The Aviation Nation

The first attempts by Icelanders to establish an airline were in 1919 and later in 1928, driven by the vision of the pioneers to make aviation a viable mode of transportation. However, these efforts did not succeed until the third attempt in 1937 with the founding of Flugfélag Akureyrar, which marks the beginning of continuous commercial aviation in Iceland.

The founding of Flugfélag Akureyrar in 1937, which later became Flugfélag Íslands (Iceland Airways), marks the beginning of continuous commercial aviation in Iceland. Major milestones in the airline's and the nation's aviation history include the purchase of a twin-engine aircraft in 1942, the first international flight in 1945, the introduction of the first propeller jets in 1957, and the first jet aircraft purchase in 1967. These were among the biggest achievements before the airline merged with Loftleiðir to form Flugleiðir in 1973, which is known today as Icelandair.

In 1944, three young men returned to Iceland from flight training, bringing with them a small single-engine aircraft, and founded Loftleiðir. Two years later, they had acquired a four-engine Skymaster aircraft. What followed has been described as the Loftleiðir adventure, one of the greatest business ventures in Iceland's history. By entering the international aviation market, the company captured a three percent share of passenger flights over the North Atlantic, laying the foundation for Iceland's extensive tourism industry.

Aviation plays a larger role in Iceland than in most other countries and has been instrumental in developing tourism into the nation's most important industry. Thousands of Icelanders are employed in aviation, which also ensures the country has more accessible air connections to the rest of the world, both east and west, than the inhabitants of the other Nordic countries enjoy.

The crew of an Air Atlanta Boeing 747 cargo flight carrying pharmaceuticals is followed from Liège, Belgium, to Johannesburg, South Africa. We get to know the flight crew as they take advantage of a rest stop in Kenya for a safari trip through a national park before continuing their journey from Nairobi with a fully loaded plane carrying flowers from African farmers to the European market.

We discuss the passion for aviation in Iceland and meet people who have chosen to make aviation their profession. We ask why Icelanders became such a great aviation nation, as is evident, and what explains the success that the Icelandic aviation sector has achieved in a competitive international market.