Dan-Air

Dan-Air started off in May 1953 with a single Douglas DC-3 and stuck around until 1992 when they were sold to British Airways for the nominal amount of £1.  The name originates from the parent company Davies And Newman.

North Sea operations began in 1974 with one 748 based in Aberdeen and grew to the early 80’s with a fleet of 13 Hawker Siddeley 748 turboprops.

On the 10th January 1977 Dan-Air flight 0045 (G-AZSU) was landing at Sumburgh from Belfast and was unable to stop due to a slippery runway. It was intentionally steered from the paved surface which caused the nose-wheel undercarriage leg to collapse.

Dan-Air was flying approximately 20,000 passengers to and from Sumburgh every month during 1979.

In July 1979 Dan-Air Flight 0034 (G-BEKF) crashed into the sea at Sumburgh.

In 1980 Dan-Air renewed its contract with Shell for another two years on the Aberdeen-Sumburgh route.

In 1984, in terms of passengers carried and aircraft fleet size, Dan-Air was the UK’s second largest airline, with only British Airways beating it.  By this stage its Aberdeen-based oil fleet was down to three 748s.

Photo	Reg	Manufacturer	Model	Operator	Photographer
Please let us know about any missing information.
	G-BFLL	Hawker Siddeley	HS-748	Dan-Air	Ross Bray
	G-AZSU	Hawker Siddeley	HS-748	Dan-Air	Ronnie Robertson
	G-BEKC	Avro	748	Dan-Air	Phil Kemp
	G-ARAY	Avro	748	Dan-Air	Ian Nelson
	G-AYGG	Hawker Siddeley	HS-748	Dan-Air	Ian Nelson
	G-BEKE	Avro	748	Dan-Air	David Westwood

Further information:-
Sumburgh Airport Memorial Website
Dan-Air Remembered Website