Adastra Airways

Adastra Aerial Surveys began as the Adastra Flying School which was established at Mascot, Sydney, Australia on 21Aug1930 by Captain Frank William Follett. Adastra Airways commenced a subsidised passenger and air mail service from Sydney to Bega, NSW on 05Feb1934 using Fox Moth. In 1944, Frank Follett formed Adastra Aerial Surveys and began operations with a fleet of Avro Ansons. Adastra was purchased by East-West Airlines on 01Apr1973 and its base and aircraft moved to Tamworth. Adastra ceased operations shortly thereafter [EASTWEST AIRLINES was formed as EAST-WEST AIRLINES in 1947. Renamed to reflect that they did not operate across the country. Took over ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS in 1973]
[ANSETT was founded by R M Ansett as ANSETT AIRWAYS. Purchased BARRIER REEF AIRWAYS in 1952. Acquired the assets of Trans-Oceanic Airways in 1953. ANSETT purchased struggling ANA (Australian National Airways) and renamed it all to ANSETT-ANA Purchased BUTLER AIR TRANSPORT (and renamed it to AIRLINES of NEW SOUTH WALES in 1959), & QUEENSLAND AIRLINES in 1958, GUINEA AIRWAYS (renamed to AIRLINES of SOUTH AUSTRALIA) in 1959 . Acquired ROBERTSON MILLER AVIATION (formed in 1927) (renamed it to AIRLINES of WESTERN AUSTRALIA). ANA was dropped in 1969 reverting to ANSETT AUSTRALIA of AUSTRALIA. Created AIRLINES of NORTH AUSTRALIA in 1981. Acquired EASTWEST AIRLINES and Kendall Airlines in 1987. During 1994 it fully absorbed its subsiduaries ANSETT WA, ANSETT EXPRESS and EASTWEST. Renamed again in 1990 to ANSETT AUSTRALIA. International and regional passenger and cargo airline. Ceased operating in Sept. 2001. Restarted with vastly dimished services with only 6 A320 aircraft but eventually ceased operations in early 2002]

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