Its formal incorporation in 1950 was followed by constant change as the Persian Gulf economies developed.
The airline operation became a subsidiary company branded as Gulf Air on 1 January 1974.
Scheduled operations based in Bahrain commenced on 5 July 1950 to Doha (Qatar) and Sharjah (Trucial States, latterly UAE) and on 28 September 1950 to Dhahran (Saudi Arabia).
[1] The de Havilland Dove[1] was selected to replace these, but Bosworth was killed on a demonstration flight at Croydon on 9 June 1951 whilst preparing to introduce the type into service.
Gulf Aviation held 74% of the shares with British Airways Helicopters holding the remaining 26%.