Karhumäki brothers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Niilo and Valto Karhumäki, also known as the Karhumäki brothers were Finnish aviation pioneers.
The Karhumäki brothers were born in Multia, but moved later to Keljo, near Jyväskylä, where they began building aircraft in late 1924. They constructed four aircraft in the 1920s: Karhu 1, Karhu 2, Karhu 3 and Tiira.
Their interest in aviation was soon extended into the business world. They formed a company called Veljekset Karhumäki, which dealt with pilot training, public displays, aircraft maintenance and aerial photography during the 1930s. The Finnish Air Force soon required their assistance, and the brothers established an aircraft factory in Kuorevesi. This factory was further expanded during World War II, when the State-owned Valtion lentokonetehdas set up their dispersed location 2VL factory there, into which the Karhumäki factory was later merged.
The older brother, Niilo Karhumäki was a particularly well-know aviator and featured in many fascinating tales of the early Finnish aviation history. The brothers have been honoured with a monument called Lentäjäveljestenaukio at Halli.
Contents |
[edit] Airlines
[edit] Karhumäki Airways
The brothers' company Veljekset Karhumäki Oy founded their first airline Karhumäki Airways (IATA:KR, ICAO: KAR) in 1950. The company began flying domestic routes, but expanded with chartered international flights in 1951.
[edit] Kar-Air
Karhumäki Airways was renamed Kar-Air in 1957. The company operated initially four Douglas DC-3s (OH-VKA, VKB, VKC, and VKD) and two Convair CV-440 Metropolitan aircraft (OH-VKM and VKN), which were flown on domestic routes and to Stockholm, as well as on chartered flights to Southern Europe. The Swedish subsidiary Kar-Air Ab bought one Douglas DC-6B in 1961 (SE-BDX). It was used for chartered flights to Southern Europe as well.
Both Convair aircraft were badly damaged in two separate rough landings in 1963, and restoring them to flying condition brought the company into economic difficulties. Aero O/Y then bought the majority of the stocks, to ensure a continuous operation.
The Karhumäki brothers made several deals with Finnair, that ruled that they give up most of the domestic flights and focus on chartered flights. The company operated two Finnair-owned DC-6Bs between 1964 and 1972 (OH-KDA and OH-KDB), and they also had their a DC-6 of their own, OH-KDC (ex. SE-BDX). The aircraft flew several tours around the world.
The era of propeller-driven aircraft was deemed over in the beginning of the 1970s and Kar-Air sold two of their DC-6s in 1971-1972. OH-KDA had been modified into a swing-tail cargo aircraft in 1968, and was used until 1980 by Finnair's cargo division. Kar-Air bought a 189-seat Douglas DC-8-51 jet in 1972 (OH-KDM). This aircraft was also flying many chartered flights on behalf of Finnair until 1980, when the contract of chartered flights ended between Kar-Air and Finnair. Cooperation with Finnair continued to decrease after this and the aircraft saw little use. The company decided to scrap the aircraft in 1985, due to new stricter noise regulations and the increased fuel price. To compensate for this, they leased a DC-8-62 from Finnair (OH-LFZ). This aircraft was used for chartered flights until 1987.
Kar-Air also flew ore-finding flights with a Lockheed Lodestar (OH-VKU) (until 1972), with a DC-3 (OH-VKB) (1972-1980), and finally with a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter (OH-KOG) (1979-1997). The company had also a cargo route between Oulu - Kuusamo in 1972-1973, where they used their DHC-6 (OH-KOA), which had been purchased from the United States. This aircraft was however destroyed in February 1973, having encountered severe icing in flight which resulted in a forced landing (no casualties) in Pudasjärvi, a mere 7 months after it had been taken into use. The cargo flights were then taken over by a DC-3 (OH-VKB). The cargo flights were finally taken over by Finnair. After some changes in the company structures in 1980, it was decided to drop the hyphen from the company name, it was thereafter known as Karair.
[edit] Karair
Finnair bought two wide-body A300B4-203FFs in 1986 and decided to lease them to Karair for their operations, these carried designations OH-LAA and OH-LAB. Karair started flying these from December 1986 on routes to Southern Europe, and continued with these until 1992, when they were returned to Finnair. Karair was subsequently given six of Finnair's new ATR-72s (OH-KRA...KRF) for domestic route operations. In 1992, Finnair increased their stock holding in the company to 95 %, and in the following year to 96.4 % and 97.6 %.
As a result of the recession in the 1990s, Finnair decided to merge Karair into Finnair in September 1996. The ATRs were painted in Finnair's colors and the Twin Otter, which was used for ore reconnaissance, was sold to Malmilento Oy. The Finnair move was deemed illegal in a court of law in 2002 and Finnair was forced to salvage the remaining Karair stocks.
The Finnish Aviation Museum is currently displaying two Kar-Air passenger aircraft, a Lockheed L-18 Lodestar, OH-VKU Kultakuokka and one of the oldest remaining DC-3s in the world (OH-VKB). Another former Kar-Air DC-3 (OH-VKA) is on display at the Munich International Airport, but in Swissair's colors and registrations (that aircraft has never actually flown for Swissair).
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Ismo Tervonen: VELJEKSET KARHUMÄKI - Suomen ilmailun pioneereina 1924-1956 (Apali 2002) ISBN 952-5026-25-6
- Ismo Tervonen: KAR-AIR - tilauslentoliikenteen edelläkävijänä 1957-1980 (Apali 2004) ISBN 952-5026-40-X
- Ismo Tervonen: KARAIR - matkustajalentoliikenteen perinteiden vaalijana 1980-1996 (Apali 2007) ISBN 978-952-5026-64-1
