Air South (Georgia)

Air South

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Airline
Founded	1969
Defunct	1978
Fate	Ceased operations due to deregulation; acquired by Florida Airlines in 1975
Headquarters	St. Simons, Georgia , United States
Area served	Southeastern United States
Parent	Florida Airlines (from 1975)

Air South was a regional airline in the United States, established in 1969 under the original name Nationwide Airlines Southeast, with its headquarters located in St. Simons, Georgia. From its main hub at Atlanta Municipal Airport, the airline operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the southeastern region of the country, utilizing a fleet composed of Fairchild F-27, Martin 4-0-4, and Beechcraft Model 99 aircraft.

In 1975, ownership of Air South transferred to Florida Airlines, which made it a fully owned subsidiary alongside Shawnee Airlines. Despite this change in ownership, Air South maintained its own branding until the airline ceased operations in 1978 as a result of deregulation. Subsequently, Florida Airlines continued service under the combined name Florida Airlines and Air South until 1981.

Route network

During the early 1970s, Air South operated flights to numerous destinations mainly within Georgia and adjacent states, emphasizing regional air travel connectivity:

Accidents and incidents

• On July 6, 1969, Air South Flight 168, operating a Beechcraft Model 99 (registration N844NS), crashed near Monroe, Georgia. The accident resulted in the deaths of all twelve passengers and both pilots aboard. During the flight from Atlanta to Greenville/Spartanburg, the aircraft entered an uncontrollable high-speed nose-down dive. It is believed that both pilots were incapacitated by extreme forces while attempting to regain control.
• On March 31, 1974, a Beechcraft 99 (N848NS) caught fire while taxiing at Malcolm McKinnon Airport. All individuals on board evacuated safely before the aircraft was completely destroyed by the fire.

Fleet

• Beechcraft 99
• Three Fairchild F-27 aircraft (N2704J, N2705J, N2706J)
• One Martin 4-0-4 (N258D)

See also

• List of defunct airlines of the United States