Gabon Express
Encyclopedia
Gabon Express was an airline
based in Libreville
, Gabon
. It operated scheduled passenger services and passenger and cargo charters. It ceased operations in June 2004.
and Port-Gentil
. The airline operated both Caravelle and HS 748 Aircraft. It grew to become the second largest airline in Gabon, operating 60 scheduled flights a week from Libreville. The airline's operations were suspended following the crash of one of its aircraft on 8 June 2004. Operations ceased on 15 June 2004.
At the time the airline ceased operations, it was the only airline still operating Caravelle aircraft in scheduled passenger services.
, departed Libreville for a domestic flight to Franceville
. Engine problems forced the crew to turn back for Libreville but the aircraft crashed 100 m offshore. Of the 30 people on board, 19 were killed. The Gabonese government proposed legal action against the company and banned it from operating, claiming it had failed to insure its aircraft.
Libreville
to Bitam, Franceville
, Gamba, Oyem
and Port-Gentil
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
. It operated scheduled passenger services and passenger and cargo charters. It ceased operations in June 2004.
Code data
- ICAO Code: GBE
- Callsign: GABEX
History
The airline was established in 1998 and started operations on 26 October 1998 between LibrevilleLibreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
and Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil or Mandji is the second-largest city of Gabon and a leading seaport. It is the center of Gabon's petroleum and timber industries. Although it lies inshore, the nearby mainland is a remote forest area and it is not connected by road to the rest of the nation...
. The airline operated both Caravelle and HS 748 Aircraft. It grew to become the second largest airline in Gabon, operating 60 scheduled flights a week from Libreville. The airline's operations were suspended following the crash of one of its aircraft on 8 June 2004. Operations ceased on 15 June 2004.
At the time the airline ceased operations, it was the only airline still operating Caravelle aircraft in scheduled passenger services.
Incidents and accidents
On 8 June 2004 a Gabon Express flight using a BAe 748-232 Series 2AAvro 748
The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed by the British firm Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners. Avro concentrated on performance, notably for STOL operations, and found a dedicated...
, departed Libreville for a domestic flight to Franceville
Franceville
Franceville or Masuku is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 22,000 people. It lies on the River Mpassa and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It grew from a village named Masuku when Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former...
. Engine problems forced the crew to turn back for Libreville but the aircraft crashed 100 m offshore. Of the 30 people on board, 19 were killed. The Gabonese government proposed legal action against the company and banned it from operating, claiming it had failed to insure its aircraft.
Services
Scheduled services included:Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
to Bitam, Franceville
Franceville
Franceville or Masuku is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 22,000 people. It lies on the River Mpassa and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It grew from a village named Masuku when Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former...
, Gamba, Oyem
Oyem
Oyem is the capital of Woleu-Ntem province in northern Gabon, lying on the N2 road and the River Ntem.-Geography:The town lies on a plateau at an elevation of about . It is the administrative and transport center for the surrounding agricultural area...
and Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil
Port-Gentil or Mandji is the second-largest city of Gabon and a leading seaport. It is the center of Gabon's petroleum and timber industries. Although it lies inshore, the nearby mainland is a remote forest area and it is not connected by road to the rest of the nation...
External links
- Gabon Express official website at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine