Air Alpes

He received backing from Henri Ziegler and Sylvain Floirat, who became the two first shareholders; followed later on by Joseph Szydlowski, the founder of aircraft engine manufacturer Turbomeca.

Operations were initially with a Piper PA-18 Super Cub, mainly offering flying lessons and carrying supplies into the mountains.

A PC-6/340 Porter was leased, but on September 2, 1961, it was destroyed during a training flight at the "Col du Dome" in the Mont Blanc mountains.

The main glaciers of Mont Blanc, the Tarentaise Valley, the Vanoise massif and Oisans were now accessible.

In 1967 an order was completed for the first de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters with first deliveries scheduled for October.

In 1969, Air Alpes began flying the Chambéry to Paris – Le Bourget Airport route with five daily flights Monday through Friday.

Avi ALPI had been created by Aerosud and famed World War II pilot Martino Aichner.

Further agreements with other larger airlines such as Union des Transports Aériens for the Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions and Pan American World Airways were also made.

By 1977 operating the Corvettes proved not to be financially viable for Air Alpes and the four aircraft were withdrawn from the fleet.

Air Alpes also inaugurated the Paris to Figari Southern Corsica route with the delivery of two more F28s which followed a short time later.

On July 3, 1980, an agreement was signed with TAT for the two companies to share sales, office functions and services.