Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Airports operated by Aeropuertos Argentinos 2000 see a 14.1% increase in Passenger Traffic in August 2013

Aeropuertos Argentinos 2000, the private concession that operates 33 airports in Argentina, including nearly all of the facilities with significant airline service (two notable exceptions being Rosario (ROS) and Ushuaia (USH)) reported an overall increase in passenger traffic at its member airfields of 6.1% in August 2013 over the year-earlier period with total passengers numbering 2,130,877. 

This included an average increase in domestic traffic of 14.1% and a decrease in international passengers of 2.5%.  

Numbers for some specific airports:

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP): 820,303 + 16.0%
Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE): 656,549 -7.2% 

Cordoba (COR): +5.0%
Iguazu Falls (IGR): +3.3%
Mendoza (MDZ): +5.8%
Salta (SLA): +5.5%
Tucuman (TUC): +11.9%

In the southern Patagonia / Tierra del Fuego region:

Bariloche (BRC): +16.2% 
Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD): +14.4%
Rio Gallegos (RGL): +7.6%
Rio Grande (RGA): +30.4%


Saturday, October 26, 2013

HISTORICAL PHOTO: Aerotransportes Entre Rios L-1049H Super Constellation LV-JIO at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)

Aerotransportes Entre Rios L-1049H Super Constellation LV-JIO (c/n 4808) pictured at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) in the late 1960's or early 1970's.  (Phil Perry Collection) 

This aircraft was delivered to Seaboard & Western Airlines (later renamed Seaboard World Airlines) as N1010C on 18Feb57 but was immediately leased to and went into service with Eastern Airlines. It was subsequently leased to TAP - Transportes Aereos Portugueses, Capital Airlines and LEBCA of Venezuela before ending up with Aerotransportes Entre Rios in December 1968 with which it flew until 1971 before being retired in Miami where it was scrapped in 1972.

The L-1049H was a convertible passenger/freight version of the L-1049G with 53 manufactured, including the last Constellation built, which was handed over to Flying Tigers in 1959.  

The L-1049G was one of the last versions of a long line of Constellation variants, including the original L-049 model and others that followed it including the C-69, L-649, L-749, L-1049, L-1049C, L-1049D, L-1049E and more.  

Each variant generally offered performance improvements over previous versions with the biggest differences between the early versions and later ones being dimensions and powerplants.  For example, the L-1049G compared to the L-749 was 116 ft. long vs. 97 ft., it had a wingspan of 126 ft. vs. 123 ft. and it had four Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound 18-cylinder supercharged radial engines, rated at 3,250 hp (2,424 kW) each vs. the L-749's Wright R-3350-749C18BD-1 radial engines, which were rated at 2,500 hp (1,864 kW). 

Aerotransporte Entre Rios was founded in Argentina in 1962 as an all-cargo carrier transporting livestock around South America initially with C-46's, followed by an ex-KLM L-749 Constellation and four L-1049's.  Later. a Britannia and several CC-106's (version of the CL-44 built for the Royal Canadian Air Force) joined the fleet but AER lost the Britannia and two of the CC-106's in accidents, one in Miami and the other en route from Montevideo (MVD) to Santiago (SCL).  AER ceased services in the late 1970's. 

Sources: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-1049_Super_Constellation 
Latin Glory - Airlines of Latin America by Michael Magnusson, Airlife Publishing, 1995  

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

ROUTE UPDATES: Andes & Aerolineas Argentinas Summer Charters to Dominican Republic

Some of the charter flights planned for the coming southern hemisphere summer from Argentina to the Dominican Republic:

Aerolineas Argentinas from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Punta Cana (PUJ), 2x/week, probably with A330-200's.

Andes Lineas Aereas from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Puerto Plata (POP), 1x/week with MD-80's.

Andes Lineas Aereas from Cordoba (COR) to Samana (AZS), 1x/week with MD-80's.

Source:  http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn130919/avn-130919.html

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Cubana to Wet-Lease an A340-300 from Air Tahiti Nui for Argentina - Cuba Flights

Cubana de Aviacion will wet-lease A340-300, F-OLOV, from Air Tahiti Nui for the southern hemisphere summer season to operate six weekly flights from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Havana (HAV), Varadero (VRA), Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco (CCC), Cayo Largo de Sur (CYO), and Holguin (HOG).  

It is unclear if flights will actually operate to all of these airports and with what frequency, but Havana (HAV) and Varadero (VRA) are generally frequently-used by foreign carriers.

Source:  http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn130919/avn-130919.html

Thursday, October 17, 2013

ROUTE UPDATE: Austral to operate to Parana (PRA) after a 25-year absence

Austral will resume flights to Parana (PRA), a city of 400,000 people in Argentina's Entre Rios province across the Parana River from the city of Santa Fe, after a 25-year absence.  The airline last operated to Parana with BAC 1-11's in 1988.  

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Parana (PRA) service will be flown once daily in each direction with Austral's E-190's effective 01Mar14.  

Entre Rios province has its own airline, LAER (Lineas Aereas Entre Rios), that once operated the FMA IA-50 Guarani II (an Argentine transport aircraft), Jetstream 32's, and even the ATR-42 and F.28-4000.  Today the airline's services are flown by Macair Jetstream 32's which fly a few routes from Parana (PRA), including to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP).     

Sources: 

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn130905/avn-130905.html
http://airlineroute.net/2013/10/01/ar-aeppra-mar14/ via Eric Trum

Monday, October 14, 2013

HISTORICAL PHOTO: Aerolineas Uruguayas L.749A Constellation, CX-BHC, at Montevideo (MVD)

Aerolineas Uruguayas L.749A Constellation, CX-BHC (c/n 2565)
at Montevideo (MVD) in the late 1960's.  (Phil Perry Collection)

There have been at least two, and maybe three airlines named Aerolineas Uruguayas.  There was the carrier that operated the above Constellation from 1968 until 1969 when it ceased operations plus one or more other carriers that operated 707 freighters and F.27 passenger aircraft. 

Lockheed L.749 Constellation CX-BHC (c/n 2565) was initially reserved for delivery to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in 1947 but it was not taken up by the Dutch carrier instead going to QANTAS with registration VH-EAB where it flew around Australia and Asia for several years before being withdrawn from service in October 1951 for conversion to L.749A standard.  This modification entailed a strengthened fuselage and floor, redesigned engine cowling, new Curtiss Electric propellers, and the MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) increased by 4,000 pounds.  Lockheed factory-delivered 59 L.749A's and many of the 60 original L.749's were converted to "A" standard.

c/n 2565 was sold to BOAC in 1955 and it went on to also fly with British carriers Skyways and Euravia (predecessor to Britannia and today's Thomson Airways) before flying with ACE Freighters until the carrier's demise in 1966. The aircraft then joined COPISA of Peru for a short time before going on to Aerolineas Uruguayas in 1968, where it flew for one year before being parked at Montevideo (MVD) until apparently being scrapped there sometime in the 1970's. 

Interestingly, c/n 2565's delivery registration of VH-EAB was later worn by a QANTAS 747SP and another Uruguayan airliner was later also registered CX-BHC, a Convair 240 flying for Aerolineas Colonia (ARCO) in the 1970's. 

              http://www.aerotransport.org 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

HISTORICAL PHOTO: CAUSA L-749 Constellation at Montevideo (MVD)

CAUSA Lockheed L-749A-79-3 Constellation at what appears to be Montevideo (MVD), presumably in the 1960's when the airline was operating this type.  The registration appears to be CX-BBM (but could be CX-BBN).  (Phil Perry collection)

CAUSA (Compania Aeronautica Uruguaya Sociedad Anonima) was a private Uruguayan airline that operated from 1938 to 1966 exclusively on routes linking Uruguay with Buenos Aires but the editor of this blog did find a couple of photos online of CAUSA Constellations at London-Gatwick (LGW) in October 1965, possibly operating a charter there.

The company started service with two 17-seat Junkers Ju-52's equipped with floats linking the ports of Montevideo and Buenos Aires.  The German-built aircraft wore registrations CX-ABA (c/n 5877) named "El Uruguayo" and the CX-ABB (c/n 5886) "El Argentino".  The Buenos Aires to Colonia, Uruguay route, only 35 miles across the Rio de la Plata sea, was added in 1940, and Buenos Aires to the vacation resort of Punta del Este, also in Uruguay, was added in 1943.  These were the only three routes that CAUSA flew during its nearly 30 years in existence.

The airline went on to add three Short Sandringham flying boats to its fleet in 1946 and two Short Sunderlands in 1950.  By 1961 passengers were increasingly choosing to fly between land-based airports causing CAUSA to cease flying boat services in May 1962 in favor of flights between Montevideo (MVD) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) using four Curtiss C-46's.  

These only lasted until 1964 when the airline decided to sell the planes to ARCO (Aerolineas Colonia) which flew them between Colonia (CYR) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) for a number of years.  CAUSA had already decided to purchase three L-749A Constellations from KLM in 1962 which they operated between Montevideo (MVD) and Aeroparque until the airline's demise in 1967. These were:

CX-BBM Lockheed L-749A-79-3 (c/n 2661) ex KLM PH-TFG "Friesland"
CX-BBN Lockheed L-749A-79-33 (c/n 2641) ex KLM PH-TFE "Utrecht"
CX-BCS Lockheed L-749A-79-33 (c/n 2640) ex KLM PH-TFD "Arnhem"

A larger L-1049H Constellation was leased in June 1966 and the airline was planning to fly from Montevideo (MVD) to Miami (MIA) and Sao Paulo but never did so prior to ceasing service.          

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compa%C3%B1%C3%ADa_Aeron%C3%A1utica_Uruguaya

Monday, October 7, 2013

Alas-U - Latest Developments on PLUNA Replacement Airline

Alas-U, the airline being formed by former PLUNA workers, recently came to an agreement to purchase three of the former flag carrier's CRJ-900's that are owned by the trust formed by the Uruguayan government after the collapse of PLUNA.  

The Uruguayan government guaranteed the loans given to purchase the aircraft by ScotiaBank.  It has given Alas-U a two-year grace period during which the government will continue making the payments but after that the airline will need to pay US$ 47 million over a ten-year period.   

The Fondo de Desarrollo (FONDES) development fund approved the US$ 15 million loan to Alas-U that had been pending for months and will start to hand over the cash in installments shortly.  The three CRJ-900's will act as the guarantee for the loan and will be subject to being returned to the trust should Alas-U fail to make the loan payments.  An independent consultant will be contracted to maintain the government informed of developments and monitor the airline's adherence to the business plan presented to the FONDES.        

The airline has started the process of getting its operating certificate from the DINACIA (national civil aviation regulatory body) which the agency has 180 days to complete.  Unless the licensing is speeded up, Alas-U will not be able to start service until March 2014 when the peak summer season for visitors to Uruguay will be finished.  

This is very disappointing to the Uruguayan tourism industry as it was hoped that the airline would be up-and-running providing seats to bring in tourists and help keep airfares in check.  This will be the second summer without a substantial presence by a Uruguayan airline in the market although BQB Lineas Aereas has helped fill the gap.

Source: http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/260100/otra-temporada-
           turistica-sin-aerolinea-uruguaya/

Friday, October 4, 2013

Aerolineas Argentinas A340's to the Argentine Air Force or Converted to Freighters ?

With the pending delivery of A330-200's to the Aerolineas Argentinas fleet, the airline is considering removing some of it older A340's from service and transferring them to the Argentine Air Force, especially the ones that are due for major maintenance, which would then be the responsibility of the Air Force.   

Another possibility would be to convert them to freighters for use on foreign routes and to Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina, which is an important electronics manufacturing center.  However, freighter conversion is not cheap so the editor of this blog doubts that will happen.  

Finally, the aircraft might end up parked in "Chivato", a section of Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) where many aircraft are left abandoned for months or years awaiting scrapping. 

Source:  http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn130919/avn-130919.html     

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

ROUTE UPDATE: BQB Lineas Aereas to start flying Montevideo (MVD) - Sao Paulo (GRU) effective 27Oct13

BQB Lineas Aereas recently announced that they will start daily service from Montevideo (MVD) to Sao Paulo (GRU) effective 27Oct13 using ATR-72-600's. This will be the airline's second Brazilian destination after Porto Alegre (POA).

Source:  http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn130912/avn-
            130912.html