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Great American Airways: Who?

Lindy field From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 3072 posts, RR: 15
Posted (12 years 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1085 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
HEAD DATABASE EDITOR

I'd never heard of Great American Airways until I saw a photo in the database of a DC-9 in former Midway colors at SAN. What was this airline? I've done a search through the forum and found a piece of info that they were shut down by the FAA for shoddy maintenance practices. Is this true? What kind of business where they? Where did they fly? What aircraft? Did they have a regular livery--I've found a few photos showing lots of Great American planes in the livery of other airlines. I appreciate the help anyone provides. Thanks!

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Photo © Brian J. Gore

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Photo © Richard Silagi

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Photo © Alastair T. Gardiner

7 replies: All unread, jump to last

Lsjef From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 1, posted (12 years 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1066 times:

I don't know about their other activities, but I do know that Great American was flying gambling junkets from various northwest cities like PDX and SLE a few years ago. I think they were flying to Wendover, NV or some other remote Nevada casino area. The flights were very cheap but, I think, required the passenger to gamble at least so much money during their 1- to 2-day stay.

Flygga From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 2, posted (12 years 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1045 times:

In the begining, Great American was flying scheduled flights between OAK and RNO. After that service turned out to be a failure, the stuck mostly charters for the casinos in RNO, LAS, and Laughlin.

Richard Silagi

Flygga From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 3, posted (12 years 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1045 times:

Also I forgot, Great American was also operating Air Jamaica's MD80's under contract for them when they first got them.

Lindy field From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 3072 posts, RR: 15
Reply 4, posted (12 years 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1044 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
HEAD DATABASE EDITOR

Richard,

Do you know anything about their final days?
Thanks,

L. Field

Jumbojettim From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 193 posts, RR: 0
Reply 5, posted (12 years 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1044 times:

A few years ago, I know that they were transporting prisoners from SAN to LAS (Conair) or some other destination for processing.

Lindy Field From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 3072 posts, RR: 15
Reply 6, posted (12 years 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1032 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
HEAD DATABASE EDITOR

Gambling junkets and transporting convicts--Sounds like everything you need to make a Hollywood movie.

Flygga From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 7, posted (12 years 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1027 times:

Great American got their operating certificate revoked by the FAA.

http://www.faa.gov/apa/affairs/gaa-s.htm

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