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MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) was a Western Australian airline that operated between 1927 and 1993. After being purchased by Ansett Transport Industries in 1968, it was eventually rebranded Ansett WA.

MacRobertson Miller Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
MV Miller
Founded1927
Ceased operations1993
HubsPerth
Parent companyAnsett Transport Industries
HeadquartersPerth, Western Australia
Key peopleHorrie Miller
Macpherson Robertson

History


Douglas DC-3 in 1948
Douglas DC-3 in 1948
Fokker F27 Friendship at Essendon Airport in 1971
Fokker F27 Friendship at Essendon Airport in 1971
Fokker F28 Fellowship at Perth Airport in the early 1980s
Fokker F28 Fellowship at Perth Airport in the early 1980s

In 1919, Horrie Miller purchased an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 from the United Kingdom and launched the Commercial Aviation Company, in Rochester, Victoria. On 8 October 1920, he registered the Commercial Aviation Company. In 1927, the Commercial Aviation Company commenced weekly Adelaide to Mount Gambier services with an Airco DH.9.[1]

During May 1928, in partnership with the backing of chocolate millionaire Macpherson Robertson, Miller formed MacRobertson-Miller Aviation. In October 1934, MacRobertson-Miller Aviation transferred its main base to Perth, after it won a Commonwealth Government contract for airmail services to Daly Waters in the Northern Territory that had previously been operated by West Australian Airways.[1][2][3]

In 1955, MacRobertson-Miller Aviation and Airlines WA merged with MacRobertson's holding a 62% shareholding.[4] MacRobertson Miller operated a network of more than 32,000 km, from Esperance in Western Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory.[1]

On 19 April 1963, Ansett Transport Industries purchased MacRobertson's 62% shareholding and a further 8% from Horrie Miller after MMA, in desperate need of funds for new Fokker F27 Friendship aircraft and planned new jet aircraft, approached Ansett to purchase a major share.[5] Ansett purchased the remaining 30% in November 1968. It was rebranded as MacRobertson Miller Airline Services in June 1969, Airlines of Western Australia in July 1981 and Ansett WA in November 1984.[6] The Ansett WA operation was absorbed into Ansett Australia in 1993.[1]

Almost inevitably - because of its initials - it was known locally as 'Mickey Mouse Airlines'.


Aircraft


Early aircraft used by the airline included the Fokker Universal, Avro Ansons, de Havilland DH.84 Dragons, Lockheed Model 10 Electras and Douglas DC-3s. Later aircraft included the Fokker F27 Friendship turboprop, a leased Vickers Viscount turboprop, a Douglas DC-9 jet leased from Ansett, Piaggio P.166 twin prop aircraft, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter STOL-capable turboprops,[7] Fokker F28 Fellowship jets (both the series 1000 and 4000 twinjets)[8] and British Aerospace BAe 146 jets.[9] The airline's Fokker aircraft were amongst the hardest working in the world with some of the highest utilisation rates in the world. MMA's F28s flew the world's longest twinjet route at one stage, and certainly the world's longest F28 flight, Perth to Kununurra. According to the 5 April 1970 MMA system timetable, the airline was operating F28 jet service into Dampier, Darwin, Derby, Kununurra, Perth and Port Hedland at this time.[10] MMA also flew one of the world's shortest scheduled air services, from Perth to Rottnest Island flying the Douglas DC-3 and later the Fokker F-27 Friendship. MMA's first Fokker F28 Fellowship was actually leased from Braathens SAFE of Norway (VH-MMJ c/n 11013) and returned to Fokker as PH-ZAH after the first of the ordered aircraft arrived. VH-FKD was originally purchased for Ansett division Airlines of New South Wales but transferred to MMA when it proved uneconomical on the NSW intrastate routes. Ironically this aircraft returned to Airlines of New South Wales service several years later.


Accidents and incidents


Fokker F28 Fellowship bogged at Broome Airport in January 1974
Fokker F28 Fellowship bogged at Broome Airport in January 1974
Fokker F28 Fellowship with door open in September 1983
Fokker F28 Fellowship with door open in September 1983

See also



References


  1. MacRobertson Miller Airlines Air Force Association (Western Australian Division)
  2. Air Services The West Australian 7 August 1934 page 16
  3. Horrie Miller, air pioneer, dies Canberra Times 29 September 1980 page 11
  4. £2m air co. formed The Argus 24 June 1955 page 16
  5. Ansett Take-Over Railway Transportation June 1963 page 7
  6. The Story of the Rise and Fall of Ansett 1936–2002. Fyshwick: Stewart Wilson Aerospace Publications. 2002. pp. 29, 30, 32, 33. ISBN 1875671579.
  7. Twin Otters to replace DC3s Freight & Container Transportation March 1968 page 16
  8. First Fokker F28 Mk4000 for AWA Australian Transport September 1982 page 23
  9. A third quiet jetliner for Ansett WA Canberra Times 17 December 1987 page 12
  10. "Timetable". MMA. 5 April 1970. Retrieved 1 August 2022 via timetableimages.com.
  11. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  12. Incident Investigation Rport: Fokker F28-1000 Aircraft VH-FKA at Broome Airport, Western Australia on 17 January 1974 Australian Transport Safety Bureau December 1975


Media related to MacRobertson Miller Airlines at Wikimedia Commons


На других языках


[de] MacRobertson Miller Airlines

Die MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) ist eine ehemalige australische Fluggesellschaft, die von 1927 bis 1993 bestand.
- [en] MacRobertson Miller Airlines

[fr] MacRobertson Miller Airlines

MacRobertson Miller Airlines a été établi en Australie à la fin de 1927, par le pilote Horrie Miller (en) avec le soutien du millionnaire du chocolat Sir Macpherson Robertson.



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