Wright Airlines Shorts
360-100 N632KC
(c/n SH.3644)
Early in 1984 Wright ordered five Shorts
360s. It was, I suppose, a last ditch effort to try to
save the dying line. Like many of
its contemporaries, Wright had expanded too fast and found
itself strapped for cash. Not only that, but it was striving to
support all the routes flown by
acquired
airline Aeromech. By November of 1984 it laid off 240 employees
and reduced its
daily schedule to 11 flights between original cities Cleveland and
Detroit. Losses continued,
and the airline reduced schedules even further to 3 round trips
to Detroit daily. By December
1985 the
airline was in Chapter 7 liquidation and never emerged. The
SD.360s were repossess-
ed by
Shorts Air Lease and N642KC was later operated by Atlantic Southeast
Airlines, Business
Express
and Simmonds Airways (as American Eagle) Above photo
courtesy of the Bob Garrard
collection.