Los Angeles Airways (LAA) was a helicopter airline founded in October 1947 by Clarence Belinn and based in Westchester, California, which offered service to area airports throughout Southern California.

History

Los Angeles Airways commenced airmail service on October 1, 1947, followed by scheduled passenger service in November 1954, making it the world's first scheduled helicopter airline. The main hub was Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) where passengers were flown to and from local area heliports, including Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and the Newporter Resort in Newport Beach. Service was later expanded to Ontario and San Bernardino. LAA's fleet grew with the acquisition of four Sikorsky S-61's in March 1962; the airline became the first civil operator of the type, at a purchased price of $650,000 each. On October 25, 1965, the Civil Aeronautics Board granted LAA a permanent certificate to continue scheduled passenger airline operations over the greater Los Angeles area. This, in conjunction with their authority from the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct flights under instrument flight rules (IFR), gave the company more flexibility to operate at night and in poor weather. Even though LAA was granted certification by the CAB, the CAB ended the appromiatley $4.3 million per year in subsidiaries for LAA, because they deemed commercial helicopter service not viable. The company considered obtaining the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane, with detachable passenger sections, but failed to secure financing for the acquisition. In the following years the company suffered two fatal accidents, and with the failure to consummate a contract with Golden West Airlines in which it would have been purchased, Los Angeles Airways ceased operations in 1971.

Aircraft operated

Accidents