Pearl Air

[1970s Spotter]

Would anyone know anything about a company called Pearl Air who operated Viscounts around Europe and Africa in the mid 1970s? Any names for the managements?

Thanks

[DaveReidUK]

You mean these guys, presumably:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1037116M.jpg

Allegedly a CIA front, airlifting arms to the UNITA rebels in Angola.

[bigal1941]

Flew in one from Huambo to Lusaka sometime in the mid 70's, still had ANZ timetables and inflight mags in the seat pockets. Saw it again in Rotterdam sometime later. Crew were probably South African but spoke German to us. Plane was configured as a Combi with space up front for cargo. Plane appeared in a resultant Panorama TV prog. Regards Alan

[Lordflasheart]

Dodgy sort of place Huambo .... Weren't there two C-130 shootdowns near there in the late 90's ?


From this place - sounds as if Pearl was up to something shady


Office of the Historian - Historical Documents - Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969?1976, Volume XXVIII, Southern Africa - Document 186 (http://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1969-76v28/d186)



Have you tried the Africa forum ? LFH




http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj632/LFH99/PearlAirViscount_zpsea00940a.jpg?t=1375189581

[Tony Mabelis]

I saw that Viscount in Lagos in 1977.
If my memory is correct, it was full of 8 x 4 sheets of plywood, all loaded through the pax door.
Tony