Seventies Expansion
In the early 1970s JAT expanded its f leet quickly with the
acquisition of three new types. A total of 14 new DC-9-
32s were delivered between 1970 and 1973, supplementing
Caravelles on the further expanded international routes.
The first steps in establishing intercontinental f lights were
made when JAT leased its first Boeing 707-321. The aircraft
was used for charter f lights to Australia, Canada and the US
in 1970, and then to China in 1971. The airline operated a
total of ten different 707s between 1970 and 1987, four of
which were purchased second-hand from PIA and Northwest.
The third US-made jetliner to join JAT was the Boeing 727 –
with nine 727-2H9(Adv) versions acquired between 1974 and
1981, and this f leet was supplemented with three leased aircraft.
This dramatic f leet expansion saw the retirement of JAT's
DC-3s and Caravelles in 1976, followed by CV-440s in 1977.
By now the company was recognising the business potential
of long-haul f lights and regular intercontinental sectors were
established to Australia, Canada and the USA. To better
serve these destinations, in the late seventies JAT bought
two Douglas DC-10-30 wide-body airliners to succeed the
Boeing 707s on long-haul routes, although the 707s stayed in
service until 1987 on ad hoc charters and as scheduled-f light
replacement aircraft.
Likewise, a stable increase in domestic passenger numbers
encouraged JAT to modernise its medium-range f leet and
a total of nine brand-new Boeing 737-3H9s were acquired
between 1985 and 1988 to replace the DC-9s on most Euro-
Mediterranean routes. The modernisation programme
intensified in 1987 when JAT leased three ATR-42-300 short-
haul airliners and signed a contract for purchase of three ATR-
72-200 turboprops. The ATR-42s remained in service until
1990 when JAT started to receive its ATR-72s. Meanwhile, a
single Lockheed L-1011-3(500) TriStar was leased from Royal
Jordanian in the summer of 1989, followed by a Rombac 1-11-
561RC One-Eleven leased from TAROM in the autumn of
the same year.Cargo Cub
By the end of the 1980s, JAT had significantly expanded its
network and had even introduced a scheduled cargo service to
Paris and London using a leased Antonov An-12 Cub.
The accelerated development of the intercontinental
network and the phased retirement of the 707 f leet towards
the end of the decade led JAT to lease additional DC-10s to
boost its wide-body f leet. All in all, a total of eight different
DC-10s served with the carrier.
In record years, JAT had regular f lights from 19 airports
in Yugoslavia to 80 domestic and international destinations
(19 domestic, 45 medium-haul and 16 long-haul routes) on
five different continents, serving an average of 4.5 million
passengers. That positioned JAT as tenth busiest airline in
Europe and 31st in the world among 112 IATA members.T • The first
modern aircraft
acquired by the post-
war JAT were three
Convair CV-340s.
T S
C A • Tw o C V- 3 4 0 s
were lost in 1955 and
1956 and the f leet gap
was f illed a year later
with two CV-4 40s,
including YU-ADO.
A M B
C A • Several
Douglas DC-6Bs
joined the JAT f leet
in 1958 and 1959
respectively. YU-AFD
was leased from
Adria Aviopromet.
A M B
C The arrival of
Caravelles in 1963
heralded the start
of JAT’s jet age.
YU-AHE is seen here
landing at Heathrow
on August 11, 1968.
A M Bhttp://www.airlinerworld.com 87