Martin Halstead
{{Short description|British pilot (born 1986/1987)}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
Martin Richard Alexander Halstead (born {{Birth based on age as of date|18|2005|March|22|noage=yes}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/4371945.stm|title=Teenager launches his own airline|date=22 March 2005|work=BBC News|accessdate=14 November 2023}}) is a pilot and former entrepreneur who founded two short-lived aviation businesses.
Biography
His secondary education was at Abingdon School and D'Overbroeck's College. After a spell at Oxford Aviation Training, since early 2008 rebranded as Oxford Aviation Academy, Halstead decided to set up his own airline and focus on managing an aviation business.
Alpha One Airways
Halstead first attracted media attention in the UK in March 2005 when, at the age of 18, he announced the launch of Alpha One Airways. Alpha One Airways never applied for an Air Operator's Certificate. Instead, Halstead planned to subcontract the operation of flights to another carrier.
Alpha One Airways was due to launch its commercial services on the route linking Oxford and Cambridge with flights starting on 18 April 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordairport.co.uk/airport_news/news_2005/alpha1airways.htm|title=Young entrepreneur makes aviation history by launching pioneering air service|date=21 March 2005|work=Oxford Airport Press Notice|accessdate=19 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716174758/http://www.oxfordairport.co.uk/airport_news/news_2005/alpha1airways.htm|archive-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead}} Alpha One never operated any services on the route, although from 1 February 2006 another small airline, Sky Commuter, for a few weeks had scheduled flights linking the two university cities.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2955076/Another-Oxbridge-first.html|title=Another Oxbridge first|date=1 February 2006|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=14 March 2010 | location=London}}
After several changes of focus and false starts, the company eventually operated a route between the Isle of Man and Edinburgh using Piper Chieftain aircraft. In January 2006 it suspended operations having carried fewer than a hundred passengers. Alpha One Airways was supposedly going to refocus its operations, but nothing further came of the venture.
After Alpha One Airways
In an interview with The Oxford Times in October 2006, Halstead reflected on the Alpha One experience. The newspaper reported that Halstead was working again, this time at a music shop in Oxford city centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/business/thismonth/977400.alpha_man_has_landed|title=Alpha man has landed|date=19 October 2006|work=The Oxford Times|accessdate=12 March 2010}} Halstead became a director of the company which owned the shop.{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/business/thismonth/5012094._Baby_Branson__back_in_business/|title='Baby Branson' back in business|date=18 February 2010|work=The Oxford Times|accessdate=17 March 2010}}
Varsity Express
In January 2010 Halstead set up a new aviation venture called Varsity Express.{{cite web|url= http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/5062889.Police_to_probe_Varsity_airline/|title=Police to probe Varsity airline|date=16 March 2010|work=Oxford Mail|accessdate=16 March 2010}}
The new company started services between Oxford and Edinburgh on 1 March 2010 and suspended operations one week later, after a take over by the aircraft leaser, LinksAir, fell through. Mr Halstead stated that he lost £3,500 of his own money in the venture.{{cite web|url= http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/oxford/5064839.Grounded_pilot_wants___15_000_back_from_Varsity_Express/|title=Grounded pilot wants £15,000 back from Varsity Express|date=17 March 2010|work= Oxford Mail | accessdate=19 March 2010}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halstead, Martin}}