Private company

Mississippi Valley Airlines

Logo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

US regional airline (1968–1985) merged into Air Wisconsin

Mississippi Valley Airlines (IATA--XV) was a regional air carrier serving the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It was founded by Herb Lee, Norm Elsy and Charles A. ("Chuck") Draine as Gateway Aviation, and had its headquarters in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Chuck Draine served as chairman and chief executive officer.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1968Founded1
  • HeadquartersLa Crosse1
Fokker F27-500 Friendship, MVA - Mississippi Valley Airlines JP5938574
Photo: Jon Proctor, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons5

Mississippi Valley Airlines (IATA--XV) was a regional air carrier serving the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It was founded by Herb Lee, Norm Elsy and Charles A. ("Chuck") Draine as Gateway Aviation, and had its headquarters in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Chuck Draine served as chairman and chief executive officer. It began scheduled flight operations on July 22, 1968 between La Crosse Municipal Airport and both Chicago (O'Hare International Airport) and Milwaukee (General Mitchell International Airport). The carrier changed its name to Mississippi Valley Airways in October 1969. It became Mississippi Valley Airlines (MVA) and moved its headquarters to Quad City Airport in Moline, Illinois, in January 1982. The airline merged into Air Wisconsin on May 17, 1985 in a $10 million share exchange transaction. At the time of the merger, Mississippi Valley Airlines was the United States' eighth-largest regional airline in terms of ridership.2

Products and brands

Destinations

Mississippi Airlines had the following destinations:

Turboprop fleet

Beechcraft Model 99

de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter

Fokker F27

Read the full text

Short 330

Short 360

Swearingen SA-226TC Metroliner

From Wikipedia’s article on Mississippi Valley Airlines, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1985Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1968Founded Founded1