Carrier acquired.

• Position: Pacific Northern Airways buys Wilbur's Inc.

Wilbur's Inc. has introduced new air cargo service and is carrying close to a million pounds of mail, fish and freight per month to the Bush, says president Gerald Ball. The airline, started in 1952 by Joe and Anne Wilbur, in March was bought by a Ball holding company, Pacific Northern Airways, owned by Gerald and brothers Newton and Albert Jr.

The Ball brothers are no strangers to Alaska aviation; all three flew planes for father Albert Sr.'s Western Alaska Airline. From 1977 to 1983, they operated Ball Brothers Inc. Presently Albert Jr. works for another Pacific Northern subsidiary, Universal Airlines of Detroit, and Newton is a pilot for Continental Airlines.

Anchorage-based Wilbur's began offering once-daily service between Anchorage, Bethel and St. Marys in early May. Flights between Anchorage and Nome and between Anchorage and Kotzebue were added in June. Routes to Dillingham...