was more…