Express.Net Airlines

Express.Net Airlines
Trans Continental Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
-
TD		 XNA
TCN		 EXPRESSNET
TRANCON
FoundedJune 21, 1972 as Intl Airlines Academy
Commenced operations
1975 (1975) as Trans
Continental Airlines
2000 as Express.Net Airlines
Ceased operations
2008; 18 years ago (2008)
Operating bases
Detroit
Fleet sizeSee Fleet
HeadquartersNaples, Florida
Ypsilanti, Michigan
United States
Key peopleScott Kalitta
Connie Kalitta
FounderRonald Deane Melvin
Employees270 (2007)
325 (1990)
Websiteena.aero (archived as of 31 March 2007)
A300 at Seattle 2005

Express.Net Airlines was a cargo airline based in Naples, Florida, United States. It operated all-cargo charter and ACMI services in the United States and to Canada, Mexico, South America and the Far East from a headquarters at Naples Municipal Airport. The company originated as a pilot training academy as a spinoff from bankrupt Universal Airlines in 1972. Zantop International Airlines (ZIA) was simultaneously founded with overlapping ownership between the academy and ZIA. In 1975 the academy launched freight airline Trans Continental Airlines (TCA) based at Detroit Willow Run Airport. TCA filed for bankruptcy in 1990 after an attempt to fly passenger service. It was bought out of bankruptcy by drag-racer Connie Kalitta, who sold the company to his son, Scott, in 1994. Scott Kalitta sold the company in 1999, which was renamed Express.Net Airlines in 2000. Express.Net ceased operations in 2008.

A300 operating for Dragonair, Hong Kong 2004
TCA DC-8-62F Seattle 1999
TCA CV 340F Willow Run 1995
TCA DC-6A Willow Run 1993
TCA DC-8-63 Faro 1989

History

Melvin era

On 30 May 1972, following the end of operations and bankruptcy of Universal Airlines earlier that month, the State of Michigan received incorporation papers for Zantop International Airlines, for which Ronald Deane Melvin was a minor shareholder; incorporation was effective that day. Also on 30 May, Michigan received incorporation papers for International Airlines Academy. The Academy was a spinoff from the training group of Universal Airlines and its main shareholder was Melvin with the three Zantop brothers, Duane, Howard and Lloyd, as minor shareholders. Incorporation was effective 21 June. Melvin ran the company through its 1990 bankruptcy.

In 1975, the academy started airline operations under the name Trans Continental Airlines, initially a trade name, but by year-end 1976 the company adopted that as its name. TCA was a commercial operator, uncertificated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the now-defunct federal agency that, at the time, provided strict economic regulation of most US air transport, and was thus limited to contract flying only. In May 1979, following 1977 US air cargo deregulation, the CAB certificated TCA as a freight airline, noting it had been "engaged in the private carriage of automotive parts for the 'Big Three' auto companies."

In May 1989, TCA acquired 254-seat Douglas DC-8-63 passenger aircraft, which it used for passenger charters, but also limited scheduled service, e.g. twice a week Las Vegas to Honolulu starting 1990. Until that time, it had remained a freight carrier, with auto-manufacturing accounting for 75% of its business. However, passenger traffic had grown to become 40% of its revenue. But in October the airline declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and returned the passenger aircraft, reverting to a pure cargo airline. The airline environment was poor, with high fuel prices and low automotive and passenger demand (Iraq had invaded Kuwait in August)).

After Melvin

Drag racer Connie Kalitta, who at that time owned American International Airways and several related businesses, rescued TCA from bankruptcy and in 1994 sold it to his son, Scott Kalitta, at which time TCA had only two aircraft. In early 1999 TCA was purchased from Scott Kalitta by David Clark and Michael Goldberg. In 2000 the name of the company changed to Express.Net Airlines. The airline has not been in operation since 2008.

Fleet

TCA at year-end 1975:

World Airline Fleets 1979 (copyright 1979) shows TCA with:

TCA at May 1989:

Express.Net at March 2007:

Previously operated

At August 2009 the airline also operated:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Klee, Ulrich (May 1989). JP airline-fleets international 89 (23 ed.). Glattbrugg, Switzerland: Bucher Publications. p. 343. ISBN 9783857581236.
  2. 1 2 Order JO 7340.1Z Contractions (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. 15 March 2007. p. 3-1-40. hdl:2027/nyp.33433082663349.
  3. 1 2 Contractions 7340.1R CH3 (Report). Federal Aviation Administration. 23 April 1998. p. 3-2-61. hdl:2027/ufl.31262091395789.
  4. 1 2 Endres, Günter G. (1979). World Airline Fleets 1979. Hounslow (UK): Airline Publications and Sales. p. 280. ISBN 0905117530.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 171 (5077): 80. 3 April 2007. ISSN 0015-3710.
  6. ↑ "Operations Halted By Universal Air". Oakland Tribune. 99 (125): 13. 4 May 1972. ISSN 0745-3841.
  7. ↑ "Universal Files Under Chapter 11". Oakland Tribune. 99 (130): 13. 9 May 1972. ISSN 0745-3841.
  8. ↑ "Articles of Incorporation dated 30 May 1972 in Search results for Zantop International Airlines, Inc. (entity 800130956)". MiBusiness Registry Portal: Business Search, State of Michigan. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 Endres, Günter G. (1987). 1987-88 World Airline Fleets. Feltham, Middlesex, UK: Browcom Publishing. p. 206. ISBN 0946141304.
  10. ↑ "Articles of Incorporation dated 21 June 1972 in Search results for TCA, Inc. (entity 800005899)". MiBusiness Registry Portal: Business Search, State of Michigan. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Air cargo firm files for bankruptcy". Ann Arbor News. 164 (151): D9. 28 November 1990. OCLC 39530896.
  12. ↑ "Certificate of Assumed Name dated 14 July 1975 in Search results for TCA, Inc. (entity 800005899)". MiBusiness Registry Portal: Business Search, State of Michigan. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Certificate of Amendment dated 21 December 1976 in Search results for TCA, Inc. (entity 800005899)". MiBusiness Registry Portal: Business Search, State of Michigan. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  14. 1 2 FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation 1975 (Report). Washington, DC: Federal Aviation Administration. 31 December 1975. p. 67. hdl:2027/uc1.c2933656.
  15. ↑ "Trans Continental et al., All-Cargo Certificates". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 81. Washington, DC: U.S. General Printing Office: 903–914. April–May 1979. hdl:2027/ien.35559002074643.
  16. ↑ "Trans Continental Begins Hawaii-Las Vegas Flights". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 79 (781): C1. 19 March 1990. ISSN 2326-1137.
  17. ↑ "Air carrier files for bankruptcy". Detroit Free Press. 160 (166): 10B. 20 October 1990. ISSN 1055-2758.
  18. ↑ "Willow Run's Ace". Detroit Free Press. 165 (45): 8F. 19 June 1995. ISSN 1055-2758.
  19. ↑ "They're Keeping Everything in the Family". Los Angeles Times. CXIII (330): C7. 29 October 1994. ISSN 0458-3035.
  20. ↑ "Kalitta reinstalls his son, Scott, behind the wheel". Ann Arbor News. 155 (332): B5. 31 May 1995. OCLC 39530896.
  21. ↑ Flight International, 3–9 October 2006