Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989)

The regional carrier Piedmont Airlines was founded in Winston -Salem (North Carolina) by Thomas Henry Davis 1948.

The first routes with the famous Douglas DC-3 were served. Unlike many other company had originally a hub, but flew their planes smaller airports of various cities.

After the DC-3 Fairchild Hiller FH - 227B and Martin 4-0-4 was later in the 1960s, Fairchild F27, used. In the 1970s, followed NAMC YS -11A turboprops rare. The jet age began with the Boeing 737-200, which was supplemented in 1977 by the Boeing 727.

After the deregulation in the late 1970s, the airline grew rapidly and then began yet a hub / spoke system build. After Charlotte ( North Carolina), was started in Baltimore (Maryland), Dayton ( Ohio) and Syracuse (New York ) with this successful way to link the goals. Here also the beginning of the 1980s was offered for the first time non-stop flights to the west coast of the USA. Here we used the 727-200 with first-class seating. Finally, even began London Gatwick with several new Boeing 767 to operate. These aircraft are still at U.S. Airways in service.

In August 1989, Piedmont Airlines went on in the U.S. Air and the name and logo later went over to the former Henson Airlines (now Piedmont Airlines ).

Accidents

On July 19, 1967, a Boeing 727 collided with a Cessna 310 over Hendersonville / North Carolina in the air together. The NTSB National Transportation Safety Board found that the Cessna strayed off course and the route of the 727 cruised.