West Coast
Airlines Piper PA-31 Navajo N11131
(c/n 31-31)
West Coast was certainly an
innovative airline. In August of 1966 it came to an
agreement with
Third Level carrier (Third
Level Operators were basically scheduled air taxis) Eugene Aviation
Service to operate a segment from
Eugene, Oregon to Roseburg using Piper Aztecs. One year
layer WCA took over the service itself and purchased
four Piper Navajos which it dubbed Miniliners.
This was the first example of a
Local Service carrier operating what was, in essence, a Third Level
route. It was really the beginning of the
larger airlines' involvement with commuter, feeder lines.
The shot above came from a post card gleaned from
WCA in 1968. The new logo on the tail
was carried through to the
DC-9s.
.