Trans-Florida Airlines
started in 1962 as Daytona Aviation, an FBO at Daytona Beach Regional Airport. In
1966 they received their certificate for Part 121 airline-type operations.
Soon they had a small fleet of Douglas DC-3's, five to be exact. Later
in May of 1972 two Lockheed Model 49 Constellations were added to the fleet
and operated by TFA on behalf of Holiday Hunters. They were registered
as N6000C and N90823, both of which were former TWA aircraft. These Connies
were operated thru 1976 upon which they were sold to Aerovias Quisqueyana.
During this time TFA had aquired a Vickers Viscount 745D registered as
N7450 a former Capital Airlines aircraft. During these years the DC-3 fleet
was sold off one at a time. The Viscount proved to be a costly aircraft
to operate and was later sold off as scrap when the airframe had accumulated
its maximum time allowed before TBO. It was at this time in 1977 that TFA
purchased its first Convair. From 1977 until 2005 TFA had increased its
Fleet of Convairs to a total of eight, two of which were operated as passenger
liners as late as 1996. TFA continued to operate two Convairs in continous
service as Air Freighters until 2005. Below are some photos of these beauitful
airplanes.
