UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                ----------------

                                    FORM 10-Q

                                ----------------



            X  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
           ---           SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2000

                                       OR

              TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
          ---            SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                     For the transition period from ___ to ___


                                ----------------

                          Commission File No. 33-10122

                                ----------------


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                        State of Organization: California
                   IRS Employer Identification No. 94-3023671
                201 High Ridge Road, Stamford, Connecticut 06927
                           Telephone - (203) 357-3776


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant:(1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months,  and (2) has been subject to such filing  requirements
for the past 90 days.



                              Yes  X           No
                                  ---             ---





                       This document consists of 12 pages.





                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

            FORM 10-Q - For the Quarterly Period Ended June 30, 2000




                                      INDEX



Part I.   Financial Information                                             Page


          Item 1.      Financial Statements

              a)  Balance Sheets - June 30, 2000 and
                  December 31, 1999...........................................3

              b)  Statements of Operations - Three and Six Months
                  Ended June 30, 2000 and 1999................................4

              c)  Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital
                  (Deficit) - Year Ended December 31, 1999
                  and Six Months Ended June 30, 2000..........................5

              d)  Statements of Cash Flows - Six Months
                  Ended June 30, 2000 and 1999................................6

              e)  Notes to Financial Statements...............................7

          Item 2.      Management's Discussion and Analysis of
                       Financial Condition and Results of Operations..........8



Part II.  Other Information

          Item 1.      Legal Proceedings.....................................10

          Item 6.      Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K......................10

          Signature    ......................................................11


                                       2


                          Part I. Financial Information
                          -----------------------------

Item 1.       Financial Statements

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                   (Unaudited)
                                                      June 30,     December 31,
                                                        2000           1999
                                                        ----           ----

ASSETS:

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                           $ 12,415,554   $ 12,317,505

RENT AND OTHER RECEIVABLES                               850,568        863,257

AIRCRAFT, net of accumulated depreciation
    of $61,000,741 in 2000 and $59,165,441 in 1999    21,183,836     23,019,136
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Assets                               $ 34,449,958   $ 36,199,898
                                                    ============   ============


LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT):

PAYABLE TO AFFILIATES                               $    176,302   $    170,274

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED
    LIABILITIES                                          155,492        127,948

DEFERRED INCOME                                        3,653,158      3,047,843

NOTES PAYABLE                                          2,238,402      4,177,934
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Liabilities                             6,223,354      7,523,999
                                                    ------------   ------------

PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT):
    General Partner                                   (3,661,549)    (3,657,030)
    Limited Partners, 499,960 units
      issued and outstanding                          31,888,153     32,332,929
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Partners' Capital (Deficit)            28,226,604     28,675,899
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Liabilities and Partners' Capital
           (Deficit)                                $ 34,449,958   $ 36,199,898
                                                    ============   ============

        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       3


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                    Three Months Ended       Six Months Ended
                                         June 30,                June 30,
                                         --------                --------

                                     2000        1999        2000         1999
                                     ----        ----        ----         ----
REVENUES:
   Rent from operating leases     $2,247,342  $2,247,342  $4,494,684  $4,494,684
   Interest and other                185,719     140,399     357,421     285,781
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

           Total Revenues          2,433,061   2,387,741   4,852,105   4,780,465
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

EXPENSES:
   Depreciation                      917,650     602,855   1,835,300   1,205,709
   Management fees to general
     partner                          86,786      86,786     173,573     173,573
   Interest                           67,724     156,437     158,420     333,771
   Operating                           3,722       3,722       7,444       7,653
   Administration and other           97,116      88,675     182,454     150,508
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

           Total Expenses          1,172,998     938,475   2,357,191   1,871,214
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

NET INCOME                        $1,260,063  $1,449,266  $2,494,914  $2,909,251
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME ALLOCATED TO
   THE GENERAL PARTNER            $  145,077  $  151,968  $  289,902  $  396,526
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME ALLOCATED
   TO LIMITED PARTNERS            $1,114,986  $1,297,298  $2,205,012  $2,512,725
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME PER LIMITED
   PARTNERSHIP UNIT               $     2.23  $     2.59  $     4.41  $     5.03
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       4


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

              STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT)
                                   (Unaudited)


                                        Year Ended December 31, 1999 and
                                         Six Months Ended June 30, 2000
                                         ------------------------------

                                     General         Limited
                                     Partner        Partners         Total
                                     -------        --------         -----


Balance, December 31, 1998         $ (3,642,196)  $ 33,795,081   $ 30,152,885

   Net income                           693,443      4,912,337      5,605,780

   Cash distributions to partners      (708,277)    (6,374,489)    (7,082,766)
                                   ------------   ------------   ------------

Balance, December 31, 1999           (3,657,030)    32,332,929     28,675,899

   Net income                           289,902      2,205,012      2,494,914

   Cash distributions to partners      (294,421)    (2,649,788)    (2,944,209)
                                   ------------   ------------   ------------

Balance, June 30, 2000             $ (3,661,549)  $ 31,888,153   $ 28,226,604
                                   ============   ============   ============


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       5


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)

                                                      Six Months Ended June 30,
                                                      -------------------------

                                                        2000            1999
                                                        ----            ----
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
     Net income                                     $  2,494,914   $  2,909,251
     Adjustments to reconcile net income to
       net cash provided by operating activities:
       Depreciation                                    1,835,300      1,205,709
       Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
          Decrease in rent and other receivables          12,689            142
          Increase in payable to affiliates                6,028         27,754
          Increase (decrease) in accounts payable
              and accrued liabilities                     27,544        (31,866)
          Increase in deferred income                    605,315        605,316
                                                    ------------   ------------

              Net cash provided by operating
                activities                             4,981,790      4,716,306
                                                    ------------   ------------

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
     Principal payments on notes payable              (1,939,532)    (1,764,366)
     Cash distributions to partners                   (2,944,209)    (4,083,007)
                                                    ------------   ------------

              Net cash used in financing
                activities                            (4,883,741)    (5,847,373)
                                                    ------------   ------------

CHANGES IN CASH AND CASH
     EQUIVALENTS                                          98,049     (1,131,067)

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
     BEGINNING OF PERIOD                              12,317,505     13,423,701
                                                    ------------   ------------

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
     END OF PERIOD                                  $ 12,415,554   $ 12,292,634
                                                    ============   ============


SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
     Interest paid                                  $    160,468   $    335,634
                                                    ============   ============


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       6


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (Unaudited)



1.      Accounting Principles and Policies

In the opinion of management,  the financial statements presented herein include
all  adjustments,  consisting  only of  normal  recurring  items,  necessary  to
summarize  fairly  Polaris  Aircraft  Income  Fund  III's  (the   Partnership's)
financial position and results of operations. The financial statements have been
prepared in accordance  with the  instructions  of the  Quarterly  Report to the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 10-Q and do not include all of the
information  and note  disclosures  required by  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  (GAAP).  These  statements  should be read in  conjunction  with the
financial  statements  and notes thereto for the years ended  December 31, 1999,
1998,  and 1997 included in the  Partnership's  1999 Annual Report to the SEC on
Form 10-K.


2.      Related Parties

Under the Limited Partnership  Agreement,  the Partnership paid or agreed to pay
the following  amounts for the current quarter to the general  partner,  Polaris
Investment  Management  Corporation,  in connection  with  services  rendered or
payments made on behalf of the Partnership:

                                              Payments for
                                           Three Months Ended     Payable at
                                              June 30, 2000      June 30, 2000
                                              -------------      -------------

Aircraft Management Fees                        $ 75,000            $175,397

Out-of-Pocket Administrative Expense
    Reimbursement                                196,562                 905
                                                --------            --------

                                                $271,562            $176,302
                                                ========            ========


3.      Partners' Capital

The Partnership  Agreement (the Agreement) stipulates different methods by which
revenue,  income  and  loss  from  operations  and  gain or loss on the  sale of
aircraft are to be allocated  to the general  partner and the limited  partners.
Such  allocations are made using income or loss  calculated  under GAAP for book
purposes, which varies from income or loss calculated for tax purposes.

Cash  available  for  distributions,  including  the  proceeds  from the sale of
aircraft,  is  distributed  10% to the  general  partner  and 90% to the limited
partners.

The different methods of allocating items of income, loss and cash available for
distribution  combined with the calculation of items of income and loss for book
and  tax  purposes  result  in  book  basis  capital   accounts  that  may  vary
significantly  from tax basis capital  accounts.  The ultimate  liquidation  and
distribution  of remaining cash will be based on the tax basis capital  accounts
following liquidation, in accordance with the Agreement.

                                       7




Item 2.   Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and
          Results of Operations

At June 30, 2000,  Polaris  Aircraft Income Fund III (the  Partnership)  owned a
portfolio of 10 used McDonnell  Douglas  DC-9-30  aircraft leased to Trans World
Airlines, Inc. (TWA) out of its original portfolio of 38 aircraft.


Partnership Operations

The  Partnership  recorded  net  income  of  $1,260,063,  or $2.23  per  limited
partnership  unit,  for the three months ended June 30, 2000, as compared to net
income of  $1,449,266,  or $2.59 per  limited  partnership  unit,  for the three
months ended June 30, 1999. The Partnership recorded net income of $2,494,914 or
$4.41 per  limited  partnership  unit,  for the six months  ended June 30,  2000
compared to net income of $2,909,251 or $5.03 per limited  partnership unit, for
the six months ended June 30, 1999.

The  decrease  in net income in 2000 is due to  increases  in  depreciation  and
administration expenses,  partially offset by decreases in interest expense, and
an increase in interest income, as discussed below.

The increase in the deferred  income balance at June 30, 2000 is attributable to
differences  between the  payments due and the rental  income  earned on the TWA
leases for the 10 aircraft  currently  on lease to TWA.  For income  recognition
purposes, the Partnership recognizes rental income over the life of the lease in
equal monthly amounts.  As a result, the difference between rental income earned
and the  rental  payments  due is  recognized  as  deferred  income.  The rental
payments  due from TWA  during  the three and six  months  ended  June 30,  2000
exceeded the rental income earned on the TWA leases,  causing an increase in the
deferred income balance.

Interest income  increased  during the three and six months ended June 30, 2000,
as  compared  to the same  periods in 1999,  primarily  due to a higher  rate of
return on cash reserves over the same periods.

Depreciation  expense  increased  during the three and six months ended June 30,
2000, as compared to the same periods in 1999, due to the Partnership's downward
adjustment to the estimated  residual  value of the aircraft  portfolio at lease
end, beginning in the fourth quarter of 1999.

Interest expense  decreased during the three and six months ended June 30, 2000,
as compared to the same periods in 1999,  due to the continued  payments made on
the notes payable for the TWA hushkits.

Administration  and other  expenses  increased  during  the three and six months
ended June 30, 2000,  as compared to the same periods in 1999,  primarily due to
bank and consulting fees incurred for the research and reissue of a large number
of investor  distribution  checks  during  2000.  The  increase in printing  and
postage costs also contributed to the higher  administration  and other expenses
during 2000.


Liquidity and Cash Distributions

Liquidity - The  Partnership  received all lease  payments from its sole lessee,
TWA,  during the six months ended June 30, 2000,  except for the June 2000 lease
payment.  On July 5, 2000, the Partnership  received its $850,000 rental payment
from TWA that was due on June 27,  2000.  This  amount was  included in rent and
other receivables on the balance sheet at June 30, 2000.

Polaris Investment Management  Corporation,  the general partner, has determined
that cash  reserves  be  maintained  as a  prudent  measure  to ensure  that the
Partnership  has  available  funds in the event that the  aircraft  presently on
lease  to TWA  require  remarketing,  and  for  other  contingencies,  including

                                       8


expenses of the Partnership.  The Partnership's  cash reserves will be monitored
and may be revised from time to time as further information becomes available in
the future.

Cash  Distributions - Cash  distributions  to limited  partners during the three
months  ended  June 30,  2000 and 1999 were  $1,324,894,  or $2.65  per  limited
partnership  unit,  and  $1,374,890,  or $2.75  per  limited  partnership  unit,
respectively. Cash distributions to limited partners during the six months ended
June 30, 2000 and 1999 were $2,649,788,  or $5.30 per limited  partnership unit,
and $3,674,706, or $7.35 per limited partnership unit, respectively.  The timing
and amount of future cash distributions are not yet known and will depend on the
Partnership's future cash requirements  (including expenses of the Partnership),
the need to retain  cash  reserves  as  previously  discussed  in the  Liquidity
section and the receipt of rental payments from TWA.



                                       9




                           Part II. Other Information
                           --------------------------


Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

As  discussed  in Item 3 of Part I of Polaris  Aircraft  Income  Fund III's (the
Partnership) 1999 Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange  Commission (SEC)
on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) and in Item 1 of Part II of the Partnership's Quarterly
Report to the SEC on Form 10-Q (Form 10-Q) for the period  ended March 31, 2000,
there  are  several   pending  legal  actions  or   proceedings   involving  the
Partnership.  There have been no material  developments with respect to any such
actions or proceedings during the period covered by this report.

Other Proceedings - Item 10 of Part III of the Partnership's  1999 Form 10-K and
Item 1 of Part II of the Partnership's  Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31,
2000 discuss certain  actions which have been filed against  Polaris  Investment
Management  Corporation  and others in connection  with the sale of interests in
the Partnership and the management of the Partnership.  The Partnership is not a
party to these actions. There have been no material developments with respect to
any of the actions described therein during the period covered by this report.


Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

a)       Exhibits (numbered in accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K)

         27. Financial Data Schedule (in electronic format only).

b)       Reports on Form 8-K

         No reports on Form 8-K were filed by the Registrant  during the quarter
         for which this report is filed.



                                       10


                                    SIGNATURE



Pursuant to the  requirements of section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934,  the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                 POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                                 A California Limited Partnership
                                 (Registrant)
                                 By:   Polaris Investment
                                       Management Corporation,
                                       General Partner




       August 10, 2000                  By:     /S/Stephen E. Yost
      -----------------                         --------------------------------
                                                Stephen E. Yost
                                                Chief Financial Officer
                                                (principal financial officer and
                                                principal accounting officer of
                                                Polaris Investment Management
                                                Corporation, General Partner of
                                                the Registrant)


                                       11