Karair

Karair was an airline from Finland. Initially having offered scheduled passenger flights, the company became a subsidiary of Finnair, mainly operating on holiday charter routes.

Karair

IATA ICAO Call sign KR KAR —
Founded	1947
Ceased operations	1996 (merged into Finnair)
Hubs	Helsinki Airport
Parent company	Finnair (since 1963)
Headquarters	Helsinki, Finland
Key people	Niilo and Valto Karhumäki (founders)

History

Niilo and Valto Karhumäki, the later founders of the airline, in 1927.

Originally called Karhumäki Airways, the company was founded in 1947 as a subsidiary of Veljekset Karhumäki Oy, an aircraft manufacturing and maintenance company owned by Niilo and Valto Karhumäki. In June 1951 scheduled services began between Helsinki and Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Vaasa and Sundsvall.^[1] Initially operating on domestic routes with a fleet of four Douglas DC-3 and two Convair CV-440 Metropolitan airliners, the first international flight (to Stockholm) took place in 1951, which was followed by holiday flights to Málaga.

In 1956 the airline was reorganised as Kar-Air OY and started operations in January 1957.^[1] A Swedish subsidiary was established, which from 1961 onwards operated a single Douglas DC-6 on chartered flights to Southern Europe. In 1962, Aero O/Y acquired a 27 percent stake in Kar-Air,^[2] which was increased to 51 percent over the following years, since Kar-Air had encountered financial difficulties when its two Metropolitans were damaged in hard landings and had to be taken out of service for a period in 1963. The new majority owner demanded Kar-Air to cease domestic flying, concentrating on charter flights (mainly to the Mediterranean) holiday resorts instead. For this purpose, Aero O/Y handed over two of its own DC-6 aircraft, which Kar-Air also used for multiple stopover round-the-world flights.

Douglas DC-6B of Kar-Air with open swing tail, Düsseldorf Airport in 1976

The DC-6s remained the backbone of the Kar-Air passenger fleet until 1972, when the jet age was joined with the introduction of the 189-seat Douglas DC-8. One DC-6 was re-configured with a swing tail unit for cargo transport purposes and stayed with the airline until 1980, mainly operating freight flights for Finnair to the UK and other European destinations, when cargo flights were taken over by Finnair (as Aero O/Y was named by then). In the same year, the airline underwent another rebranding, being known as Karair, also styled KarAir henceforth.^[2] Over the following years, Karair reduced its fleet, because charter contracts with Finnair had been terminated.

In 1986, two Airbus A300 wide-body airliners joined the Karair fleet,^[3] which again were leased from Finnair and deployed on holiday charter flights. Finnair's plans with Karair changed from 1989, when the first of six ATR 72 short-haul turboprop aircraft was added to the fleet, and the A300s in turn left the following year.^[3] From then, scheduled domestic passenger flights on behalf of Finnair were operated.

In 1990, Finnair acquired further shares to hold a total of 90 percent of the Karair stake,^[2] which was further increased to 97.6 percent in 1993. These period saw financial problems because of the recession of the early 1990s, which led to Finnair announcing a full take-over of Karair in December 1995.^[2] Subsequently, the Karair fleet and the airline's operations were merged into Finnair, a move which was completed in September 1996. In 2002, a court^[which?] deemed the take-over illegal, and Finnair was forced to salvage the remaining Karair stocks.

Destinations

A Kar-Air Douglas DC-3 arriving at Stockholm-Bromma Airport 1968.

Between 1950 and 1963 (when Aero O/Y had not yet acquired the majority stake), Kar-Air operated scheduled flights to the following destinations, with further ones accessible on co-operative flights of SAS and Aero O/Y:^[4]

Finland

• Helsinki - Helsinki Airport (hub)
• Joensuu - Joensuu Airport
• Kauhava - Kauhava Airport
• Kokkola - Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport
• Lappeenranta - Lappeenranta Airport
• Tampere - Tampere-Pirkkala Airport
• Vaasa - Vaasa Airport

Luxemburg

• Luxembourg - Findel Airport

Spain

• Barcelona - Barcelona El Prat Airport
• Málaga - Málaga Airport
• Tenerife - Los Rodeos Airport

Sweden

• Gothenburg - Gothenburg City Airport
• Stockholm - Stockholm-Bromma Airport (focus city)
• Sundsvall - Sundsvall-Härnösand Airport

Kar-Air was not only operating passenger and cargo services, but until also ore-finding flights using a Lockheed Lodestar (until 1972), a Douglas DC-3 (1972-1980), and after that a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.

Fleet

Kar-Air Lockheed Lodestar at Helsinki Airport in 1980

Karair Convair CV-440 prior delivery, California in 1957

Karair Douglas DC-8 at Birmingham Airport in 1979

Karair Airbus A300 at Faro Airport in 1991

Karair ATR 72 at Helsinki Airport in 1990

Fleet of Karhumäki Brothers

Listing of the fleet of Karhumäki Brothers Oy during 1949–2002, according to Tervonen:^[5]

Fleet of Karhumäki Brothers
Aircraft type	Registration	Built	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Further information	Removed from Finnish register
Karhu -48/38b “Tavi”	OH-VKL/OH-KUA	1949	1959	1961 (sold)	Currently in the Finnish Aviation Museum	1973
VL Viima II/IIB	OH-VKS/OH-VIA	1951	1951	1959	Sold	1964
Lockheed L-18-56 Lodestar	OH-VKU	1940	1953	1972	In the Finnish Aviation Museum	1972
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper	OH-VKA	1941	1954	1957	Transferred to Kar-Air	1969
Douglas DC-3A-214	OH-VKB	1945–46	1954	1957	Transferred to Kar-Air	1971
Douglas DC-3D	OH-VKC	1945–46	1954	1957	Transferred to Kar-Air	1971
Piper PA-18A 150 Super Cub	OH-VKV	1960	1960	1975	Used as towing aircraft
Lockheed L-18-56 Lodestar	—	1940	1961	1961	Used for spare parts
Aero Commander S-2R-T34 Thrush Commander	OH-VKY	1973	1973	1974	Sold to Sweden	1978
Cessna A188B Agtruck	OH-VKZ	1974	1974	1976	Destroyed	1977
Cessna A188B Agtruck	OH-VKT/OH-CIX	1975	1975	1976	Sold to Finnaviation	1985
Cessna T188C AgHusky	OH-VKW	1980	1981	1987	Sold
Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee B	OH-PDW	1965	1984	1988	Owned by the Finnish Sports Aviation School
Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee B	OH-PDZ	1966	1984	2002 (?)		2004 (?)
Cessna A188B Agtruck	OH-CIY	1982	1989	1999		2001

Kar-Air Fleet

Listing of the Kar-Air fleet during 1957–96, according to Tervonen (2004, 2007):^[5]

Kar-Air fleet
Aircraft type	Registration	Built	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Further information	Removed from Finnish register
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper	OH-VKA	1941	1957	1969	Sold to Norway	1969
Douglas DC-3A-214	OH-VKB	1945–46	1957	1979	In Finnish Aviation Museum	1971
Douglas DC-3D	OH-VKC	1945–46	1957	1964	Sold to Sweden	1971
Convair CV-440-98 Metropolitan	OH-VKM	1957	1957	1973	Destroyed in 1995	1973
Convair CV-440-98 Metropolitan	OH-VKN/OH-LRH	1958	1958	1978	Sold to Norway	1977
Douglas C-47-DL	OH-VKD	1942	1960	1964	Sold to Norway	1969
Douglas DC-6B	OH-KDC/SE-BDX	1953	1961	1971	Sold to Belgium	1972
Douglas DC-6B	OH-KDB	1958	1965	1972	Sold to Belgium	1972
Douglas DC-6B/D6BST	OH-KDA	1957	1964	1981	Destroyed in Alaska	1982
De Havilland of Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	OH-KOA	1968	1972	1973	Scrapped	1973
Douglas DC-8-51	OH-KDM	1961	1972	1985	Sold to Belgium	1985
De Havilland of Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Mk. 300	OH-KOG	1979	1979	1996	Transferred to Finnair
Douglas DC-8-62	OH-LFZ	1968	1984	1987	Sold to United States	1987
Airbus A300B4	OH-LAA	1984	1986	1994	Transferred to Finnair	1998
Airbus A300B4	OH-LAB	1984	1987	1994	Transferred to Finnair	1998
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-KRA	1989	1990	1996	Transferred to Finnair	2005
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-KRB	1989	1990	1996	Transferred to Finnair	2005
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-KRC	1989	1990	1996	Transferred to Finnair	2005
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-LTR/OH-KRD	1990	1990	1996	Transferred to Finnair, later to Aero Airlines	2005
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-KRE	1990	1990	1996	Transferred to Finnair, later to Aero Airlines	2005
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-LTE	1987	1990	1990	Sold to France	1990
Aérospatiale ATR 72	OH-KRF	1992	1992	1996	Transferred to Finnair, later to Aero Airlines	2005

Former Kar-Air planes today

The Finnish Aviation Museum near the Helsinki-Vantaa airport had on display two Kar-Air planes, a Lockheed L-18 Lodestar OH-VKU, the “Golden Hoe”, and one of the oldest DC-3s in the world, the OH-VKB. A former Kar-Air DC-3 (OH-VKA), is to be seen at the Munich airport in Germany, however with Swissair registration, although the plane never flew for that company. A former Kar-Air Convair Metropolitan is still flying in Haiti (HH-VAH).^[6]

A sister plane of the OH-VKN has been painted in the original Kar-Air livery at the Málaga Airport, for the 50th anniversary of the airport, since OH-VKN was the first plane ever to have landed there. This “replica” is at the Málaga Airport and is owned by the Málaga Aviation Museum.^[7]

Accidents

• On 13 March 1957 a Douglas DC-3D (OH-VKC) was damaged slightly, when a Pan Am Douglas DC-6B hit the plane's rudder. However, the plane was in use until 1964.^[8]
• On 8 February 1960 flight KR-100 from Helsinki to Joensuu: a Douglas DC-53 Skytrooper (OH-VKA) stalled while take-off and was slightly damaged. The plane remained in use by the company until 1969.^[9]
• On 19 August 1963 a Convair CV-440-98 Metropolitan (OH-VKM) was damaged during landing in Helsinki. The landing took place during a thunderstorm, and the plane bounced three times, and finally its nose landing gear gave in. The plane's nose dove, both propellers touched the ground, and the plane dragged on along the runway ca. 1 300 metres.

The plane was repaired by the following January, and it was used by the company until 1973.^[10]

Karair Convair Metropolitan OH-VKN after it was damaged in landing at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

• On 21 August 1963 a second Convair CV-440-98 Metropolitan (OH-VKN) was also damaged during landing in Helsinki. The plane bounced three times on the runway, and in the last bounce the nose landing gear suffered a fracture and the left wing was bent. The plane's nose dove and the propellers touched the ground, and finally it plane was dragged to the lawn left of the runway.

One of the factors in both Convair Metropolitan accidents was the policy that the air traffic control employees had been forbidden to give a complete disclosure of the airport’s weather conditions to approaching aircraft. The information disclosed concerned only wind direction and speed, not e.g. possible thunderstorms. The pilot of OH-VKN lost sight of the runway at a critical moment due to torrential rain and a flash of lightning, due to which he could not see for a moment.

The insurance company decided to buy the plane, but in the end it was repaired and commissioned again in January 1967, after it was “crossed” with a similar plane that was bought from Yugoslavia. The plane was used by the company until 1978.^[11][12]

• On 7 November 1969 a Douglas DC-3A-214 (OH-VKB) was damaged due to stalling during take-off, when it was supposed to go on an inspection flight to check the ILS system. The left outer wing had to be repaired. The plane was used by the company until 1979.^[13]
• On 5 February 1973 a De Havilland of Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter was damaged during an emergency landing at Iinattijärvi near Pudasjärvi. Both pilots and one passenger were injured. The right engine had broken due to incorrect maintenance job in Norway.^[14][15]
• On 10 August 1974 a Piper PA-18A 150 Super Cub was damaged in Hirvivaara, Juuka due to engine failure during take-off. The plane was repaired and used by the company until 1978.^[16]
• In September 1974, an Aero Commander S-2R-T34 Thrush Commander was badly damaged during an emergency landing in Hirvivaara, Juuka. The connecting rod of the engine had been broken.^[17]
• On 14 November 1988, an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante the company had rented off to Wasawings was destroyed in a crash in Ilmajoki. The plane had two pilots and 10 passengers. The pilots and two passengers were killed. Wasawings had been breaking aviation rules repeatedly, and in the end their licence was revoked.^[18][19]
• On 21 August 1996 an Estonian Air loader was killed, when the blade of a propeller of an ATR 72 (OH-KRC) hit his head.^[20]

Legacy

Two aircraft formerly owned by Karair (a Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar and one of the oldest surviving Douglas DC-3s) is currently on display at the Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa. Another former Karair DC-3 is exhibited at Munich Airport, though painted in the colors of Swissair.

References

1. Endres, Gunter G (1982). World Airline Fleets 1983. Feltham: The Aviation Data Centre. p. 383. ISBN 0946141029.
2. Information about Karair at the Aero Transport Data Bank
3. Karair Airbus and ATR fleet list at airfleets.net
4. Selection of Kar-Air timetables, at timetableimages.com
5. Tervonen 2004, p. 210–226, Tervonen 2007, p. 194–202.
6. "Kar-Airin entinen Convair Haitissa" [‘A former Kar-Air Convair in Haiti’]. 6 September 2019.
7. "Legendaarinen Kar-Air "palasi" Malagaan" [‘The legendary Kar-Air “returned” to Malaga’]. 26 May 2014.
8. Tervonen 2004, s. 213.
9. Tervonen 2004, s. 212.
10. Tervonen 2004, s. 94–95, 215.
11. Tervonen 2004, s. 94–96, 216.
12. "Suihkukone olisi vastaavassa tilanteessa syttynyt tuleen" [‘A jet aircraft would have caught fire in a similar situation’]. Helsingin Sanomat. 23 August 2013.
13. Tervonen 2004, p. 214.
14. Tervonen 2004, s. 222.
15. 1973 accident at the Aviation Safety Network
16. Tervonen 2004, s. 218.
17. Tervonen 2004, s. 224.
18. Tervonen 2007, s. 82, 204.
19. "Kar-Air Finland". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
20. Tervonen 2007, s. 200.

Sources

• Ismo Tervonen: Veljekset Karhumäki — Suomen ilmailun pioneereina 1924–1956. (Apali 2002) ISBN 952-5026-25-6
• Ismo Tervonen: Kar-Air — tilauslentoliikenteen edelläkävijänä 1957–1980. (Apali 2004) ISBN 952-5026-40-X
• Ismo Tervonen: Karair — matkustajalentoliikenteen perinteiden vaalijana 1980–1996. (Apali 2007) ISBN 978-952-5026-64-1

External links

• The Karhumäki brothers