The airline began operations in 1945 as Robinson Airlines out of Ithaca Municipal Airport. In 1952 Robinson was purchased by Robert Peach, and the name was changed to Mohawk Airlines as the result of a customer contest. In 1958, the airline moved their headquarters to Utica, NY. Mohawk upgraded their fleet with the BAC 1-11 in 1965 and in 1969 with the FH-227. From 1968 to 1971, labor and economic issues bled Mohawk financially. Unable to pay creditors at the end of that period, Mohawk entered merger discussions with Allegheny Airlines, and the merger was completed in 1972. The resulting company eventually became USAir in 1979, changing their name to US Airways in the late 1990s. US Airways was acquired by America West Airines in 2005, who chose to maintain the more nationally recognized name of US Airways.