Macau Air Transport Company (Macao Air Transport Company) was a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific that operated seaplane services between Macau and Hong Kong from 1948 to 1961.
| Founded | 1948 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1961 |
| Hubs | Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, Macau |
| Fleet size | 2 (1 as Macau Air Transport Company (HK) Ltd from 1961 to 1967) |
| Destinations | 2 |
| Parent company | Cathay Pacific |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong |
Formed in 1948, the airline operated two Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplanes from Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, Macau (old location using a ramp into the harbour) to Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong. Miss Macao, one of the MATCO's seaplane was lost in a hijacking.[1]
In 1960 ownership by Cathay Pacific ended with Roger Lobo and Stanley Ho as new owners with the airline renamed as Macau Air Transport Company (Hong Kong) Limited.[2] The introduction of a new runway at Kai Tak and conditions in Macau were the beginning of the end of MATCO and service continued until October 1961 when the airline ceased operations.[1]
The airline remained registered in Hong Kong up to January 1964 and all remaining aircraft were de-registered by 1967.[2]
Fleet
editMATCO operated two Canadian Vickers CBV-1A Canso (c. 1944 from United States Army Air Forces as OA-10A Catalina (#44-34081) and later to USN (#68045), later with Royal Canadian Air Force and acquired by Cathay Pacific in 1946) in 1948.[3]
- VR-HDT - Miss Macao crashed and written off in 1948[4]
- VR-HDH - acquired from RCAF November 1946 by Cathay Pacific; sold to Trans Australia Airlines 1962 as VH-SBV and retired in 1966[5] and then used as firefighting trainer until 1975, then displayed at Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland, New Zealand from 1976 to 1986 and now at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand since 1987.[6]
With the removal of the Catalina seaplanes, MATCO operated as a freight airline and acquired a new aircraft:
- VR-HFP[7][8] - Piaggio Aerospace P.136-L2 was ordered in 1960 and in service in 1961 and remained in Hong Kong until 1967.
References
edit- ^ a b "Seaplanes to Sail the Skies Again in Hong Kong?". 15 July 2008.
- ^ a b "Macau Air Transport Company (Hong Kong) Ltd – the One Cigarette Airline – the Industrial History of Hong Kong Group".
- ^ "Consolidated 28-5A OA-10A Catalina".
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina VR-HDT Pearl River". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- ^ "PBY5a Catalina". Kiwi Aircraft Images. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- ^ "PBY Catalina Tail Number VH-SBV". www.pacificwrecks.com. Archived from the original on 2006-03-13.
- ^ "Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Piaggio P-166BL2, c/n 243, c/r VH-BJP". aerialvisuals.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "Macau Air Transport Company (Hong Kong) Ltd – The One Cigarette Airline – The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group". industrialhistoryhk.org. Retrieved 2023-03-12.