MMA’s AIRLINERS

Like many airlines, MMA began the period after World War II equipped with ex-war equipment. From 1946 to the late 1950s Avro Ansons that had been converted from military use were a mainstay of the fleet but DC-3s were the major aeroplane used by the airline from the second half of the 1940s through until 1969 when they were finally withdrawn from service. Fokker F-27 Friendships, twin propjet airliners, began entering service in 1959 and became the most popular MMA airliner, the final one was taken off service in 1971. From 1969 MMA’s main airliner was the Fokker F.28 Fellowship twin jet airliner. It became a tradition to name MMA airliners after regions or rivers in Western Australia.

Before World War II MMA operated with a fleet comprising deHavilland DH.84 Dragons, deHavilland DH.862, a Lockheed Vega, a Cessna C37 and two Lockheed 10s.

After World War II both MacRobertson-Miller Aviation and Airlines (WA) took delivery of ex-service Avro Ansons and these remained in operation through most of the 1950s. They were VH-MMC De Grey, VH-MMH Ord, VH-MMJ Drysdale, VH-AYP Greenough, VH-MMB Fortescue and VH-MMC Strelley

Also after World War II MacRobertson Miller took delivery of twelve Douglas DC-3s, the bulk of them operated right through until the end of the 1960s. They included VH-MME, VH-MMA Ashburton, VH-MMB Blackwood, VH-MMD Durack, VH-MMF Fortescue, VH-MMK Kimberley, VH-MML Lyndon, VH-MMM Murchison and VH-MMT Turner.

Airlines (WA), having smaller routes, began using the deHavilland Dove light twin engined airliner from the late 1940s and it dropped out of operation in the late 1950s. They were VH-MMN Nullagine, VH-MMO Ord and VH-MMP Pallinup.

In 1959 MMA began taking delivery of what would be a total of seven Fokker F-27 Friendships. They were all withdrawn from service by mid 1972 except for one that the airline operated for two and a half years in the late 1970s. They were VH-MMS Swan, VH-MMR Robe, VH-MMO Ord, VH-MMB Blackwood, VH-MMU Mabuhay, VH-MMV Victoria and VH-FNO

MMA chartered two Vickers Viscounts in 1968 and they flew with the airline consecutively. MMA used them to meet growing passenger demand on the most popular routes. They were VH-RMO, Oakover and VH-RMQ Quininup which crashed near Port Hedland on New Year’s Eve 1968, killing all 31 people on board.

MMA began taking delivery of what would eventually total ten Fokker F-28s in 1969. They were VH-MMJ Pilbara, VH-FKA Pilbara, VH-FKB Kimberley, VH-FKC Arnhemland, VH-FKD Goldfields, VH-FKE Gascoyne, VH-FKF Greenough, VH-FKG H Miller, VH-FKI C Kleinig and VH-FKJ. They were replaced gradually by BAe 146 airliners, starting in April 1985.

MMA operated two deHavilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters for about ten years from 1968. They were use for regular flights to remote station properties or for charter flights. They were VH-MMY Yampi and VH-PGU.

MMA operated one Piaggio P.166, VH-MMP, Pilbara, from early 1964 to the end of 1968. Like the later Twin Otters it was used for station flights and charters.

20,000 hour Captains - MMA Micro History - MMA Airliners
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