Ethiopian Airlines (ET)
Ethiopian Airlines የኢትዮጵያ
Welcome!
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Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, ET-AQA c/n 34745/48 on approch to
Stockholm - Arlanda International Airport, rwy 19L, on 20th September 2012.
Photo: Stefan Sjögren
History of Ethiopian Airlines
* Ethiopian Airlines is the national flag-carrier of Ethiopia and operates a domestic network of
scheduled passenger and cargo services together with international network linking capitals in
Africa,Europe and Asia. The airline was formed in December 1945 and started to operate shed-
uleded flights on April 8, 1946 (the first sheduled inauguration passenger service to Cairo) with
initial technical assistance from TWA.
Ethiopian Airlines Douglas DC-3, ET-AAQ at Addis Ababa Bole Int. Arport (ADD.
Photo: www-collection
Ethiopian Airlines on board the Douglas DC-3. Early passengers occupied bucket seats in a
mixed passenger/cargo configuration which made a little comfort.
Photo: Tony Edlind collection
The Propellerera
During the years the airline has operated various types of propeller aircrafts; Douglas DC-3, Con-
vair CV 240, Lockheed Constelation, Douglas DC-6A/B, DHC-5A "Buffalo", DHC "Twin Otter",
Fokker 50, ATR 42 and Locheed Hercules L-100-30.
The aircraft that made history by linking Ethiopia with the outside world was the Douglas C-47,
known in the passenger version as the DC-3. It became the backbone and the badge of identity of
EAL. For sturdiness it matched its predecessor, the Ethiopian mule; it suffered many cruel bea-
tings from the rough Ethiopian terrain but it weathered them all with remarkable endurance. Many
aplan was worked out to replace it with more modern equipment and relegate it to the museum,
but all came to grief, foundering on the the inescapable reality that the DC-3 was the right plane
for Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Airlines on board the Douglas DC-3 with upgraded accomodation on international
services.
Photo: Wiki/Tony Edlind collection
Five C-47's had been acquires in April 1946, and four more were added in July. All these airplanes
were equiped with seating along the sides facing inwards, the space between was reserved for cargo.
In September the board of the airline decided it was time to give its passenger better treatment and
convert the planes into a more luxury cabin and installed side by side chairs.
Three of the Ethiopian Airlines Douglas DC-3/C-47 on the ramp, Lideta Airport, 1958.
Photo: Tony Edlind collection
The first aircrafts to join the EAL fleeet were five Douglas C-47 known as DC-3. The aircrafts were
flown to Addis Abeba on 1 February 1946. The choice of aircraft had not been an easy one, with the
contestants of the twin engine Curtiss C-46 and the singel engine Norseman UC-64. The choice was
at last the C-47 also known as "the mule in the air" to be the most suitable aircraft for the Ethiopian
needs in ruggedd terrain and safe flying in the country's high altitudes.
The Douglas C-47 DL, ET-ABR was destroyed by rebel gunfire during the landing phase at Lalibela
airfield on 14th March 1975. The aircraft was then written off (WFO).
The comfort of antother aircraft in 1950 rendered the DC-3 passenger airplanes superfluous on the
international routes. Therefore, they were diverted excusively to domestic service and occasionally
used charter.
Convair CV240, ET-T-20/ET-AAV "The Eagle of Ethiopia"
Photo: Tony Edlind collection
In 1950 Ethiopian purchased two Convairliners CV-240. The new aircraft was the 36-seat Convair
CV-240. The first two to be acquired arrived in Addis Adaba on 29 December 1950. In 1956 one
more CV-240 was aquired from SABENA.
Antother interesting aircraft was the Convair CV240, equiped with JATO (jet-assisted take-off) in
a shape of cannisters under the wings which fired for 12 seconds and gave the necessary extra lift
to make the aircraft airborne due to that e.i. the runways at both Addis Ababa and Asmara were to
short for Convair with full load. The JATO equipped aircrafts had to be abandoned when a misal-
igned cannister blew a hole in ET-T-21. For a short period during 1957 EAL operated only one air-
craft of this type.
The end of the Convair was in any case not long coming. By 1954, there was already talk of acqu-
iring four-engined aircraft to take its place on internationa routes. The most interesting aircraft
on the market was the Douglas DC- 6B and the Ethiopian board decided to buy two of them. The
funds were to be obtained with a letter of credit from the US Ex-port Import Bank.
View from the above of Lideta Airport, Addis Ababa. Seen on the ramp the
United States of America L-749 Constellation and to the left an Ethiopian -
Airlines Convair CV240. The photo is from 1957/1958.
Photo: R.A. Scholefeld
Ethiopian Airlines Lockheed-749, ET-T-35 c/n 2608 at Addis Ababa Lideta Int. Airport
(HAAL) 1957.
Photo: Lars Borjesson
Douglas DC-6, ET-AAX cn at Nairobi Embakasi Int. Airport (NBO), Kenya, staring up the engines
Photo: Tony Edlind collection.
Before the DC-6B, EAL had acquired another aircraft the VIP Constellations, wich joined the EAL
fleet in a rather roundabout way as a gift to the Emperor of the US Government but the Ethiopian
Government passed it on, indeed imposed it on EAL for purchase. The aircraft, which had four first
class and forty-one tourist class seats, arrived in Addis Abeba on June 4 1957.On 10 of July it caught
fire soon after take off from Khartoum and had to make an emergency landing. The accident was
probably laeking of hydralic oil combined with overheated brakes on the main landing gear. The air-
craft was damaged beyond repair.
The airline continued to operate their DC-6B's on the international routes. Of the earlier types of
air craft used by the airline the redoubtable DC-3 remained in service. Later on the airline acquired
DHC-5 Buffalo,
"The Jet Age"
Boeing 720, ET-AFB c/n 18419
Photo: Tony Edlind collection
The delivery of Ethiopian Airline's first jet was, two Boeing 720-B's in December 1962, was yet
another leap in the development of the nation's aviation and followed by a Boeing 707 on 13 April
1968. The companys's fleet of aircraft had by then seen substantial growt with the acquisition in
1973 and 1974 of three Boeing 720-B's from Continetal Airlines.
The introduction of EAL's first two Boeing 720B Jets in December 1962 was an another leap in the
development of the nation's aviation. The fleet was upgraded during 1967 when the airline decided
to purchase Boeing 707-360Cs and later followed by Boeing 727-260 1972.
Boeing 727-260, ET-AHM c/n 21979, taking off from Athens Int. Airport 1985.
Photo: Richard Wandervord
In 1970 the fifth renewal of the original 1945 contract changed TWA's role from manager to adviser.
On its 25th anniversary in 1971,the company was ready to continue without foreign assistance.Since
then, Ethiopian Airlines has been managed and staffed by Ethiopian personnel. The first Ethiopian
General Manager was Col. Semret Medhane, appointed in 1971.
In 1979 Ethiopian achieved a further diversication and modernization of its jet fleet with the acqui-
sition of two Boeing 727-260's. The Boeing 727 had been selected as a replacement for the ageing
720-B whose operation entailed in increasing maintenance costs.
Towards the end of the 1970's it was decided to upgrade the fleet by wide-bodied aircrafts. How-
ever,the airline directed all its efforts to purchase of wide-bodied aircrafts and thereby improve
its international competitveness. The airline considered aircrafts like; Boeing 747, Ilyushin 86,
Douglas DC-10, Lockheed 1011-500 Tristar, Airbus A310-200 and Boeing 767-200 and soon the
competition as between the Airbus A310 and Boeing 767. Finaly the airline dicided to choose the
Boeing 767 and the first of the two 767's landed at Bole Airport on 1 June 1967.
Finaly the airline dicided to choose the Boeing 767 and the first of the two 767's landed at Addis
Ababa Bole International Airport on 1 June 1987.
After the acquisition of the third Boeing 727-260 and two DHC-5A Buffalo's (Dash-5) for cargo in
1981. Two Boeing 737-200 were now introduced in the fleet, ET-AJA and ET-AJB.
Boeing 737-200, ET-AJB c/n 23915 at Bole Airport,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 1991.
Photo Tony Edlind
De Havilland DHC Twin Otter, ET-AIU cn 822 at Addis Abeba Bole Int. Airport, 1991
Photo:Raimund Stehmann
DHC-6-300 Twin Otters aircrafts to operate on their domestic routes. In late 1980's the carrier de-
cided to introduce the turboprop aircraft Fokker 50 an idimate popular aircraft.
Fokker 50, ET-AKR at Addis Abeba, 26 November 1991.
Tony Edlind
Boeing 767-200, ET-AIF c/n 23107, at Frankfurt am Main Int. Airport, 1991
Photo: Tony Edlind
Both Boeing 737-200s,757-260 and 757cargo have been joing the airline.In the begining of the 1990's
Etiopian Airlines introduced both the Boeing 757 cargo and later also the Boeing 757-260 on its inter-
national routes. The fleet of Boeing 737 was updated early 2000's by Boeing 737-600/>700/800
Winglets) and Boeing 767-300. The latest new generation aircraft to be deliverd was the Boeing 767-
360ER, ET-ALJ in November 2003.
Lockheed Hercules, ET-AXG c/n 5306
Photo: Tony Edlind collection
Boeing 757-260PF, ET-AJS at Stockholm-Arlanda Int. Airport, 2 November 2001.
Photo: Patric Borg, Airliners Net
Boeing 737-760, ET-AKE at Addis Abeba, 26 November 2001.
Photo: Tony Edlind
The New Ethiopian Airlines Colorscheme
Boeing 737-760, ET-ALK at Addis Abeba, 30 December 2003.
Photo:Raimund Stehmann
Fokker 50, ET-AKV at Addis Abeba, 30 December 2005
Photo:Raimund Stehmann
De Haviland Canada, DHC-8-4D2Q Dash 8 here seen at Lalibela Airport LLI/HALL, 8 Octover 2012.
Photo: Raimund Stehmann.
Boeing 767-360ER ET-ALJ c/n 33768 in the new colorscheme, here seen on final to
Stockholm-Arlanda Int.Airport (ARN). Photo: Stefan Sjögren
Boeing 757-231 ET-ALY c/n 28480 here seen on final to Stockholm-Arlanda Int.Airport (ARN) 2010.
Photo: Stefan Sjögren
A fleet renewal started in the early 2000s, with the incorporation of the Boeing 737–700/800 and
the Boeing 767-300ER and in the late 2000s the airline announced it would be the launch customer
of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and placed orders to acquire brand new Airbus A350-900s, Boeing
777-200LRs and Bombardier equipment.
Ethiopian is a member of the International Air Transport Association, and, since 1968, of the Afri-
can Airlines Association (AFRAA). The airline is a Star Alliance member since December 2011.
Boeing 737-8OB ET-AOB c/n 370937 here seen on final to Stockholm-Arlanda Int.Airport (ARN) on a winterday 2013.
Photo: Stefan Sjögren
<
McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, ET-AML.
Photo: www
Boeing 777-200LR ET-ANN c/n 40770/900 on approch to London Heathrow Int. Airport (LHR), 2013.
Photo: Joel Vogt
In 2006 the airline acquired their first McDonnell MD-11 from World Airways for their cargo opera-
tions followed by ex. TAM, MD-11,ET-AML. In 2010 the carrier received their first Boeing 777-200
ET-ANN and Ethiopian had by then one of Africa's most state of the arts aircrafts. The company had
3.800 employees already 2000.
Ethiopian Airlines operates the youngest Fleet in Africa. The following are the major categories of
owned and leased aircrafts:
Ethiopian Current Commercial Fleet 2012
Operating Fleet:Long Range Passenger Services 5 - Boeing 777-200LR 3 - Boeing 787-8
12 - Boeing 767-300ER
Medium Range Passenger Services 4 - Boeing 757-200 ER, 5 - Boeing 737-700 NG, 7 - Boeing
737-800W [3 with Sky Interior] Regional and Domestic Passenger Services 9 - Q400 DHC-8 Cargo.
Non-Scheduled Services: 1 - Boeing 777F, 2 - Boeing 757-260F 2 - MD-11F, 2 - Boeing 747-200F,
Total operating fleet 52 Aircrafts.
Fleet on Order:
Long Range Passenger/Cargo Services 12 - A350-900 from Airbus, 5 - 777-200F for Cargo,
2 - 777-300F for Cargo, 10 - 787-8 DreamLiner from Boeing.
Medium Range Passenger Services 7 - 737-800 from Boeing.
Regional and Domestic Passenger Services:
4 - Q400 Total fleet on order 41 Aircrafts
Coming 2017!
Airbus A350-900 in Ethiopian Airlines livery.
Photo: Data animation.
Ethiopian Airlines will solicit deals with foreign export agencies to finance the purchase of
Airbus A350-XWBs aircraft. Ethiopian signed a contract for the purchase of the twelve Airbus
A350-XWBs aircraft in November 2009 and deliveries of the aircraft are expected to
commence by 2017.
Ethiopian Airlines, P.O. Box 1755, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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This site is not sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines!
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Credits
All phographers
If you do recognize any of the images taken by you, please send
an e-mail to the undersigned to remove it or let me credit you the photo
Sources:
Ethiopian Airlines
"Bringing Africa Together" by Ethiopian
Airlines 1988.
Wikipedia
Own investigations.
