Pilgrim Airlines    DHC-6 Twin Otter  N127PM              (c/n  105)

                            

                                  Pilgrim Airlines was founded in 1962 by Joe Fugare (first revenue flight took place on 1 April
                                  of that year) to provide commuter service from New London/Groton to New York's JFK
                                  Airport initally using Piper Comanches seconded from his New London Flying Service FBO.
                                  He was formerly engaged in charter services from New London/Groton (home of General
                                  Dynamics Electric Boat Division) to Washington, D.C. but that business was usurped when
                                  Allegheny started up regular scheduled services.   However, the need to transport GE exec-
                                  utives to and from JFK provided him his nucleus route.    This was later expanded to include
                                  routes linking Bradley International (Hartford) with Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London
                                  on a daily basis.  Boston was later added to the network.   A modest fleet of three Beech D18s
                                  and a couple of Piper Aztecs were used, including at least one Volpar Turboliner. (Photos,  any-
                                  one?).   In October 1966, Pilgrim became the first US carrier to operate the DHC-6 Twin Otter.
                                  The aircraft seen above in this nice shot by Tom Hildreth was not one of the early ones, but was
                                  a "previously owned" example acquired in 1970 from (the then) defunct Aero Commuter in Los
                                  Angeles.  Pilgrim's first Twin Otter N121PM (c/n 14) is seen below at Logan Airport, Boston in
                                  May of 1981 in a shot by Bob Garrard.  By that time the airline had discarded the well known
                                  "Pilgrim's Hat" logo for this ("Scenic Airlines"-type) rainbow livery.  (Not nearly so distinctive, in
                                   my mind, as the original markings).   Anyway, more on N127PM above:   On 21 Feb 1982 on
                                  a flight from New London/Groton to Boston, fire broke out in the cockpit.  The captain attempted
                                  a landing at Providence, RI, but in the event this was aborted and the aircraft forced  landed on a
                                  frozen reservoir nearby.    The port main gear collapsed and the starboard wing was sheared off,
                                  resulting in a total write off of the Twin Otter.  One of the ten passengers aboard succumbed to
                                  fatal injuries.

                              DHC-6 Twin Otter    N121PM                                       (c/n  14)