Air Alpes - The "regional" Association With Air France Begins

The "regional" Association With Air France Begins

After 1968 it was becoming apparent many smaller provincial towns wished to be connected directly to Paris by air. Among some of the smaller regional airlines that begun to fill this need were Rousseau Aviation, TAT (Touraine Air Transport) Air Paris or Europe Aero Service EAS - Europe Air Services. The French regional air transport sector would eventually comprise as many as 50 regional airlines, flying as many as 100 regular or seasonal routes. During this period these airlines carried more than 500,000 passengers.

In 1969, Air Alpes began flying the Chambéry to Paris (Paris - Le Bourget Airport) route with five daily flights Monday through Friday.

In 1970 under Zieglers initiation, ATAR (Regional Air Transport Association) is established. The association comprised the following French regional airlines: Air Alpes, Air Alsace, Air Aquitaine, Air Languedoc, Pyrenair, Air Rouergue, Air Antilles, Air Martinique and Guyane Air Transport and promoted the needs of smaller airlines like Air Alpes in relation to the larger Flag air carriers like Air France.

Air France banner

By 1972 and 1973 Air Alpes was flying in cooperation with Air France and under their "banner" and in the aircraft livery of Air France. When these Air France/Air Alpes routes were included as one, Air Alpes by the end of 1973 covered 50 routes. The following are the first "banner routes" flown by Air Alpes in cooperation with Air France. The first planes to be flown in full Air France colors by Air Alpes were the Aérospatiale Corvettes followed by the F-27 that was bought by Air Alpes from Compagnie Nationale.

Air France banner routes

Courchevel - Paris (beginning in 1972 - equipment: DHC-6 Twin Otter)

Courchevel - Geneva (beginning in 1972 - equipment: DHC-6 Twin Otter)

Marseille - Milan (beginning in 1972 - equipment: DHC-6 Twin Otter)

Marseille - Geneva (beginning in 1972 - equipment: DHC-6 Twin Otter)

Marseille - Barcelonne (1973)

Marseille - Geneva (1973)

Metz- Düsseldorf (1973)

Chambéry - Paris (1974)

Towards the end of 1973 Air Alpes was flying 50 routes under its own banner and IATA codes including these Air France/Air Alpes routes and flights jointly marketed by the two airlines. Sales and ticket passenger distribution agreements yielding beneficial results as have been experienced with Air France leads to the forging of further agreements with other larger airlines such as Union des Transports Aériens for the Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions and Pan American World Airways sales office for all of France, except for the Paris region as of 1976.

1969 - the first Beechcraft Model 99 ordered arrives in Autumn.

The 15-seat aircraft is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-A20 engines and flow by two crew members. In 1970, Chambéry - Grenoble - Nice routes are begun with B 99 airliners.

Beechcraft Model 99 Fleet

F-BRUN will eventually fly under the Air Limousin (flag/banner/code?)

F-BRUX (s/n U122) will join the fleet.

F-BRUF (s/n U-121)

F-BUYG (s/n U63)

F-BVJL (s/n U-84)

F-BSUJ (s/n U62) - sold to the Belgian Company Publi-Air in 1976.

F-BSUK (s/n U21) - sold to the Belgian Company Publi-Air in 1976.

F-BTMJ (s/n U-129)

F-BTMK (s/n U130),

F-BTDV - equipped with more powerful engines/leave the fleet for the U.S.A. in 1978.

F-BSTO - equipped with more powerful engines/leave the fleet for the U.S.A. in 1978.

1969 - the four engined STOL (Short take off and landing) Breguet 941 was tested and displayed at the Bourget Show (Salon International de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace de Paris-Le Bourget Paris Air Show), with full Air Alpes logos. In autumn, a number of test runs were conducted to the various altiports at Megève, Meribel, l'Alpe d'Huez' with the goal of demonstrating the capabilities of operating this larger capacity STOL airliner in the regular and challenging mountain regime environments. The Breguet 941 was very similar in design to another de Havilland product, the Dash-7; a 40 seater STOL airliner which Air Alpes was later to sign contracts ordering the type for delivery circa 1977-78.

1972 - the opening of the Dole - Paris, and Paris/Geneva - Courchevel routes with the Twin Otter. In November, just a few years before the arrival of the Aérospatiale Corvettes flights from Marseille - Milan and Marseille - Geneva begin being flown under Air France's code and banner. Below is a brief list detailing the Twin Otter fleet and their dispositions.

Disposition of the earlier Twin Otters after 1973

F-BOOH - sold to Pyrenair ownership.

F-BTOO (s/n 291) - From PIA eventually sold to French Air Force

F-BTOQ (s/n 292) - From PIA eventually sold to French Air Force

F-BTOR (s/n 298) - From PIA eventually sold to French Air Force

F-BTOS (s/n 299) - From PIA eventually sold to Air Rouergue

F-BTOT (s/n 300) - From PIA

F-BSUL - eventually sold to the Parachutist Center

DHC-6 Series 300 Twin Otter's arrive again in 1978 & 79

F-GBDA (s/n 566)

F-GBDB (s/n 574)

F-BYAG (s/n 342)