Antilles Airboats

After retiring from the USAF in 1979, Ed moved his family to St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. Shortly after settling there he was hired by the Antilles Air Boats, Inc. flying for the small scheduled airline that was based out of St. Croix. Ed began flying as a captain for "the Air Boats", which was owned and operated by Captain Charlie Blair (former Pan American Clipper pilot and the holder of the single engine prop speed record across the Atlantic in a P-51 which is still good today) and Maureen O’Hara (the movie actress), in 1979.
The airline operated the Grumman Goose (G-21), Mallard & Turbo Mallard (G-73 & G-73T) and for a short time had one of the last operational (Short) Sandringham flying boats. Ed flewTourists for Antilles Airboats for ten years from 1978 to 1989, full and part time. He logged over 10,000 water landings in the Goose and Mallard flying between the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, St. John and San Juan, Puerto Rico and Culebra.

Hurricane Hugo put an end to the "era of airboat flying" in the Islands. It destroyed all of the Mallards that had not been moved to hangers in Puerto Rico. It was one of the saddest sights Ed had seen in his flying career.
more on : www.edwardehanley.com/about_ed_hanley_planes.htm

Posted by kinografx on 2007-02-09 18:28:28

Tagged: , Antilles , Airboats , caribbean