Hart Aircraft Service

Hart Aircraft Service Pty. Ltd. was an Australian aviation company registered in Melbourne in the middle of 1929. It was established with an intended business scope covering aircraft manufacture and repair, but its activities soon extended into charter operations, aircraft servicing, aircraft representation, and scheduled passenger flying. The company was associated with Essendon Airport, which was then becoming an important centre for aviation activity in Victoria. The company's directors included James Hart, John Hider, and Norman Charles Trescowthick. Hart was a former Royal Flying Corps aviator who had served as a gunner with Hereward de Havilland. Trescowthick was a decorated First World War veteran of the Australian Flying Corps' No. 4 Squadron and had served alongside Arthur H. Cobby. Their military aviation backgrounds connected the company with the experienced pilot and engineering community that helped shape Australia's interwar commercial aviation sector. By late 1929, Hart Aircraft Service owned a de Havilland Gipsy Moth registered VH-UKV and named Diana. Although aircraft repair and servicing remained central to the business, the Gipsy Moth was also used for charter flights. In 1930 the company serviced aircraft operated by the first Australian National Airways when that airline began regular flights to Melbourne. This maintenance relationship gave Hart Aircraft Service a role in supporting the early development of scheduled air transport in Australia. Hart Aircraft Service also became the Australian agent for Desoutter aircraft. One of the Desoutter machines represented by the company participated in the unsuccessful searches for Australian National Airways' missing Avro 618 Ten, Southern Cloud, which disappeared in 1931. The search continued for several months and became one of the notable early incidents in Australian aviation history. In April 1933 Hart Aircraft Service entered scheduled passenger transport by starting a regular service between Melbourne and Launceston in Tasmania. The route sometimes operated through Flinders Island and used an Avro 618 Ten registered VH-UMG and named Tasman. The company was subsequently authorised to carry airmail on the service. Its airline ambitions were limited, however. Early in 1934 Hart Aircraft Service failed to obtain the contract for the relevant Tasmanian leg of the Empire Air Mail Scheme, and it withdrew from the route in March of that year. After ending its scheduled Tasmanian service, the company continued its aviation servicing activities at Essendon Airport. It remained active in that role until 1938, when its operations were sold to Victorian & Interstate Airways. Hart Aircraft Service therefore represents an early Australian aviation enterprise whose business developed from maintenance and aircraft support into charter and regional passenger operations before ultimately being absorbed into another airline-related organisation.

Hart Aircraft Service Pty. Ltd. was registered at Melbourne in mid-1929 during a formative period for Australian commercial aviation. Its stated intention was to operate an aircraft manufacturing and repair business based at Essendon Airport. The company was directed by James Hart, John Hider, and Norman Charles Trescowthick. Hart had previously served in the Royal Flying Corps as a gunner with Hereward de Havilland, while Trescowthick was a First World War Australian Flying Corps veteran of No. 4 Squadron. Their backgrounds reflected the close relationship between military aviation experience and the early Australian civil aviation industry. By the end of 1929 the business owned a de Havilland Gipsy Moth, VH-UKV, named Diana. The aircraft was used for charter flights, showing that the company was not limited to workshop activity. In 1930 Hart Aircraft Service supported the first Australian National Airways when ANA commenced regular flights to Melbourne, servicing the airline's aircraft. This made Hart part of the technical infrastructure behind one of Australia's earliest scheduled airline operations. The company expanded its commercial role by becoming an Australian agent for Desoutter aircraft. A Desoutter represented by Hart was used in searches for ANA's missing Avro 618 Ten, Southern Cloud, during 1931. The aircraft disappeared during a flight and the unsuccessful search continued for several months, becoming a significant event in Australian aviation history. Hart Aircraft Service later moved into scheduled passenger transport. In April 1933 it inaugurated a regular Melbourne–Launceston service, with some flights routed through Flinders Island. The route was operated with the Avro 618 Ten VH-UMG, Tasman, previously known as ANA's Southern Star. Hart was later authorised to carry airmail, adding a public-service and postal dimension to the operation. The scheduled service was short-lived. In early 1934 Hart Aircraft Service failed to win the contract for the Tasmanian leg of the Empire Air Mail Scheme. Without that contract, it withdrew from the Melbourne–Launceston route in March 1934. The company nevertheless continued its aircraft servicing business at Essendon Airport. In 1938 it sold its operations to Victorian & Interstate Airways, bringing its independent corporate history to an end. Hart Aircraft Service is consequently best understood as a small but multifaceted interwar Australian aviation company: it combined maintenance, charter work, aircraft agency activity, and regional passenger transport before being absorbed by another operator.

• 1938

  Operations transferred to Victorian & Interstate Airways

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  Hart sold its continuing Essendon aviation servicing operations to Victorian & Interstate Airways.

• 1934

  Withdrawal from scheduled Tasmanian service

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  The company ended its Melbourne–Launceston service in March after failing to obtain the relevant Empire Air Mail Scheme contract.

• 1933

  Launch of Melbourne–Launceston passenger service

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  Hart began regular passenger flights between Melbourne and Launceston, at times via Flinders Island, using the Avro 618 Ten Tasman.

• 1931

  Participation in the Southern Cloud search

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  A Desoutter aircraft represented by Hart was used during searches for ANA's missing Avro 618 Ten, Southern Cloud.

• 1930

  Aircraft servicing for Australian National Airways

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  Hart Aircraft Service serviced ANA aircraft when the airline began regular flights to Melbourne.

• 1929

  Company registered in Melbourne

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  Hart Aircraft Service Pty. Ltd. was registered in Melbourne with an intended focus on aircraft manufacture and repair and operations based at Essendon Airport.

• 1929

  Acquisition of de Havilland Gipsy Moth Diana

  [1]Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org

  The company owned de Havilland Gipsy Moth VH-UKV, Diana, by late 1929 and used it for charter flying.

An early Australian aviation services company positioned around aircraft maintenance, technical support, charter flying, aircraft representation, and regional air transport rather than as a large-scale national airline.

• Aviation services · 1929

  Aircraft maintenance and repair

  Aircraft manufacture and repair were part of the company's intended business at its Essendon base. In practice, servicing and maintenance became its most durable activity and continued after the company withdrew from scheduled passenger operations.

• Air transport · 1929

  Charter flying

  Hart used its de Havilland Gipsy Moth, VH-UKV Diana, for charter flights by late 1929. This complemented the company's workshop and aircraft-support activities during the early development of Australian civil aviation.

• Scheduled passenger airline service · 1933

  Melbourne–Launceston passenger service

  Beginning in April 1933, Hart operated a regular connection between Melbourne and Launceston, Tasmania. Some services ran through Flinders Island, and the route used the Avro 618 Ten VH-UMG Tasman. The service ended in March 1934 after the company did not receive the relevant Empire Air Mail Scheme contract.

• Postal aviation service · 1933

  Airmail carriage

  Hart was later authorised to carry airmail on its Tasmanian passenger route. This authority linked the company's regional air service to the government-supported postal aviation system of the period.

• 1938

  Sale of operating businessM&A

  Background

  Hart had continued its servicing activities at Essendon after leaving scheduled passenger transport.

  Action taken

  The company sold its operations to Victorian & Interstate Airways.

  Aftermath

  The transfer ended Hart Aircraft Service's independent operations and led to its classification as a defunct Australian aviation company.

  Source

• 1934

  Withdrawal from Tasmanian passenger routeStrategy

  Background

  Hart was not awarded the contract for the Tasmanian leg of the Empire Air Mail Scheme.

  Action taken

  The company discontinued its Melbourne–Launceston service in March while retaining its aircraft servicing activities.

  Aftermath

  Hart continued operating as an aviation servicing business at Essendon Airport rather than as an independent scheduled passenger operator.

  Source

• 1933

  Launch of Melbourne–Launceston scheduled serviceProduct launch

  Background

  Hart Aircraft Service had already undertaken charter flying and aircraft servicing before entering regular passenger transport.

  Action taken

  The company introduced a regular Melbourne–Launceston route, sometimes via Flinders Island, using the Avro 618 Ten Tasman.

  Aftermath

  The service later received authority to carry airmail but was withdrawn in March 1934 after Hart failed to secure the relevant Empire Air Mail Scheme contract.

  Source

1. 1Hart Aircraft Serviceen.wikipedia.org