Not only did Comair survive the early years but they grew from strength to strength to become one of the most successful Airlines in South Africa.
The idea was born in 1942 by two pilots of No 5 Squadron namely J.M.S. Martin and A.L. Joubert, at the time based in Egypt. Leon Zimmerman who was the squadron adjutant overheard their discussion and told them that they would need someone who understood a bit about business or they would go broke. And so Leon Zimmerman became their third partner, followed much later by J.D. Human.
Mike Martin and Leon Zimmerman
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Messrs. Joubert, Human and Martin
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Meanwhile a war was to be fought and it was only after 1943 when they returned to South Africa that the Company “Commercial Air Services” was registered.
In 1945 Zimmerman and Martin used to meet during weekend leaves from their units to plan further and many letters were written to American companies outlining their objectives. Eventually Cessna Aircraft offered them a light two seater and later agreement was reached for them to become a “Cessna Distributor”.
In the late 1945 Leon Zimmerman left the Air Force and opened an office in Johannesburg. It was discovered that there were a number of Fairchild UC-78 aircraft in Cairo that would be suitable as a start. This was a pre war civilian F24R and was used for communication purposes. It was a 4 seater with a comfortable cabin and cruised at 120 m.p.h. The price was ?1000 each obtainable from the American Foreign Liquidation Commission, responsible for foreign liquidations. Arrangements were made to buy the aircraft with the National Industrial Credit Corporation.
In 1946 Martin and Joubert went to Cairo where they took their discharge taking advantage of the free transport and all ten aircraft were flown to Rand Airport by an assortment of friends, prospective employee pilots, none with licences or passports. This problem was solved by them wearing S.A.A.F. uniforms and caused no comment as the aircraft still had R.A.F. markings.
In the meantime Mr. J.G. Mckerril as Chief Engineer had formed a nucleus Maintenance Organisation at Rand Airport where the aircraft were overhauled to obtain their S.A. Certificates of Airworthiness. On the 14 July 1946 Comair finally flew their first charter flown by Martin from Rand Airport to Durban.
In that immediate post war period it was a bit of a free for all, until the National Transport Commission brought some kind of order.
There was a demand by business people for air travel to many parts of Africa. Airfields were usually rough grass strips and navigational aids completely non-existent.
The charter business was so successful that a modest expansion program was started. Of the ten original aircraft, one was cannibalised to provide spares, two others went to C.A. Services Rhodesia, one to C. A. Services Natal, and a fourth sold for ?2000 to provide modest capital.
Two Cessna 140 demonstrators were also purchased and Comair was in the aircraft sales business. This was the start of the outstanding successful association with Cessna.
Peter Van Emmenis was young, 19 years of age and had recently completed his Active Citizen Force flying training when in 1952 he joined Comair.
He was posted to Welkom in the heart of the Free State gold fields to join Woolfy du Plooy. His flight duties would be delivering a consignment of daily newspapers to Bloemfontein and other smaller towns in the area.
The morning Rand Daily Mail was printed in Johannesburg. The early edition would then be dispatched by delivery van in the early hours of the morning to arrive at Welkom by 6 am.
They used Cessna 140 aircraft; the registrations were ZS-BFY, ZS-DEE and ZS-DEJ.
Peter writes that they were a delight to fly and although only a two seater, there was enough room for the newspapers. The newspapers had to be delivered, irrespective of the weather so they flew mainly low level because of the nonexistent ADF beacons and so became completely familiar with every inch of the landscape. They also had to contend with the sandstorms of intense density prevailing in that part of the Free State where visibility is reduced by red dust for days on end to a minimal distance.
When the airports were waterlogged they would fly with flaps down near stalling speed, looking for a dry spot, the newspapers bundles were pushed out of the door like “bombs” to land near waiting couriers on the ground. Hanging on to the controls, watching the airspeed, opening the door, and pushing out packages of newspapers, required a lot of concentration and skill.
One day, Johnny Human, one of the directors of Comair suggested to Peter that he should be looking further afield for an aviation career instead of just delivering newspapers in a Cessna 140.
This was a major turning point and set in motion events that motivated him, and eventually played itself out in the cockpit of a Sabena DC-4 in 1958 in the Belgian Congo, where Johnny Human was the First officer and Peter the Captain of the flight.
After a brilliant flying career and having reached retiring age Peter left Singapore Airways where he was employed as one of their senior Captains.
Along with selling Cessna’s a flying training school was also started, and not many people know that in 1948 Comair successfully ran two flying courses to train pilots on behalf of the Zionist Federation for the newly formed State of Israel. They used Tiger Moths, Cessna’s, and a Navion and Twin Consul aircraft.
The instructors for the first course were Mike Martin, Joe Joubert, T.C. Scott and Leslie Pink. The same instructors (except T.C. Scott) conducted the second course, plus C. Duval, R. Davidson and Coleman Meyers.
The courses generally went very well, with a few students failing on the way. Inevitably there were several accidents. Cessna 120 ZS-BFC crashed at Rand Airport on 5 November 1948, the Cessna 140 ZS-BFK crashed at Klip River on 23 March 1949. Consul ZS-DDN was damaged beyond repair at Rand Airport on 20 June 1950.
Some of the students were later in life to hold high positions in different airlines. Airwork of London was to take a 50% interest in Comair and as a result in July 1948 Scheduled Service using a new Cessna Model 195 started.
The routes flown were from Rand Airport via Kroonstad, Odendaalrus, Bloemfontein, Bethlehem and Ladysmith to Durban with return flights daily.
Operationally, the service was a great success, a tribute to the excellent maintenance organisation run by R.F. Haywood. Commercially it was disastrous, and it was announced that it must end. Anglo American then stepped in with a request that at least the service continue between Rand and the part of the Free State gold fields for which they would subsidise any losses that might occur.
In May 1949 a daily return service was flown between Rand and Welkom and the rest of the route was discontinued. Gradually traffic improved and two de Havilland Rapide aircraft were bought and put into service, followed in 1951 by de Havilland Dove aircraft.
Investigations indicated that Lockheed Lodestars might provide a better result and in 1953 two Lodestars were purchased from East African Airways.
The passengers were delighted and losses were substantially reduced with encouraging signs that profits might result. From 1955 the next five years that is not the subject of this book saw considerable growth and profits. Comair was to grow and reap the rewards of their efforts and foresight.
Fairchild aircraft after their arrival from Cairo at Rand Airport
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Cessna 195 ZS-BGA
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The DC-3s of Comair
C/N |
Reg |
Name |
Notes |
12026 |
ZS-DRJ |
Reiger |
ZS-DRJ Reiger |
42969 |
ZS-DXW |
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19484 |
ZS-EJK |
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42963 |
ZS-FRM |
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9628 |
ZS-IWL |
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C/N 12026
ZS-DRJ Comair
Rand Airport 16 November 1973
Photograph: Rolf Larsson
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C/N 12026
ZS-DRJ Comair
Photograph: Peter Wonfor
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C/N 12026
ZS-DRJ Comair
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 12026
ZS-DRJ Comair
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 42969
ZS-DXW Comair colours but no "Comair" titles
Rand Airport 16 November 1973
Photograph: Rolf Larsson
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C/N 42969
ZS-DXW Comair
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 19484
ZS-EJK Comair
At Skukuza Airport in the Kruger National Park, May 1974
Photograph: Ger Buskermolen
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C/N 19484
ZS-EJK Comair
At Rand Airport 19 November 1973
Photograph: Rolf Larsson
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C/N 19484
ZS-EJK Comair
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 42963
ZS-FRM Comair
Skukuza Airport March 1973
Photograph: Thomas P. Bor (via Alastair Bor)
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