Bird & Sons, Inc., Bird Air &

Continental Air Services, Inc. (CASI)

Table 5:            CASI Fleet

CASI

Flight International

14/04/66

06/05/71

22/03/73

Lockheed L382B Hercules

2

-

-

Douglas DC-3

3

11

6

Curtiss C-46

5

3

6

Pilatus Porter

-

13

16

Dornier Do28

4

4

3

Beech Baron

-

10

10

Wren 460

-

1

-

Twin Pioneer

3

1

-

Beech H-18

-

1

-

FH-1100

-

1

-

SC-7 Skyvan

-

-

1

DHC-6 Twin Otter

-

-

2

Total fleet:

37

-

-

No fleet inventory has been found for Bird Air or Bird & Sons, Inc.

Registered Addresses

Bird & Sons Inc.: 808 Seaboard Bldg, 4th Ave, Seattle 1, WA [USC1/64]

120 Montgomery St., San Francisco, CA [USC1/64, 7/68]

CASI:                     One East First St., Reno, NV [USC7/68]

Head Office:                7300 World Way West, Los Angeles, CA [USC7/72]

Overseas Offices:                Bangkok, Vientiane & Saigon

Table 6:            Combined Bird & CASI Fleet List

Beech 18

reg.

model

c/n

notes

N906T

H-18

BA-667

CASI, sold as HS-CHP

N4***N?                  

AT-11                    

?

sold to William Bird in early 1961, becoming the first aircraft operated by Bird & Sons, Inc. – possibly N4830N c/n 3330  > XW- PAG (q.v.)

N18843

H-18

BA-750

CASI (5/74), sold to Volpar Int'l Corp.

XW-PAG

‘D-18S'

 ‘3896'

DBR by shellfire at Vientiane 1961 (owner TBD) – p.i. given as 42-37331 & N4830N (q.v.) but note c/n, > XW-TBF (2.63)( TBC)

Beech D50C Twin Bonanza

N9316Y

D50C

DH295

Bird > CASI

 

Beech 95-B55 Baron

N522C

95-B55

TC-415

CASI, crashed 05/01/69 at Ponesa, Nong Khai province, Thailand

N1349Z 

95-B55

TC-172

CASI - fate unknown

N4681

95-B55

TC-309

CASI, ground collision at Savannakhet, Laos 18/07/72 (fate?)

N7303

95-B55

TC-236

CASI, to HS-PBB

N9781Y

95-A55

TC-437

CASI, W/O 20/02/67 Na Trang

The IDs of additional aircraft are TBD.

Bell 47G-3B-1 Sioux

N6252N

G-3B-1

6666

Bird, sold

Bell 205

XW-PFG

UH-1D

3209

Bird (9.67), sold as N47000 (6.74)

XW-PFH

UH-1D

3210

Bird (9.67), sold as N47001(6.74)

XW-PFJ

UH-1D

3211

Bird (10.67), sold as N47004 (2.76)    

These aircraft were also operated by Air America, Inc. (q.v.)

Bell 206A JetRanger

N2959W

206B

805

Bird, canx. 14/05/79, sold as C-GAHP

N6376

206B

729

Bird, canx. 07/08/80, sold as VH-SAI

N57903

206A

553

Bird (7.74), canx. 11/06/79, sold as C-GAHV

XW-PHO

206A      

553

Bird (1971) Crash landed 80km from Vientiane, Laos 04/01/72  > N57903 (q.v.)

XW-…

206A      

593

Bird (13/05/71) W/O June July, 1971

XW-PKC

206B

729

Bird (TBC) > N6376 (q.v.)

Camair 480

N229

480

I-066

Bird W/O 14/07/62 Laos

The Camair 480 is a Ryan Twin Navion converted by Cameron Aircraft Co.

 

Cessna 180

XW-PED

180

51962

 

XW-PFU

180

51863

 

 

Cessna 206

XW-PKL

206

?

Bird DBR 24/03/76

Curtiss C-46 Commando

N335CA

C-46R

27049

CASI (7/74), sold to Tri-Nine Corp.

N336CA

C-46R

30252 (“30249”)

CASI (7/74), sold to Tri-Nine Corp. 11/03/76

N337CA

C-46R

30257 (“30254”)

CASI (7/74), sold to Tri-Nine Corp. 16/02/76

N1447

C-46F     

22561

CASI (9.67), canx. 1974, to XW-PMF

N4871V

C-46F     

22410

Bird (24/05/63) > CASI (9/65) canx. 1970, lost in SE Asia

N4877V

C-46F     

22442

Bird (03/11/61), crashed at Phou Fa (LS 16) 31/08/62. Canx. 1970, destroyed

N9473Z

C-46D    

22293

Bird (.60) > CASI (9/65), crashed after engine failure W/O 13/08/67 Phu Cum, Laos

N9760Z

C-46F

22574

Bird (.63) > CASI (9/65) > Tri 9 Corp. DBR in rocket attack W/O 26/08/74 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

N67961

C-46F     

22512

Bird (.64) > CASI (9/65), crashed 1969

XW-EAA

C-46

?

Bird (prior to 1965) - fate unknown

XW-EAB

C-46

?             

Bird (prior to 1965) - fate unknown

XW-PBV

C-46D

22232

Bird (5.64) > CASI > turned over to Royal Air Lao (1974)* Believed DBR 24/03/76 (see also Air America)

XW-PBW

C-46D

“1887”

Bird (5.64) W/O 15/10/74*

XW-PHL

C-46R

27049

CASI (29/06/71) canx. 02/07/74 > N335CA (q.v.)

XW-PHM

C-46R

30252

CASI (29/06/71) canx. 02/07/74 > N336CA (q.v.)

XW-PHN

C-46R

30257

CASI (6/71), canx. 03/07/74 > N337CA (q.v.)

*Two CASI C-46s were turned over to Royal Air Laos in 1974 and used for rice drops. One crashed into Phou Bia mountain that same October, killing the crew. (2nd possibly XW-PBW, W/O 15/10/74)

The last CASI C-46 (possibly N335CA) left Long Tieng with refugees on 14/05/75.

 

De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300

XW-PGV

300

266

CASI (.72) to N85TC

XW-PHF

300         

274

CASI (3.71) to N86TC

XW-PHP

300

280

CASI (8.71) to 9V-BCJ

XW-PHS

300

285

CASI (8.71) to A-060, XW-PKH (q.v.)

XW-PKH

300         

285

CASI (7.72) to 9V-BCL

CASI had five DHC-6-300

 

Dornier Do28A-1 & B-1

N1153Q

B-1         

3062       

Bird (6.64) – fate unknown

N4222G

A-1

3026

Bird (12.61) > CASI (9/65) > XW-PCG (q.v.)

N4223G

A-1

3013       

Bird > CASI (9/65) – fate unknown

N4228G 

A-1

3046

Bird (2.63) > CASI (9/65) > XW-PDB (q.v.)

N9180X 

A-1          

3060

CASI (10.65) W/O 06/04/67

N9181X

B-1

3084       

CASI (7.65) sold as RP-1220

N9182X 

B-1         

3087

CASI (7.65) – fate unknown

N9183X

B-1           

3086

CASI (7.65) W/O 08/04/67

N9184X

A-1        

3058       

CASI (12.65) > XW-PCJ (q.v.)

N9185X 

A-1        

3059

CASI (12.65) sold as HS-CHI (8.75)

N9186X

B-1         

3089

CASI (2.66) – fate unknown

XW-PBJ

A-1

3021

Bird (clashes with Twin Pioneer c/n 564) r/r XW-PKM (q.v.)

XW-PCG

A-1

3026

Bird? (also used by Air America, see N4222G) – fate unknown

XW-PCJ

A-1

3058

Bird – fate unknown

XW-PCT

B-1

?             

Bird? – no details known

XW-PDB

A-1

3046

Bird? (also used by Air America) – fate unknown

XW-PKM

A-1

3021

Bird, sold as N89AC (10.73)

The following aircraft were registered to Foreign Air Travel Development Inc. but may have been operated by Bird & Sons Inc. in Laos:

N4224G 

A-1

3021

Bird (10.61) > CASI > Air America, crashed at LS-13 (Ban Na), repaired, r/r XW-PBJ (q.v.)

N4225G

A-1

3029

Bird? (1.62) canx. 7.67 > XW-? – fate unknown

Douglas DC-3/C-47 Skytrain

302

?

?

CASI

B-933

C-47A

13817

CASI (02/02/74) sold as N11AF (2.74)

N23BA

C-47A

9342

Bird Air (.75) BU at BKK

N55L

C-47B

26675

CASI, crashed at Phnom Penh 1971

N560

C-47A

10160

Bird > CASI r/r XW-PDE (q.v.) > N560 CASI sold as N82AC

N620Z   

C-47B

25234

CASI (31/03/67) canx. 1970 – fate unknown

N650K

C-47A

13174

CASI (.65 & 11.75) “50 Kip”, canx. 09/12/76

N719A

C-47

4309

CASI (.66) canx. 1970 – fate unknown

N1346

C-47B

25678

Bird Air (TBC)(leased from Trans New England) but “S E Bird”

N4995E

C-47A

12039

CASI (.67) – fate unknown

N7302

C-47A

11971

CASI (09/10/68) sold 16/04/79

N7780C

C-47B

25736

Bird > CASI (1.66-1971) – fate unknown

N7781C

C-47B

26763

Bird (10/06/64) > CASI, sold

N8744R 

C-47A

20156

CASI (.66) crashed Sam Neua, Laos 17/04/66

N13622

C-47A

13622

CASI (r/r 3.69) sold (12.70)

N64422

C-47A

19476

CASI (12/08/66) to Sahakol Airways (4.73)

N64910

C-47A

20062

CASI (.65?) – fate unknown

N65385

C-47A

20542

CASI (2.66?)

N67674

C-47B

? “33571”

CASI (.66) sold to Tri-Nine Corp.

N79971

C-47A

13184

CASI > XW-PDG (q.v.)

XW-PAD

C-47B

26696

Bird DBR in shellfire, Vientiane, Laos 1961

XW-PAP

?

?

Damaged 21/02/65, Thailand

XW-PDE

C-47A

10160

CASI  (SIGINT a/c) > N560 (q.v.)

XW-PDF

?

?

CASI – fate unknown

XW-PDG

C-47A

13184

CASI (8.66) Canx. – fate unknown

XW-PEE

C-47A

13622

CASI (10/10/68) > N13622 (q.v.)

XW-PFT

C-47A

12539

CASI (5.68) to Air Continental (21.5.68) as N83AC

XW-PFV

C-47A

11971

CASI (04/07/68) > N7302 (q.v.)

XW-PGJ

?

?

Bird > CASI (9/65) crashed Long Cheng, Cambodia 02/01/70 (sic) or leased to Xieng Khouang Air Transport & crashed 100 miles N of Vientiane 02/01/70 - probably at Long Tieng, Laos

XW-PGK

?

?

Bird - fate unknown

TBD

?

?

CASI, crashed in NE Thailand 06/01/69

Douglas DC-6A/B

N27CA

DC-6A/B

43845

Bird Air (leased from Concare)

N54CA

DC-6A/B

44428

Bird Air (leased from Concare) WFU

N56CA

DC-6B

44696

Bird Air (leased from Concare) WFU

Fairchild Hiller FH-1100

TBD

n/a

?

CASI (WIL photo) crashed in late 1965 (sic) - possibly N514FH c/n 13 (TBC)

N526FH

n/a

26

CASI (15/07/67) sold to Parsons Corp. of Calif.

CASI briefly operated a single Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 helicopter during late 1965 (sic), which crashed after a few months of service. Unable to compete with Air America in rotary airlift, CASI reverted to a strictly fixed-wing airline. (C/n 13 was built in 1966.)

 

Helio 395 Super Courier

XW-PBT

395

566         

Bird (4.64), reverted to N83873

XW-PCS

395

524           

Bird - fate unknown

XW-PEA

395

541         

Bird, sold as RP-C2691

XW-PGF

395

? } possibly 530 & 563

? }          

Bird - fate unknown

XW-PGG

395

Bird - fate unknown

Lockheed PV-2 Ventura

N7455C

PV-2

15-1597

William M Bird (.61) > Bird & Son Inc. shot down E of Ban Houei Sai 05/01/63, canx. 03/09/70

N7456C

PV-2

15-1595

Bird & Sons Inc. (27/01/61) (ex 37629) crashed at Phou Fa (LS 16) 10.61, canx. 03/09/70

Bird & Son modified two PV-2s with cargo doors and rollers and used them for re-supply drops in northern Laos. One of the PV-2s was additionally modified with a belly camera for reconnaissance work.

 

Lockheed L-100-20 Hercules

N9260R

-20

4101

CASI (17.11.65) > LAC 6/66

N9261R

-20

4109

CASI (22.11.65) > LAC 6/66

Pilatus PC-6 Porter & Turbo Porter

N152L

A?

554

CASI – fate unknown

N153L

A

571

CASI – fate unknown

N4226G 

340

526

Bird (5.62) Crashed W/O

N4227G

340

532

Bird (12.62) W/O

N62148

B1-H2

631

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62149

B1-H2

672

CASI (9.74), sold as C-GXIK (12.76)

N62150

B-H2

517

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62153

B1-H2

632

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62154

B1-H2

620

CASI (9.74), sold as C-GXIL (12.76)

N62156

B1-H2

667

CASI (9.74) last CASI Porter in Laos on 26/05/75, sold as C-GXIJ (12.76)

N62157

B1-H2

2011*

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62158

B1-H2

523

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62160

B1-H2

704

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62161

B1-H2

669

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

N62162

B1-H2

705

CASI (9.74) Canx. 30/06/77

XW-PBI

A

553

Bird W/O

XW-PBL

A

556

Bird  > N12235 (Air America)

XW-PBQ

A?

554

Bird  “W/O” > N152L (q.v.)

XW-PCC

B?

568

Bird (.64) W/O

XW-PCE

A

571

Bird W/O

XW-PCH

A

576

Bird > N153L (q.v.)

XW-PCI

340

523

Bird > N62158 (q.v.)

XW-PCK

A-H2

591

Bird W/O

XW-PCL

B

583

Bird (12.65) > CASI W/O

XW-PCN

A-H2

594

Bird (12.65) – fate unknown

XW-PCO

A-H2

595

Bird (12.65) W/O

XW-PCQ

B-H2

602

Bird W/O

XW-PCR

B-H2

603

Bird (2.66) > CASI W/O

XW-PDC

A

547

Bird W/O

XW-PDG(2)

340

517

Bird (TBC) > N62150 (q.v.)

XW-PDI

B1-H2

620

Bird (TBC)(9.66) CASI > N62154 (q.v.)

XW-PDJ

B

626

Bird (TBC)(9.66) W/O

XW-PDK

B1-H2

631

Bird > XW-PFC (q.v.)

XW-PDL

B1-H2

632

Bird > XW-PFD (q.v.)

XW-PEF

B1-H2

672

Bird (TBC)(10.68) > N62149 (q.v.)

XW-PEK(1)

B1-H2

695

Bird (TBC)(5.69) W/O

XW-PEO

B1-H2

704

Bird > CASI > N62160 (q.v.)

XW-PFB

B1-H2

581

Bird (5.67) > HS-CHE (4.74)

XW-PFC

B1-H2

631

Bird (8.67) > N62148 (q.v.)

XW-PFD

B1-H2

632

Bird (8.67) > N62153 (q.v.)

 

 

               

 

XW-PFQ

B1-H2

667         

Bird (3.68) > N62156 (q.v.)

XW-PFR

B1-H2

668         

Bird (3.68) – fate unknown

XW-PFW

B1-H2

669

Bird (6.68) > N62161 (q.v.)

XW-PGN

B1-H2

705

Bird (4.70) CASI > N62162 (q.v.)

XW-PHG

B1-H2

711

Bird (TBC) – fate unknown

XW-PKI

B1-H2

2011*

Bird > N62157 (q.v.)

Two PC-6/340 Porters were delivered to Laos in July 1962: 1st Porter crashed in December 1962, killing all on board; 2nd Porter crashed a month later, severely burning the pilot.

* c/n 2011 was built by Fairchild Hiller Corporation.

Although CASI inherited from Bird & Son a handful of PC-6/A-H2 Turbo-Porters powered by the Astazou XII turboprop, the airline soon purchased the improved PC-6/B1-H2 Turbo-Porters powered by the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 turboprop. Aircraft delivered after September 1965 probably went direct to CASI, not as shown above. Some of these aircraft were also operated by Air America (q.v.)

Six of the surviving PC-6s were reported to be at Bangkok on 07/11/76.

Pilatus PC-6 Porter variants:

USCAR code

Manufacturer

Designation

Engine

337:5011

Fairchild Hiller

PC-6/B1-H2

P&WC PT6A-20, 579 shp

709:01

Pilatus

PC-6/340

Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6, 340 hp

709:0206

Pilatus

PC-6/A-H2

Turbomeca Astazou II, 523 shp

709:0210

Pilatus

PC-6/B-H2

P&WC PT6A-20

709:0212

Pilatus

PC-6/B1-H2

P&WC PT6A-20?

Piper PA-18 Super Cub

XW-PEM

PA-18-150

? } one of these

CASI (6.69) – fate unknown

XW-PEN

PA-18-150

? } is 18-4470

CASI (6.69)

 

Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Series 2

XW-PBB

Srs. 2

564  

no details known - see XW-PBJ

‘XW-PBD'

n/a

?

– probably XW-PBO (q.v.)

XW-PBJ

Srs. 2

564

Bird (.63) > CASI (9/65) lost on covert mission, SE Asia  – see also Do28 c/n 3021

XW-PBN

Srs. 2

565

Bird (.63) > CASI (9/65) lost on covert mission, SE Asia  or possibly XW-PBH

XW-PBO

Srs. 2                     

566

Bird (.63) DBR Muang Hein, Saigon, S Vietnam 20/09/64 or Muong Hiem (L48), Laos

XW-PBP

Srs. 2     

567

Bird (12.63) > CASI (9/65) lost on covert mission, SE Asia

Bird & Sons, Inc., later Continental Air Services, Inc. (CASI), operated three (sic) Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer STOL aircraft. Continental Air Services, Inc. (CASI) had three of them. These four aircraft were acquired from PAL. One crashed while with Bird; 1 skidded off the end of the runway at LS-48; 2nd one went into the Mekong River; 3rd became a restaurant in Vientiane, Laos; one overshot a runway in north-eastern Laos and crashed during late 1965.

Short SC.7-3-200 Skyvan

N3201

3-200

SH.1848

CASI  r/r XW-PGL (q.v.)

XW-PEK(2)

3-200

SH.1848

CASI to N3201 (q.v.)

XW-PGL

3-200

SH.1848

CASI (12.69) to Shorts (30/11/72)

Boun Oum Airways

Boun Oum Airways (BOA) was owned by Prince Boun Oum of Laos. After 1965 BOA expanded using aircraft on loan from Continental Air Services Inc. (CASI), including a “Beech Tradewind conversion”. None of BOA's aircraft carried any logo or titles and their Thai pilots were integrated with CASI by early 1967.

 

Boum Oum Airlines (sic) reportedly lost two Dornier Do28s on 12/03/67 and in 05/67. These were probably on loan from CASI.

Notes

1.        Continental Airlines paid more than a million dollars ($4.5 million?) in cash for the 22 aircraft and 350 employees of Bird Air, which became CASI.

2.        Continental Air Services Inc. was formed in April 1965. Operations commenced in September 1965 using approximately 22, mainly STOL, aircraft.

3.        CASI is not listed in the AB DC-3 monograph under either USA or Laos. A few Bird & Sons aircraft are mentioned under Laos but this airline is not listed. Some DC-3s may be omitted from Table 6.

4.        Bird Air was later reported to be operating DC-6s (q.v.) and USAF C-130s in SE Asia during 1975 in a belated attempt to support the Cambodian government.

5.        In Laos, CASI aircraft were registered as Air Continental.

 

© M S Best, 2002

If you have any comments, suggestions, corrections, or additional information regarding the content of this page, please contact Martin Best directly at msbest@loxinfo.co.th

Thank you.