Midstate Airlines
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| Midstate Airlines | ||
|---|---|---|
| IATA MA |
ICAO Unknown |
Callsign Unknown |
| Founded | 1964, ceased 1993 | |
| Hubs | Marshfield, Central Wisconsin Airport | |
| Frequent flyer program | Unknown (through Unknown) | |
| Fleet size | 27 | |
| Destinations | 17 | |
| Headquarters | Stevens Point, Wisconsin | |
| Key people | Roy P. Shwery (President), Bryce Appleton (CEO 1983-1993) | |
| Website: {{{website}}} | ||
Midstate Airlines of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, (a.k.a. Mid-State Airlines, a.k.a. Midstate Air Commuter (MAC)),was founded by Roy P. Shwery in 1964 and provided air service out of Marshfield , Wisconsin (home to Marshfield Clinic), and Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA). The airline originally operated a fleet of Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft, and later, four Beech 99's. The airline originally flew from Marshfield, to Wisconsin Rapids, to Milwaukee, and onto Chicago. (Central Wisconsin Airport serves the communities of Stevens Point, Wausau, Marshfield, and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and the smaller suburbs--Mosinee, Plover, and Rosholt-- with long runways that accommodated large jet aircraft).
In 1977 Midstate switched to 19-passenger Swearingen Metroliners.
On January 15, 1979, a Metroliner landed in Wisconsin Rapids, hydroplaned, swerved, and collided with a snowbank, resulting in 11 injuries (2 pilots, 9 passengers). Damage to the aircraft was substantial.
In its heyday, Midstate operated a fleet of 19 Metroliners and added six Fokker F-27 50-passenger aircraft in 1984 (which required a flight attendant and a certificate modification under FAA part 121 rules), and flew to 15 cities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Chicago O'Hare airport.
The airline was purchased from Shwery by Sentry Insurance of Stevens Point, and subsequently resold to CEO and investor Bryce Appleton in 1986.
Appleton led the company from 1983 to 1989. In a time of airline consolidation, code-sharing, and identical livery agreements between commuter/regional aircraft and their major airline counterparts, Midstate remarkably remained independent, while its popularity and passenger load factors declined rapidly by 1987.
In 1986, Midstate subleased the F-27 aircraft to Chicago Air, a start-up carrier that purchased Midstate's part 121 certificate and operated a regional service out of Chicago Midway International Airport. Midstate provided maintenance services to Chicago Air out of Central Wisconsin. However, Chicago Air went into bankruptcy the same year, and Mr. Appleton purchased what remained of the Midstate's assets from Sentry Insurance. The Chicago O'Hare takeoff and landing slots were sold, off and Appleton continued to operate the Swearingen Metroliners, establishing a hub in Milwaukee. However, the airline continued to cut back service, providing charter. By 1989 the airline ceased operations.
[edit] Links
- Roy Shwery biography/http://www.aviationhalloffamewisconsin.com/inductees/shwery.htm
- Bryce Appleton biography/http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=84830050
- Flight schedules/http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/iu.htm
