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~~In the immediate postwar era a surplus of trained pilots and demilitarised C-47s and C-54s led to the establishment of a huge number of supplemental airlines who basically did whatever they liked and had little interest in rules and regulations. These startups shook up the industry and began to create competition where previously there had been none. By 1960 the CAB had got most of the survivors under control and killed off most of the rest by foul means or fair.
One of these new startups in 1947 was Los Angeles Air Services begun by Kirk Kerkorian. His operation was tied closely to the growth of Las Vegas as a tourist destination and unlike so many supplementals his business prospered in the 1950s so much so that he renamed it grandly as Trans International Airlines in 1960. TIA picked up several DC-6s and Super Constellations in the 1960-62 period but really began to make waves in 1962 when it became the first supplemental to start jet operations using N8008D - the first DC-8.
That year the car manufacturer Studebaker had purchased TIA keeping Kerkorian as president though they were forced to sell it back to him in 1964. By 1966 they had 3 short DC-8s in service and began to operate transatlantic charters adding cheap backdoor competition to Pan Am, TWA and BOAC etc. In 1968 Kerkorian sold the airline again pocketing not far off $100 million which he invested in Vegas (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_Kerkorian).
Purchased by the Transamerica Corp the airline really blossomed, helped no doubt by the ramp up in Vietnam ops. A pair of 727-100s were added as were the first of a large fleet of DC-8-61/63s. Growth continued into the 70s with the takeover of Universal and Saturn - two other supplementals. By 1977 the fleet included 9 L-188s, 11 Hercules, 9 DC-8-61/63s and 3 DC-10s. A lot of the fleet was leased out or operated military contracted charters worldwide.
Trans International didn't become Transamerica until October 1979 and several 747s were added soon after however by the mid-80s despite being profitable Transamerica Corp decided to divest itself of all non financial assets and the airline was wound up in 1986 - no doubt for a profit!
One of these new startups in 1947 was Los Angeles Air Services begun by Kirk Kerkorian. His operation was tied closely to the growth of Las Vegas as a tourist destination and unlike so many supplementals his business prospered in the 1950s so much so that he renamed it grandly as Trans International Airlines in 1960. TIA picked up several DC-6s and Super Constellations in the 1960-62 period but really began to make waves in 1962 when it became the first supplemental to start jet operations using N8008D - the first DC-8.
That year the car manufacturer Studebaker had purchased TIA keeping Kerkorian as president though they were forced to sell it back to him in 1964. By 1966 they had 3 short DC-8s in service and began to operate transatlantic charters adding cheap backdoor competition to Pan Am, TWA and BOAC etc. In 1968 Kerkorian sold the airline again pocketing not far off $100 million which he invested in Vegas (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_Kerkorian).
Purchased by the Transamerica Corp the airline really blossomed, helped no doubt by the ramp up in Vietnam ops. A pair of 727-100s were added as were the first of a large fleet of DC-8-61/63s. Growth continued into the 70s with the takeover of Universal and Saturn - two other supplementals. By 1977 the fleet included 9 L-188s, 11 Hercules, 9 DC-8-61/63s and 3 DC-10s. A lot of the fleet was leased out or operated military contracted charters worldwide.
Trans International didn't become Transamerica until October 1979 and several 747s were added soon after however by the mid-80s despite being profitable Transamerica Corp decided to divest itself of all non financial assets and the airline was wound up in 1986 - no doubt for a profit!
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