Catalina Airlines, Inc began operations in 1973, taking over the Golden West operation and most of their fleet of Grumman Gooses. Although Catalina Airlines, Inc. shared the same name of Dick Probert's earlier airline, there was no relationship between the two. Sporting an eye catching green and copper on beige paint scheme, Catalina Airlines flew the Catalina Channel for about eight years. Things at the airline took a turn for the worse in 1977 when Briles Aviation took over the operation. The Gooses were grounded by the FAA in 1977 due to salt water corrosion. Air service to the island was augmented with two Sikorsky S-62 helicopters and one Sikorsky S-58 helicopter. Two of the helicopters had fatal crashes, one in 1978 and the other in 1981. There were also two fatal Goose crashes in 1979. In 1981 Catalina Airlines, Inc. ceased operations.
Catalina Airlines Fleet:
Grumman Goose: N324, N322, N11CS, N93G, N22932
Sikorsky S-62 Helicopter: N54516, N324Y
Sikorsky S-58 Helicopter: N33602
Catalina Airlines, Inc. N324, serial #B-66. This is Catalina Airlines early paint scheme. Photo by John P. Stewart
N93G serial #1130 ready to board at Long Beach Airport. Photo by Ellis Chernoff
N322, serial #B-73 with the later Catalina Airlines paint scheme at Pebbly Beach. Photo by Chris Bell
Catalina Airlines N22932, serial B-139. This Goose crashed when the elevator cable separated from the control yoke during a take off from Pebbly Beach in 1979. She was later salvaged and is today still flying in Alaska with PenAir.
N11CS, serial 1166. This Gooses was modified with a Widgeon style windscreen and retractable floats. N11CS suffered a fatal crash in April of 1979. Photo is dated July 1978. Photo by Chris Bell
Catalina Flying Boats
Catalina Flying Boats was started by Frank Strobel, who loved seaplanes and felt that seaplanes belonged at Catalina. He continued the Grumman Goose seaplane tradition, flying cargo and passengers between Long Beach and Pebbly Beach. Although the airline only broke even, Frank Strobel fulfilled his mission in keeping seaplanes flying to Catalina. The airline was sold in the late 1980s and the new owners sold Catalina Flying Boats two Grumman Gooses, opting to fly Beech 18s and Douglas DC-3s instead, thus ending over 40 years of almost continuous Grumman Goose service to Catalina.
Catalina Flying Boats Fleet:
Grumman Goose: N69263, N1257A, N143DF
Catalina Flying Boats N1257A serial #1184 climbing the Pebbly Beach ramp.
N1257A in a blue and white paint scheme. Photo by John P. Stewart.
Catalina Airlines Sikorsky S-58. Registration N33602, serial #58-727 at San Pedro Terminal in 1978. Photo by Chris Bell
Catalina Airlines Sikorsky S-62, N54516 at Long Beach Airport in 1978. This helicopter crashed near the Long Beach breakwater on July 7th, 1978. Photo by John Stewart
N1257A at Pebbly Beach, heading out for a return trip to Long Beach.
Catalina Flying Boats N69263. Touchdown at Pebbly Beach.
Photo by Tim Bradley Photography.
Catalina AirlinesN324 B-66 at Pebbly Beach in 1974.
N143DF, serial #1153 at Long Beach Airport in 1984
N69263 on the beach at Avalon. Photo by Roger Meadows
N11CS c/n 1166 water taxiing. Photo by Roger Meadows.
