Chalk's Airline Loses Operating Cetrficate
 

Chalk's International Airlines, a fixture on the South Florida aviation scene since World War I, has lost its federal operating certificate and its future looks dim.

The tiny seaplane operator, with headquarters at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, has not flown since Sept. 3, according to airport officials.

Crippled by a fatal crash of one of its Grumman Turbo Mallard seaplanes in Miami on Dec. 19, 2005, Chalk's had been leasing planes from another airline to ferry passengers between airports in South Florida and the Bahamas. Without operating authority from the Department of Transportation, however, it cannot even do that.

On Tuesday, the Broward County Commission is scheduled to consider terminating the airline's lease at the Fort Lauderdale airport. Chalk's has not paid rent since April on its counter space and is more than $11,000 behind on rent and landing fees, according to the airport.

[Mods, please move this if it doesn't fit here.]

I flew in one of their Mallards from Watson Island in Miami harbour to Bimini and back in 1972.
A really memorable experience.

I drove along the causeway past Watson Island last week and was saddened to see all the old Chalk's buildings had been cleared away.