A government contract flight is a type of charter airline operation in which a commercial carrier provides aircraft, crews, and services under a formal contract with a government agency, primarily to transport military personnel, cargo, equipment, or officials for national defense, emergency needs, or routine logistical support.
Background
In the United States, the massive mobility requirements during World War II demonstrated that military transport alone could not meet all logistical needs. This led to the development of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), a program that uses commercial airline capacity to provide maximum airlift support in wartime situations. As an incentive, airlines that commit aircraft to CRAF receive peacetime government contracts proportional to their potential wartime mobilization value. This arrangement provides the government with economical emergency capacity and reasonable costs for peacetime military transportation.
United States Passenger Operations
Most American government contract flights are sponsored by the military. While many are used for cargo, some operate as scheduled airline services virtually identical to standard commercial flights, complete with flight attendants, meal service, and in-flight movies. A contract flight returning from an overseas area is often referred to as a freedom bird, as it typically carries military members returning to the United States after a tour of duty.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the primary hubs for military charters were Travis Air Force Base and McChord Air Force Base on the West Coast, and McGuire Air Force Base (New Jersey) and Charleston Air Force Base (South Carolina) on the East Coast. Starting in the 1980s, the military shifted many domestic hubs from military bases to commercial airports to better integrate with scheduled airline service. By 1984, McGuire AFB was replaced with Philadelphia International Airport, and by 1997, Philadelphia was replaced with Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The Patriot Express (PE) is a notable scheduled passenger service operated under government contract, serving routes to Japan, Europe, and Korea. In April 2010, USTRANSCOM resumed Patriot Express service to Korea, operating Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft.
United States Cargo Operations
The U.S. government relies on a number of cargo operators to supplement its own airlift fleet. Contractors have included Airlift International, World Airways, Evergreen International, FedEx, United Parcel Service, and many others.
Noteworthy Disasters
- March 15, 1962: A Flying Tiger Line Constellation crashed en route from Guam to the Philippines, killing all 107 aboard.
- November 27, 1970: A Capitol International Airways DC-8 crashed at Anchorage, Alaska; 47 of 229 aboard were killed.
- December 12, 1985: Arrow Air Flight 1285, a DC-8, crashed at Gander, Newfoundland, killing all 256 aboard.
Contract Carriers (Post-1990)
Scheduled military passenger services have been operated by ATA Airlines, World Airways, Evergreen International, Northwest Airlines, Rich International, Sun Country Airlines, Tower Air, TWA, ATI, Carnival Air Lines, and Omni Air International, among others.
