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{{Short description|Defunct regional airline of Taiwan (1966–1999)}}
{{Infobox Airline
| airline=Formosa Airlines
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Formosa Airlines
| logo=
| image = Formosa Airlines Fokker 100 B-12292 at Taiwan Taipei Sung Shan in October 2000 (cropped).jpg
| logo_size=
| image_size = 250
| fleet_size=
| fleet_size =
| destinations=
| destinations =
| IATA=VY
| IATA = VY
| ICAO=FOS
| ICAO = FOS
| callsign=
| callsign =
| founded=1966
| ceased=1999<br><small>(merged into [[Mandarin Airlines]]</small>)
| founded = {{start date|1966|05|05}}<br />{{small|(as ''Yung Shing Airlines'')}}
| commenced = {{start date|1966|07|01}}
⚫
| headquarters=[[Taipei]]
| ceased = {{end date|1999|08|08}}<br />{{small|(merged into [[Mandarin Airlines]])}}
⚫
| key_people=
⚫
| headquarters = [[Taipei]]
⚫
| bases=[[Taipei Songshan Airport]]<br>[[Kaohsiung International Airport|Kaohsiung Airport]]
⚫
| key_people =
⚫
| website=
| bases = {{ubl|
⚫
| {{nowrap|[[Kaohsiung International Airport|Kaohsiung]]}}
| {{nowrap|[[Taipei Songshan Airport|Taipei–Songshan]]}}}}
⚫
| website =
}}
}}


'''Formosa Airlines''' ({{zh|t=國華航空|p=Guóhuá Hángkōng}}) was a regional airline from [[Taiwan]], operating an extensive network of domestic routes out of its bases at [[Taipei Songshan Airport]] and [[Kaohsiung International Airport]].<ref name=routemap>[http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=TSA-KHH;+TSA-KYD;+TSA-RMQ;+TSA-TTT;+KHH-CMJ;+KHH-MZG;+KHH-KYD;+KHH-TTT;+TTT-HUN;+TTT-MZG;+GNI-TTT;+TTT-KYD;+MZG-CMJ 1993 route map of Formosa Airlines, created using the Great Circle Mapper]</ref><ref name=fg93>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=24 March 1993|page=94|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1993/1993%20-%200616.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Its headquarters were in [[Taipei]].<ref>J Carr, D.. Walsh, Graham & Whiteside, Limited, J. L. Murphy, A.. Lim. ''Major Companies of the Far East and Australasia, Volume 2''. [[Graham & Trotman]], 1990. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=QIQnAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Formosa+Airlines%22+website&dq=%22Formosa+Airlines%22+website&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OMpRU5yZGIHSOaWtgLAK&ved=0CEsQ6AEwAg 1055]. "FORMOSA AIRLINES CORPORATION 12Fl 1 Nanking East Road, Section 4, Taipei"</ref>
'''Formosa Airlines''' ({{zh|t=國華航空|p=Guóhuá Hángkōng}}) was a Taiwanese [[regional airline]] operating an extensive network of domestic routes out of its bases at [[Taipei Songshan Airport]] and [[Kaohsiung International Airport]].<ref name=routemap>[http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=TSA-KHH;+TSA-KYD;+TSA-RMQ;+TSA-TTT;+KHH-CMJ;+KHH-MZG;+KHH-KYD;+KHH-TTT;+TTT-HUN;+TTT-MZG;+GNI-TTT;+TTT-KYD;+MZG-CMJ 1993 route map of Formosa Airlines, created using the Great Circle Mapper]</ref><ref name=fg93>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=24 March 1993|page=94|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1993/1993%20-%200616.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Its headquarters were in [[Taipei]].<ref>J Carr, D.. Walsh, Graham & Whiteside, Limited, J. L. Murphy, A.. Lim. ''Major Companies of the Far East and Australasia, Volume 2''. [[Graham & Trotman]], 1990. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=QIQnAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Formosa+Airlines%22+website 1055]. "FORMOSA AIRLINES CORPORATION 12Fl 1 Nanking East Road, Section 4, Taipei"</ref>


==History==
==History==
[[File:Dornier 328-110, Formosa Airlines AN0205271.jpg|thumb|Formosa Airlines Dornier 328-110]]
[[File:Dornier 328-110, Formosa Airlines AN0205271.jpg|thumb|Formosa Airlines Dornier 328-110 in 1996]]
The company was founded on 5 May 1966 as '''Yung Shing Airlines''' ({{zh|c=永興航空|p=Yǒngxīng Hángkōng}}),<ref name="atdb">[http://www.aerotransport.org Information about Formosa Airlines at the Aero Transport Data Bank.]</ref> and revenue operations commenced on 1 July.<ref name=fg99>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=31 March 1999|page=75|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1999/1999%20-%200795.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> For the first decade of its existence, only [[Aerial application|crop dusting]] services were offered, before turning towards passenger flights.<ref name=fg96>{{cite news|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1996/1996%20-%200795.html|accessdate=10 September 2013|newspaper=[[Flight International]]|date=3 April 1996|pages=59–60}}</ref> With its small fleet of [[Britten-Norman Islander]] and [[Cessna 404 Titan|Cessna 404]]s, Yung Shing Airlines served a number of domestic destinations, most notably linking [[Taitung City]] with outlying [[Orchid Island]] and [[Green Island, Taiwan|Green Island]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Information about Yung Shing Airlines|url=http://rzjets.net/operators/?show=7667|publisher=rzjets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> In 1983, the [[Dornier Do 228]] joined the fleet, which would remain an important part for the airline's operations throughout the years.<ref name=rz>{{cite web|title=Information about Formosa Airlines|url=http://rzjets.net/operators/?show=534|publisher=rzjets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>
The company was founded on 5 May 1966 as '''Yung Shing Airlines''' ({{zh|c=永興航空|p=Yǒngxīng Hángkōng}}),<ref name="atdb">[http://www.aerotransport.org Information about Formosa Airlines at the Aero Transport Data Bank.]</ref> and revenue operations commenced on 1 July.<ref name=fg99>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=31 March 1999|page=75|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1999/1999%20-%200795.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> For the first decade of its existence, only [[Aerial application|crop dusting]] services were offered, before turning towards passenger flights.<ref name=fg96>{{cite news|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1996/1996%20-%200795.html|accessdate=10 September 2013|newspaper=[[Flight International]]|date=3 April 1996|pages=59–60}}</ref> With its small fleet of [[Britten-Norman Islander]] and [[Cessna 404 Titan|Cessna 404]]s, Yung Shing Airlines served a number of domestic destinations, most notably linking [[Taitung City]] with outlying [[Orchid Island]] and [[Green Island, Taiwan|Green Island]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Information about Yung Shing Airlines|url=http://rzjets.net/operators/?show=7667|publisher=rzjets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> In 1983, the [[Dornier 228]] joined the fleet, which would remain an important part for the airline's operations throughout the years.<ref name=rz>{{cite web|title=Information about Formosa Airlines|url=http://rzjets.net/operators/?show=534|publisher=rzjets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>


On 8 August 1987, the company was renamed '''Formosa Airlines''' (reflecting the historic name for Taiwan) and moved its headquarters to [[Taipei]], with the city's [[Taipei Songshan Airport|Songshan Airport]] becoming its primary base.<ref name=rz/> In 1988, Formosa Airlines became the first Far Eastern operator of the [[Saab 340]], with a capacity of 37 passengers its by then-largest aircraft type.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Far East breakthrough|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=23 January 1988|page=6|accessdate=10 September 2013|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%200118.html}}</ref> by 1996, this subfleet had grown to nine planes.<ref name=fg96/> Plans for turning the airline into a [[Hong Kong]]-registered company in order to be able to transport passengers between Taiwan and [[China]] were brought forth in 1989, but did not materialize.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Hong Kong competition rises|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=27 May 1989|page=20|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%201546.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Formosa Airline became a jet aircraft operator in 1995, when two 109-seat [[Fokker 100]]s were acquired, along with 5 smaller [[Fokker 50]] [[turboprop]] airliners.<ref name=af>{{cite web|title=Formosa Airlines fleet detail|url=http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Formosa%20Airlines.htm|publisher=airfleets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Formosa orders Fokkers for fleet|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=26 July 1995|page=9|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%202162.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>
On 8 August 1987, the company was renamed Formosa Airlines (reflecting the historic name for Taiwan) and moved its headquarters to [[Taipei]], with the city's [[Taipei Songshan Airport|Songshan Airport]] becoming its primary base.<ref name=rz/> In 1988, Formosa Airlines became the first Far Eastern operator of the [[Saab 340]], with a capacity of 37 passengers its by then-largest aircraft type.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Far East breakthrough|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=23 January 1988|page=6|accessdate=10 September 2013|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%200118.html}}</ref> by 1996, this subfleet had grown to nine planes.<ref name=fg96/> Plans for turning the airline into a Hong Kong-registered company in order to be able to transport passengers between Taiwan and China were brought forth in 1989, but did not materialize.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Hong Kong competition rises|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=27 May 1989|page=20|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%201546.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Formosa Airlines became a jet aircraft operator in 1995, when two 109-seat [[Fokker 100]]s were acquired, along with 5 smaller [[Fokker 50]] [[turboprop]] airliners.<ref name=af>{{cite web|title=Formosa Airlines fleet detail|url=http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Formosa%20Airlines.htm|publisher=airfleets.net|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Formosa orders Fokkers for fleet|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=26 July 1995|page=9|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%202162.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>


In July 1996, [[China Airlines]] acquired a 41 percent stake in Formosa Airlines and took over the management, aiming at thus improving Formosa's inferior safety record (see below) and developing [[Kaohsiung International Airport]] into a domestic [[airline hub|hub]].<ref name=merger2>{{cite journal|title=Domestic upheavals|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=8 April 1998|pages=33–35|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200949.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> When [[EVA Air]], the major competitor of China Airlines, merged its domestic subsidiaries to create [[Uni Air]] in 1998, a similar merger was announced for Formosa Airlines and [[Mandarin Airlines]], with the latter name to be kept.<ref name=merger>{{cite journal|title=Mandarin/Formosa set to merge in June|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=18 November 1998|page=14|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%203076.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> On 8 August 1999, the merger was finalized:<ref name=rz/><ref>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flightglobal]]|date=4 April 2000|page=82|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%201086.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Formosa Airlines with its then 620 employees and a number of short haul aircraft were combined with Mandarin's, with all long haul planes of Mandarin Airlines being handed over to China Airlines.<ref name=fg99/><ref name=merger/>
In July 1996, [[China Airlines]] acquired a 41 percent stake in Formosa Airlines and took over the management, aiming at thus improving Formosa's inferior safety record (see below) and developing [[Kaohsiung International Airport]] into a domestic [[airline hub|hub]].<ref name=merger2>{{cite journal|title=Domestic upheavals|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=8 April 1998|pages=33–35|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200949.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> When [[EVA Air]], the major competitor of China Airlines, merged its domestic subsidiaries to create [[Uni Air]] in 1998, a similar merger was announced for Formosa Airlines and [[Mandarin Airlines]], with the latter name to be kept.<ref name=merger>{{cite journal|title=Mandarin/Formosa set to merge in June|journal=[[Flight International]]|date=18 November 1998|page=14|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%203076.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> On 8 August 1999, the merger was finalized:<ref name=rz/><ref>{{cite journal|title=World airline directory: Formosa Airlines|journal=[[Flightglobal]]|date=4 April 2000|page=82|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%201086.html|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref> Formosa Airlines with its then 620 employees and a number of short haul aircraft were combined with Mandarin's, with all long haul planes of Mandarin Airlines being handed over to China Airlines.<ref name=fg99/><ref name=merger/>
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==Fleet==
==Fleet==
Prior to merger:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Formosa%20Airlines.htm |title=Formosa Airlines Fleet |publisher=Airfleets}}</ref>
Prior to merger:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Formosa%20Airlines.htm |title=Formosa Airlines Fleet |publisher=Airfleets}}</ref>
*9 [[Saab 340]] (1 crashed)
*9 [[Saab 340]] (1 [[Formosa Airlines Flight 7623|crashed]])
*2 [[Dornier 228]] (both crashed)
*2 [[Dornier 228]] (both crashed)
*7 [[Fokker 50]]
*7 [[Fokker 50]]
Line 79: Line 83:
==Accidents and incidents==
==Accidents and incidents==
* On 9 October 1983, a [[Britten-Norman Islander]] ([[aircraft registration|registered]] B-12202) of Yung Shing Airlines was damaged beyond repair in a landing incident at [[Lanyu Airport|Orchid Island Airport]]. The twelve people on board survived.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19831009-0 1983 Yung Shin Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* On 9 October 1983, a [[Britten-Norman Islander]] ([[aircraft registration|registered]] B-12202) of Yung Shing Airlines was damaged beyond repair in a landing incident at [[Lanyu Airport|Orchid Island Airport]]. The twelve people on board survived.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19831009-0 1983 Yung Shin Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* Another accident at Orchid Island involving a Formosa Airlines aircraft (the company had been renamed by then) occurred on 14 August 1990. A cargo-configured [[Dornier Do 228]] (registered B-12268) was approaching the airport when it crashed 15 meters short of the runway threshold, killing the two pilots.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19900814-0 1990 Formosa Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* Another accident at Orchid Island involving a Formosa Airlines aircraft (the company had been renamed by then) occurred on 14 August 1990. A cargo-configured [[Dornier 228]] (registered B-12268) was approaching the airport when it crashed 15 meters short of the runway threshold, killing the two pilots.<ref>
[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19900814-0 1990 Formosa Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* On 28 February 1993, the six people&mdash;two pilots and four passengers&mdash;on board a Do 228 (registered B-12238) died when the aircraft crashed into the sea during a landing attempt at Orchid Island in heavy rain.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930228-0 February 1993 Formosa Airlines crash at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* On June 27, 1989, a Cessna 404 was climbing but the engine failed, the airline crashed into a residential area near Kaohsiung Airport killing 11 of the 12 onboard and 1 fatality on the ground, the cause was an engine failure.
* On 28 February 1993, the six people&mdash;two pilots and four passengers&mdash;on board a Dornier 228 (registered B-12238) died when the aircraft crashed into the sea during a landing attempt at Orchid Island in heavy rain.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930228-0 February 1993 Formosa Airlines crash at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* Another Formosa Airlines Do-228 (registered B-12298) was damaged beyond repair when its undercarriage collided with an airport fence in a landing attempt at [[Lyudao Airport|Green Island Airport]] on 14 June 1993. The 20 passengers and two pilots that had been on the scheduled passenger flight from [[Taitung City]] survived.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930614-0 June 1993 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* Another Formosa Airlines Dornier 228 (registered B-12298) was damaged beyond repair when its undercarriage collided with an airport fence in a landing attempt at [[Lyudao Airport|Green Island Airport]] on 14 June 1993. The 20 passengers and two pilots that had been on the scheduled passenger flight from [[Taitung City]] survived.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930614-0 June 1993 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* In 1995, Formosa Airlines suffered the write-off of two of its Do 228 in only three days. On 15 June, a [[belly landing]] incident occurred at [[Taitung Airport]] at 15:07 local time. The airplane with the registration B-12288 had originated at Green Island.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950615-0 15 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref> On 18 June, the pilots of the airliner registered B-12208 lost control during taxiing at Green Island Airport, resulting in the Dornier running into a ditch.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950618-0 18 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref> Each flight had 17 passengers on board, all of which survived.
* In 1995, Formosa Airlines suffered the write-off of two of its Dornier 228s in only three days. On 15 June, a [[belly landing]] incident occurred at [[Taitung Airport]] at 15:07 local time. The airplane with the registration B-12288 had originated at Green Island.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950615-0 15 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref> On 18 June, the pilots of the airliner registered B-12208 lost control during taxiing at Green Island Airport, resulting in the Dornier running into a ditch.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950618-0 18 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref> Each flight had 17 passengers on board, all of which survived.
* On 5 April 1996, six passengers of '''Flight 7613''' from [[Taipei]] lost their lives when the aircraft, a Do 228 registered B-12257, crashed into the sea off [[Matsu Beigan Airport]] at 16:25 local time. In poor visibility conditions, the pilots had descended too steeply. There were eleven survivors.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19960405-1 1996 accident at the Aviation Safety Network]</ref>
* On 5 April 1996, six passengers of '''[[Formosa Airlines Flight 7613|Flight 7613]]''' from [[Taipei]] lost their lives when the aircraft, a Dornier 228 registered B-12257, crashed into the sea off [[Matsu Beigan Airport]] at 16:25 local time. In poor visibility conditions, the pilots had descended too steeply. There were eleven survivors.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19960405-1 1996 accident at the Aviation Safety Network]</ref>
* The worst accident in the history of Formosa Airlines happened on 10 August 1997, again on the Taipei-Matsu route. At 08:33 local time, '''[[Formosa Airlines Flight 7601|Flight 7601]]''' (a Do 228, registered B-12256) hit treetops and a water tower following an aborted landing attempt in a heavy rainstorm. All persons on board (two pilots and fourteen passengers) died when the airplane crashed 1 kilometer off Matsu Beigan Airport and erupted into fire.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19970810-0 1997 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* The worst accident in the history of Formosa Airlines happened on 10 August 1997, again on the Taipei-Matsu route. At 08:33 local time, [[Formosa Airlines Flight 7601|'''Flight 7601''']] (a Dornier 228, registered B-12256) hit treetops and a water tower following an aborted landing attempt in a heavy rainstorm. All persons on board (two pilots and fourteen passengers) died when the airplane crashed 1 kilometer off Matsu Beigan Airport and erupted into fire.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19970810-0 1997 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.]</ref>
* Following another air disaster killing 13 people on 18 March 1998, Formosa Airlines was grounded until 1 April,<ref name=merger2/> as it was determined that the pilots had not complied with the [[standard operating procedure]]. The [[Saab 340]] (registered B-12255) with eight passengers and five crew members on board crashed a few minutes into a scheduled passenger flight from [[Hsinchu]] to [[Kaohsiung]], at 19:32 local time. During the [[Preflight Planning Dispatch Checklist|pre-flight check]], the pilots had noticed that several systems were unavailable, including the [[autopilot]] and [[electronic flight instrument system]] (EFIS). Violating the [[Master minimum equipment list|minimum equipment list]], according to which the aircraft should have been considered to be in a non-flyable condition, the pilots decided to take-off nevertheless. In flight, the aircraft proved to behave in an unpredicted way, as the [[leading edge]]s of the wings could not be kept at equal temperatures because of the failing [[bleed air]] supply, causing a loss of control.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980318-0 1998 Formosa Airlines plane crash at the Aviation Safety Network]</ref>
* Following another air disaster of '''[[Formosa Airlines Flight 7623|Flight 7623]]''', killing 13 people on 18 March 1998, Formosa Airlines was grounded until 1 April,<ref name=merger2/> as it was determined that the pilots had not complied with the [[standard operating procedure]]. The [[Saab 340]] (registered B-12255) with eight passengers and five crew members on board crashed a few minutes into a scheduled passenger flight from [[Hsinchu]] to [[Kaohsiung]], at 19:32 local time. During the [[Preflight Planning Dispatch Checklist|pre-flight check]], the pilots had noticed that several systems were unavailable, including the [[autopilot]] and [[electronic flight instrument system]] (EFIS). Violating the [[Master minimum equipment list|minimum equipment list]], according to which the aircraft should have been considered to be in a non-flyable condition, the pilots decided to take-off nevertheless. In flight, the aircraft proved to behave in an unpredicted way, as the [[leading edge]]s of the wings could not be kept at equal temperatures because of the failing [[bleed air]] supply, causing a loss of control.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980318-0 1998 Formosa Airlines plane crash at the Aviation Safety Network]</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 15:51, 22 October 2024

Formosa Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
VY FOS —
FoundedMay 5, 1966 (1966-05-05)
(as Yung Shing Airlines)
Commenced operationsJuly 1, 1966 (1966-07-01)
Ceased operationsAugust 8, 1999 (1999-08-08)
(merged into Mandarin Airlines)
Operating bases
HeadquartersTaipei

Formosa Airlines (Chinese: 國華航空; pinyin: Guóhuá Hángkōng) was a Taiwanese regional airline operating an extensive network of domestic routes out of its bases at Taipei Songshan Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport.[1][2] Its headquarters were in Taipei.[3]

History

[edit]
Formosa Airlines Dornier 328-110 in 1996

The company was founded on 5 May 1966 as Yung Shing Airlines (Chinese: 永興航空; pinyin: Yǒngxīng Hángkōng),[4] and revenue operations commenced on 1 July.[5] For the first decade of its existence, only crop dusting services were offered, before turning towards passenger flights.[6] With its small fleet of Britten-Norman Islander and Cessna 404s, Yung Shing Airlines served a number of domestic destinations, most notably linking Taitung City with outlying Orchid Island and Green Island.[7] In 1983, the Dornier 228 joined the fleet, which would remain an important part for the airline's operations throughout the years.[8]

On 8 August 1987, the company was renamed Formosa Airlines (reflecting the historic name for Taiwan) and moved its headquarters to Taipei, with the city's Songshan Airport becoming its primary base.[8] In 1988, Formosa Airlines became the first Far Eastern operator of the Saab 340, with a capacity of 37 passengers its by then-largest aircraft type.[9] by 1996, this subfleet had grown to nine planes.[6] Plans for turning the airline into a Hong Kong-registered company in order to be able to transport passengers between Taiwan and China were brought forth in 1989, but did not materialize.[10] Formosa Airlines became a jet aircraft operator in 1995, when two 109-seat Fokker 100s were acquired, along with 5 smaller Fokker 50 turboprop airliners.[11][12]

In July 1996, China Airlines acquired a 41 percent stake in Formosa Airlines and took over the management, aiming at thus improving Formosa's inferior safety record (see below) and developing Kaohsiung International Airport into a domestic hub.[13] When EVA Air, the major competitor of China Airlines, merged its domestic subsidiaries to create Uni Air in 1998, a similar merger was announced for Formosa Airlines and Mandarin Airlines, with the latter name to be kept.[14] On 8 August 1999, the merger was finalized:[8][15] Formosa Airlines with its then 620 employees and a number of short haul aircraft were combined with Mandarin's, with all long haul planes of Mandarin Airlines being handed over to China Airlines.[5][14]

Destinations

[edit]

During the 1990s, Formosa Airlines operated scheduled flights to the following domestic destinations:[2]

Location Airport(s)
Green Island Lyudao Airport
Hualien City Hualien Airport
Kaohsiung City Kaohsiung International Airport
(secondary base)[1][2]
Kinmen Kinmen Airport[6]
Magong Magong Airport
Orchid Island Lanyu Airport
Qimei Qimei Airport
Taichung Taichung Airport
Taipei Taipei Songshan Airport
(primary base)
Taitung City Taitung Airport

Fleet

[edit]

Prior to merger:[16]

Historic fleet

[edit]

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
  • On 9 October 1983, a Britten-Norman Islander (registered B-12202) of Yung Shing Airlines was damaged beyond repair in a landing incident at Orchid Island Airport. The twelve people on board survived.[17]
  • Another accident at Orchid Island involving a Formosa Airlines aircraft (the company had been renamed by then) occurred on 14 August 1990. A cargo-configured Dornier 228 (registered B-12268) was approaching the airport when it crashed 15 meters short of the runway threshold, killing the two pilots.[18]
  • On June 27, 1989, a Cessna 404 was climbing but the engine failed, the airline crashed into a residential area near Kaohsiung Airport killing 11 of the 12 onboard and 1 fatality on the ground, the cause was an engine failure.
  • On 28 February 1993, the six people—two pilots and four passengers—on board a Dornier 228 (registered B-12238) died when the aircraft crashed into the sea during a landing attempt at Orchid Island in heavy rain.[19]
  • Another Formosa Airlines Dornier 228 (registered B-12298) was damaged beyond repair when its undercarriage collided with an airport fence in a landing attempt at Green Island Airport on 14 June 1993. The 20 passengers and two pilots that had been on the scheduled passenger flight from Taitung City survived.[20]
  • In 1995, Formosa Airlines suffered the write-off of two of its Dornier 228s in only three days. On 15 June, a belly landing incident occurred at Taitung Airport at 15:07 local time. The airplane with the registration B-12288 had originated at Green Island.[21] On 18 June, the pilots of the airliner registered B-12208 lost control during taxiing at Green Island Airport, resulting in the Dornier running into a ditch.[22] Each flight had 17 passengers on board, all of which survived.
  • On 5 April 1996, six passengers of Flight 7613 from Taipei lost their lives when the aircraft, a Dornier 228 registered B-12257, crashed into the sea off Matsu Beigan Airport at 16:25 local time. In poor visibility conditions, the pilots had descended too steeply. There were eleven survivors.[23]
  • The worst accident in the history of Formosa Airlines happened on 10 August 1997, again on the Taipei-Matsu route. At 08:33 local time, Flight 7601 (a Dornier 228, registered B-12256) hit treetops and a water tower following an aborted landing attempt in a heavy rainstorm. All persons on board (two pilots and fourteen passengers) died when the airplane crashed 1 kilometer off Matsu Beigan Airport and erupted into fire.[24]
  • Following another air disaster of Flight 7623, killing 13 people on 18 March 1998, Formosa Airlines was grounded until 1 April,[13] as it was determined that the pilots had not complied with the standard operating procedure. The Saab 340 (registered B-12255) with eight passengers and five crew members on board crashed a few minutes into a scheduled passenger flight from Hsinchu to Kaohsiung, at 19:32 local time. During the pre-flight check, the pilots had noticed that several systems were unavailable, including the autopilot and electronic flight instrument system (EFIS). Violating the minimum equipment list, according to which the aircraft should have been considered to be in a non-flyable condition, the pilots decided to take-off nevertheless. In flight, the aircraft proved to behave in an unpredicted way, as the leading edges of the wings could not be kept at equal temperatures because of the failing bleed air supply, causing a loss of control.[25]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Formosa Airlines.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b 1993 route map of Formosa Airlines, created using the Great Circle Mapper
  2. ^ a b c "World airline directory: Formosa Airlines". Flight International: 94. 24 March 1993. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. ^ J Carr, D.. Walsh, Graham & Whiteside, Limited, J. L. Murphy, A.. Lim. Major Companies of the Far East and Australasia, Volume 2. Graham & Trotman, 1990. p. 1055. "FORMOSA AIRLINES CORPORATION 12Fl 1 Nanking East Road, Section 4, Taipei"
  4. ^ Information about Formosa Airlines at the Aero Transport Data Bank.
  5. ^ a b "World airline directory: Formosa Airlines". Flight International: 75. 31 March 1999. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "World airline directory: Formosa Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 1996. pp. 59–60. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Information about Yung Shing Airlines". rzjets.net. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  8. ^ a b c "Information about Formosa Airlines". rzjets.net. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Far East breakthrough". Flight International: 6. 23 January 1988. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Hong Kong competition rises". Flight International: 20. 27 May 1989. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  11. ^ "Formosa Airlines fleet detail". airfleets.net. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Formosa orders Fokkers for fleet". Flight International: 9. 26 July 1995. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  13. ^ a b "Domestic upheavals". Flight International: 33–35. 8 April 1998. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Mandarin/Formosa set to merge in June". Flight International: 14. 18 November 1998. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  15. ^ "World airline directory: Formosa Airlines". Flightglobal: 82. 4 April 2000. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  16. ^ "Formosa Airlines Fleet". Airfleets.
  17. ^ 1983 Yung Shin Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  18. ^ 1990 Formosa Airlines accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  19. ^ February 1993 Formosa Airlines crash at the Aviation Safety Network.
  20. ^ June 1993 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  21. ^ 15 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  22. ^ 18 June 1995 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  23. ^ 1996 accident at the Aviation Safety Network
  24. ^ 1997 accident at the Aviation Safety Network.
  25. ^ 1998 Formosa Airlines plane crash at the Aviation Safety Network
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