Sørfly
| Founded | 1946 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1962 |
| Operating bases | Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik |
| Fleet size | 5 |
| Headquarters | Kristiansand, Norway |
Sørfly A/S was a general aviation airline based in Kristiansand, Norway. It operated from 1946 to 1962 with a base at Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik. Sørfly operated a fleet of three , a Republic Seabee and a Miles Gemini.
For most of its history the airline provided aerial photography, target tug, air ambulance, passenger and cargo charter and sightseeing services as the baseline for its revenue. From 1948 to 1951 it also operated a scheduled service on behalf of Norwegian Air Lines from Kristiansand to Aalborg and Gothenburg, and to Stavanger.
Sørfly was founded during early 1946 by four pilots and mechanics: Einar Jaatun, Ragnar Moi, Finn Erikstad and Jonny Thorsen. The airline immediately procured two Auster Autocrats. Operations the first year they focused on sightseeing. The airline would operate out of various communities selling aerial tours of the area. A specialty was pertussis-flights to soothe the sick with a steep dive. The third Autocrat was delivered in September.
Skis were mounted on one aircraft for the winter seasons. These were used for charter flights to the wilderness, mostly flying hunters to Setesdal. Other important contracts were transporting cement to Skjerka and target tug for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The latter was a permanent contract which gave the airline an even source of revenue.
The airline bought a Republic Seabee seaplane in 1947. This allowed the airline to start charter flights along the coast and access to mountain cabins during the summer. Sørfly signed a contract in 1948 to provide air ambulance flights.
Sørfly bought a three-passenger Miles Gemini in 1948 and used it to operate a scheduled service from Kristiansand via Aalborg Airport in Denmark to Gothenburg Torslanda Airport. From Kristiansand the flight was extended to Stavanger Airport, Sola using the Seabee. The flights were contracted by Norwegian Air Lines (DNL), who held the concession. These were negotiated year for year, which made it financially difficult for Sørfly to invest in a larger aircraft. The contract lasted until 1951, when DNL took over the service itself. The reason was that Sørfly had not been able to fly for a month during the preceding winter due to snowfall.
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