AEROPLANE JULY 2018 http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com 21Flight LineFlight Line
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U
ntil its untimely
demise in 2007,
Chalk’s was the oldest
international airline in
existence. Founded in 1919 by
A. B. ‘Pappy’ Chalk, the name
has always been associated
with fl ying boat operations on
routes between the Bahamas
and the Florida mainland.
Post-war, Chalk’s updated its
fl eet to include several ‘new’
Grumman products —
Widgeon, Goose and Mallard.
Yes, these were amphibians,
but its routes almost all
featured take-offs and landings
from water, using concrete
seaplane ramps to offer a full
‘feet-dry’ service.
The jewel in its crown was its
terminal in downtown Miami,
the grandly-titled Miami Sea
Plane Base (MPB, to use its
IATA code). Situated just off
MacArthur Causeway, this small
green-painted building was
anything but luxurious; ‘clean
and functional’ summed it up
well. It fronted onto the waters
of Biscayne Bay and featured
an apron capable of
accommodating no more than
a couple of aircraft.
By the early 1990s, the
company had a problem. It was
operating the small 17-seat
G-73T Turbo Mallard, a Pratt &
Whitney PT6 conversion by
Frakes, on routes between
MPB and the Bahamas while
the competition was using
larger aircraft from airports with
hard runways. Passengers —
and especially the high-rollers
travelling to Paradise Island’s
casinos — found the
attractions of an all-weather
service by DHC Dash 7 from
Fort Lauderdale, West Palm
Beach or Miami irresistible.
Chalk’s changed hands again
in January 1996, its new
owners rebranding the airline
as the Pan Am Air Bridge.
There then came the
realisation that the novelty of
the fl ying boat and the
romance and adventure of
seaplane fl ight were theoperation’s unique selling
points. In short, if you’ve got it,
fl aunt it. The Turbo Mallards
were repainted in a snazzy grey
and white livery with the Pan
Am name writ large on the
forward fuselage and the
original ‘winged globe’ logo
featuring prominently. Each
aircraft was named: N130FBcame to witness the last ‘real’
seaplane operation in the
States. Fortunately, the staff
and even the pilots were
always accommodating
(thanks, Stella), at least within
the limits imposed by MPB’s
being a customs airport.
Despite the efforts and
innovations, it all came to
naught. In 1999, the airline was
sold again, to be re-badged as
Chalk’s Ocean Airways.
Increased airport security
following ‘9/11’ made the MPB
terminal unviable and
operations moved to Fort
Lauderdale airport. Worse was
to come with the crash off
Miami Beach of Turbo Mallard
N2969 on 19 December 2005
following fatigue failure of the
right wing. All 20 on board
died and, as a result, the Turbo
Mallard fl eet was permanently
grounded. A sad end to a
great adventure.DENIS J. CALVERT
Recollections and refl ections — a seasoned
reporter’s view of aviation historybecame Cuba Libre after a
favourite tipple of Ernest
Hemingway’s. Even if the result
was not the total re-creation of
a pre-war Boeing 314, you had
to admit that it had style.
At the same time, the route
network was rethought. While
the staple routes from MPB to
Paradise Island and to Biminiwere retained, new
destinations were added.
Some were intended to appeal
to the ‘huntin’, fi shin’ and
snorkellin’’ visitors to various
island resorts, but the service
down the Florida coast to Key
West — once home to the bars
most frequented by
Hemingway — was fi rmlyaimed at the holidaymaker
wanting to experience fl ying
from water.
Check-in and boarding at
MPB was almost ridiculously
speedy, the airline prided itself
on its punctuality, and the
whole operation was slick and
friendly. MPB became a mecca
for aviation enthusiasts whoThe Miami Sea Plane Base became a mecca
for aviation enthusiasts. Fortunately, the staff and
even the pilots were always accommodatingPan Am Air Bridge G-73T Turbo Mallard N130FB Cuba Libre comes in to land on the waters of Biscayne
Bay on 29 July 1996, with a cruise ship docked at the port of Miami in the background. DENIS J. C ALVERT21_AM_Flightline_July18_cc C.indd 21 04/06/2018 07:04