FLEET UPDATE: Air Class (Uruguay) - Fleet - Current & Historical

Air Class EMB-110 Bandeirante, CX-VIP (c/n 110258), at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) ? in April 2003.  (Phil Perry Collection) 

Air Class is a Uruguayan cargo charter operator that started flying in 1997.  

Air Class - Current Fleet:

* CX-CLS - Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III - (c/n AC-755B) - Dec 2006  to current

* CX-LSS - Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III - (c/n AC-720) - Nov 2012 to current

* CX-CAR - 727-200 - (c/n 21958/1533) - 29Jun11 to current

* CX-CLC - 727-200 - (c/n 22983/1806) - 16Apr21 to current

Air Class - Historical Fleet:

* CX-VIP - Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante - (c/n 110258) - Nov 2001 to  ?

* CX-CLA - Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III - (c/n AC-736) - May 2004 to 2013 (?)

* CX-LAS - Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III - (c/n AC-482) - 07Oct09 to  06Jun12 - crashed off Isla de Flores en route MVD-EZE with loss of two crew members

* CX-CLB - 727-200 - (c/n 21996/1571) - May 2015 to 24Jan17

Source:

http://rzjets.net/aircraft/?reg=590244

NEW AIRLINE PLANS: Just Flight (Royal Class) to request 10 routes at the 06Sep17 Route Hearings

Just Flight is the proposed carrier of the Royal Class jet charter operator based out of Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP).

The new airline plans to request 10 routes at the 06Sep17 route hearings to be operated with Fairchild Metros.  They would all originate in Buenos Aires to relatively nearby cities up to 300 miles (490km) away, some with little or no current service.

These include:

* Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata (MDQ), Rosario (ROS), Santa Fe (SFN), Santa Rosa (RSA), Tandil (TDL), Villa Gesell (VGL) and Punta del Este (PDP) (Uruguay) 
   
* Buenos Aires - San Rafael (AFA) - Mendoza (MDZ) - Buenos Aires

* Buenos Aires - Sunchales (NCJ) - Reconquista (RCQ) round-trip

* Buenos Aires - Sunchales (NCJ) - Villa Maria (VMA) round-trip

The marketing strategy appears to borrow from Avianca Argentina with flights to smaller cities, with some of them on a "triangle route" pattern.

Sources:

https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/#!DetalleNorma/169233/20170816
http://www.sirchandler.com.ar/2017/08/confirmada-la-audiciencia-publica-6-septiembre-muchas-rutas-pedidas/comment-page-2/#comments
http://www.aviacionline.com/2017/08/ya-tiene-fecha-la-aeroaudiencia2017-y-se-viene-con-cada-cosa/

ROUTE UPDATE: American Jet seeks Major Route Expansion at December 27 Public Route Hearings

American Jet Fairchild SA227DC Metro 23, LV-GPK (c/n DC-891B), taxis at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 17Nov16.  This aircraft is a relatively new acquisition having joined the carrier in June 2016. (Phil Perry Photo)

American Jet is an Argentine company offering a wide variety of aviation services including corporate charters, medical emergency flights, FBO services, special projects (aerial photography, access to remote locations, etc.), third-party aircraft management and regularly scheduled airline services emanating from Neuquen (NQN), which have been operated off-and-on over the years.   

Based at the airport serving the west central city of Neuquen (NQN) near the Chilean border and at San Fernando (FDO) north of Buenos Aires, American Jet operates a fleet of corporate jets, business turboprops, and helicopters plus some Fairchild Metros and an ATR-42.  It has also flown Dornier 228 19-seat turboprops, which still appear on the company's website though the editor of this blog believes that they are no longer flying with the carrier.      

Joining four other existing or proposed Argentine carriers; American Jet submitted route requests to the ANAC Argentine aviation authority for its December 27 Route Hearings; all of them originating from Neuquen (NQN) with most of them being far-flung requiring aircraft with much longer range than the Metros and ATR-42 in the existing American Jet fleet.  The question would be what type of aircraft the carrier would acquire to operate some of these routes if they are awarded the rights to fly them.

Rumors following the Route Hearings were that the two existing operators that submitted route requests; American Jet and Andes Lineas Aereas plus new entrant Avianca Argentina would be awarded some route rights with the two "paper" airlines, Alas del Sur and Flybondi to possibly be awarded rights after the next Route Hearings scheduled for March.          

1) NEUQUÉN – COMODORO RIVADAVIA – RÍO GALLEGOS – EL CALAFATE – RÍO GRANDE – USHUAIA and v.v.

2) NEUQUÉN – COMODORO RIVADAVIA – ISLAS MALVINAS and v.v.

3) NEUQUÉN – TEMUCO (CHILE) – SANTIAGO DE CHILE and v.v.

4) NEUQUÉN – COMODORO RIVADAVIA – RÍO GALLEGOS – PUNTA ARENAS (CHILE) and v.v.

5) NEUQUÉN – MALARGÜE – MENDOZA – TUCUMÁN – SALTA – TARIJA (BOLIVIA) and v.v.

6) NEUQUÉN – CÓRDOBA – SAN MIGUEL DE TUCUMÁN – SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA and v.v.

7) NEUQUÉN – CÓRDOBA – RESISTENCIA – ASUNCIÓN and v.v.

8) NEUQUÉN – ROSARIO – PUERTO IGUAZÚ and v.v.

9) NEUQUÉN – ROSARIO – BUENOS AIRES AEROPARQUE – PUNTA DEL ESTE and v.v.

10) NEUQUÉN – BAHÍA BLANCA – MAR DEL PLATA – BUENOS AIRES and v.v.

11) NEUQUÉN – CÓRDOBA – ROSARIO – PORTO ALEGRE and v.v.

12) NEUQUÉN – SANTA ROSA – BUENOS AIRES and v.v.

13) NEUQUÉN – SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE – EL CALAFATE – USHUAIA and v.v.

Sources:

http://americanjet.com.ar/es/

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Jet
http://www.sirchandler.com.ar/2016/12/todos-los-pedidos-oficiales-nuevas-rutas-volar-la-argentina/

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn170112/avn-170112.html
http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2016/07/lv-gpk-fairchild-sa227dc-metro-23-cn-dc.html

Air Class of Uruguay is now LATAM Cargo Uruguay ? Two 727-200's up For Sale ?

Air Class Cargo 727-200F, CX-CLB (c/n 21996), at Montevideo (MVD) in October 2015. The airline took delivery of this aircraft on 24Oct15. (Photo: Amilcar Carriqui via Martin Blanco of Aeronaves CX) 

The Wikipedia entry for the Uruguayan cargo airline, Air Class, until recently had a logo referring to LATAM Cargo Uruguay, suggesting that the carrier had been bought by the giant Chilean airline enterprise.  The editor of this blog has not found any other references to LATAM Cargo Uruguay online and the logo is gone from the Wikipedia page.

Bandeirante Passenger Operations

Air Class started operations in 1997 as an air taxi operator but in 2001 it acquired its first turboprop aircraft, Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, CX-VIP (c/n 110-258), enabling it to start scheduled passenger service between Montevideo (MVD) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) which it flew for only a short while followed by the short 30-mile, 20-minute hop over the Rio de la Plata between Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Colonia (CYR) Uruguay in 2003-2004 on behalf of AeroVIP Lineas Aereas.

CX-VIP left the Air Class fleet to Brazil where it belly-landed at the Cataratas Airport on 28Jul14 while flying as PT-TAW for Taxi Aero Weiss.

Metro Cargo Operations

Air Class went on to acquire four Fairchild SA227AC Metro III freighters.  

Two of these are still with the company:

* CX-CLS (c/n AC-755B) - Bought in December 2006
* CX-LSS (c/n AC-720) - Received November 2012

One of the others left to another carrier with the other having crashed in June 2012. 

* CX-CLA (c/n AC-736) - Leased from May 2004 to February 2013

* CX-LAS (c/n AC-482) - Received in October 2009.  Crashed in the Rio de la Plata on 06Jun12 with the loss of two crew near Isla de Flores while operating a cargo flight from Montevideo (MVD) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE).  The following links summarize the accident and ensuing search for the aircraft: 

https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20120606-0 http://argentina-airline-news.blogspot.com.ar/search/label/Air%20Class

727-200F Operations

The first of two 727-200F's, CX-CAR (c/n 21958/1533), was delivered to Air Class on 29Jun11. This aircraft had a long career flying in the United States prior to arriving in Uruguay having been originally delivered to PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines) in 1979 and going on to fly with Piedmont, US Air, American Trans Air and Astar Air Cargo.

Air Class' second 727-200F, CX-CLB (c/n 21996/1571), had a similar long career flying in the US, having been originally delivered to Braniff in 1980 and also flying for US Air, American Trans Air and Astar Air Cargo.  However, the aircraft also served in Venezuela from 2009-2015 with Vensecar International (DHL Express) before arriving in Uruguay in October 2015 ac CX-CLB.    

Both aircraft have reportedly been flying a weekly Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Asuncion (ASU) round-trip plus cargo charters.  Photos of CX-CAR at several South American airports have appeared on the Internet, including Santiago (SCL), Curitiba (CWB), Porto Alegre (POA), and Salvador de Bahia (SSA).

Interestingly, both 727-200F's have shown as being for sale on more than one website:

http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/list/?Manu=BOEING&mdlgrp=727

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Class_L%C3%ADneas_A%C3%A9reas
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Class
http://www.airliners.net/search?airline=4603&sortBy=dateAccepted&sortOrder=desc&perPage=48&display=detail
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/10/llega-en-estos-dias-el-2do-boeing-727.html
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/10/llego-hoy-carrasco-el-cx-clb-boeing-727.html
http://www.airclasscargo.com/cargas.htm
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/cx-clb
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?aircraft=-2&airline=Air+Class+Lineas+Aereas&country=-2&photog=-2&category=-2&year=-2&keywordrange=all&keywordlimiter=2&keywords=&sort=1&genre=1&size=-2&mainsearch=search&displaymode=1&display=15
http://rzjets.net/aircraft/index.php

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #9 of 20+ - LV-WAG (c/n AC-543B)

Alas Rionegrinas Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AC Metro III, LV-WAG (c/n AC-543B) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) in May 1996. (Phil Perry Collection)  

LV-WAG was originally built as a Merlin in 1982 and converted to Metro standard in 1987.  

Originally delivered to Volkswagen in 1983 as a corporate aircraft registered as D-CKVW, the aircraft went on to fly for German regional airlines Bat-Air Flugdienst, Nurnberger Flugdienst and Eurowings before finding its way to Argentina in 1993 where it was registered as LV-WAG flying for SAPSE (Servicios Aereos Patagonicos) dba Alas Rionegrinas until the airline's demise in 1997.    
The aircraft was stored along with the rest of the Alas Rionegrinas fleet in a hangar at Viedma (VDM), Rio Negro in Patagonia along the Atlantic coast where it still stands today in a state of disrepair as seen in this photo from Linea ALA & Rollout:

http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2014/12/abandonadas-alas-rionegrinas.html       

Sources:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-wag-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html
http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2014/12/abandonadas-alas-rionegrinas.html
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/pretenden-recuperar-la-flota-de-sapse.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #8 of 20+ - LV-VDJ (c/n AC-729)

Transportes Aereos Neuquen Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-VDJ, (c/n AC-729) at Neuquen (NQN) in December 1998. (Phil Perry Collection)

LV-VDJ in service with Milenium Air at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 24Oct10. (Phil Perry Photo)  

Metro (c/n AC-729) was originally delivered to Skywest Airlines of the US as N27283 in April 1989 but after only a short time went into private service with White Industries in 1990 followed by Maron Recovery, Inc. before traveling to Argentina to join Transportes Aereos Neuquen on 16Sep92.  The aircraft joined Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)-based Baires Fly in June 2000 before transferring to Milenium Air on 09Apr09 where it apparently still flies today.

Photo of AC-729 in Skywest service at San Diego (SAN): 

http://www.airliners.net/photo/SkyWest-Airlines/Fairchild-SA-227AC-Metro/0602264/L/&sid=34f488d77aa5336aa5d4e8971651ea7f

Source:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-vdj-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #7 of 20+ - LV-RBR (c/n AC-416)

Alas Rionegrinas Fairchild Swearingen SA-227-AC Metro III, LV-RBR, (c/n AC-416) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) sometime in the 1990's.  (Phil Perry Collection)

Metro AC-416 was first delivered to Midstate Airlines of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA (near Chicago) as N177MA in 1981 and operated with the commuter airline until its closing in 1989 after which it flew as a company plane for a couple of corporate operators before finally joining SAPSE (Servicios Aereos Patagonicos, S.E.), parent of Alas Rionegrinas as LV-RBR in 1991.  

AC-416 operated with Alas Rionegrinas until its closing in 1997 and its last known location was Viedma (VDM) in derelict condition.

Photo of this aircraft operating for Midstate Airlines at Chicago O'Hare (ORD) as N177AM in August 1986:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Midstate-Airlines/Fairchild-Swearingen-SA-227AC/0004822/L/&sid=94f4f0368bca1056966d694ed3ea6525

Source:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-rbr-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #6 of 20+ - LV-MGF (c/n TC-253-201)

LAPA Fairchild Swearingen SA-226TC Metro II, LV-MGF, (c/n TC-253-201) in August 1979, apparently at an airport in Florida, USA.  (Phil Perry Collection)  

This aircraft first flew in 1978 and served with LAPA (Lineas Aereas Privadas Argentinas) for only one year before joining Inland Empire Airlines of California and eventually going on to fly for Britt Airways, Air Vantage and Superior Aviation.  Its last known operator was in 2009 where it flew for Carson Air of Canada as a freighter.

Photo of TC-253-201 flying for Inland Empire with registration N5457M in 1982. Note the similarity in paint scheme to LAPA:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Inland-Empire-Airlines/Swearingen-SA-226TC-Metro/1291631/L/&sid=b59c9f9540e9ffdb5ef63370535069ee

Photo flying for Britt Airways in 1989:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Britt-Airways/Swearingen-SA-226TC-Metro/0057375/L/&sid=b14140d1b265558d2195bfdb87ccf7d4

With Carson Air in 2009:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Swearingen-SA-226TC-Metro/1519270/L/&sid=6869cc91e652d022c1eabb33f3d9c9af

Source:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-mgf-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #5 of 20+ - LV-MDD (c/n TC-238-169)

LAPA - Lineas Aereas Privadas Argentinas Fairchild Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II, LV-MDD (c/n TC-238-169) in August 1979 apparently at Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) prior to delivery to Inland Empire Airlines.  (Phil Perry Collection)

This Metro first flew in August 1977 and was apparently destined to Inland Empire Airlines of California but it was instead delivered to LAPA on 26Nov77 as LV-MDD.  It flew for the Argentine commuter airline until July 1979 when it was finally transferred to Inland Empire as N5436M as photographed below at Los Angeles (LAX) in April 1981:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Inland-Empire-Airlines/Swearingen-SA-226TC-Metro/0853950/L/&sid=8200bd4ccb2f1fc5bb2fd6fdc04bb5f8

TC-238-169 flew for Inland Empire until July 1984 when it joined Britt Airways of Indiana as N329BA for a five-year stint until August 1989 after which it flew for Air Vantage, a commuter out of Minneapolis (MSP) and a couple of other operators for a short time before being stored in Iron Mountain, Michigan.  The aircraft was finally scrapped in March 2005. 

Photo of Britt Airways N329BA at Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) in December 1988:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Britt-Airways/Swearingen-SA-226TC-Metro/0068243/L/

Interestingly, this photo of the remains of N329BA in Vernon (YVE) British Columbia, Canada on 19Aug09 appears on the Internet:

http://www.planespotters.net/Aviation_Photos/photo.show?id=109530

Sources:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.es/2010/11/lv-mdd-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #4 of 20+ - LV-BGH (c/n AC-467)

Flying America Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-BGH, (c/n AC-467) being towed at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 24Sep10.  (Phil Perry Photo)     

Metro AC-467 first entered service with Inland Empire Airlines of central California in June 1982 registered as N3046L.  See photo link:  

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Inland-Empire-Airlines/Fairchild-Swearingen-SA-227AC/0891307/L/&sid=c735b61129a67af3d0efbe2fef9be9c6

After only a few months flying commuter routes in the "Golden State" it joined Cascade Airways of Spokane in the northwestern American state of Washington in March 1983.  Photo:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Cascade-Airways/Fairchild-Swearingen-SA-227AC/0385792/L/&sid=c735b61129a67af3d0efbe2fef9be9c6

In May 1986, Resort Air leased AC-467 operating it in the midwestern American states of Illinois and Missouri for Trans World Airlines using the brand name Trans World Express, especially out of TWA's St. Louis (STL) hub. The carrier changed its name to Trans States Airlines in 1989 (which it still flies as today) continuing to operate AC-467 until April 1990.  Photo:

http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/415774/sa-227ac-metro-iii-n3046l-resort/

Later in 1990, AC-467 crossed the Atlantic to fly for Flugfelag Islands of Iceland on December 1 as TF-JMK where it flew in two different schemes until 2006.  Photos:  

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Flugf%C3%A9lag-Nor%C3%B0urlands/Fairchild-Swearingen-SA-227AC/1722246/L/&sid=00236f246ccec6bcd910c3e4b9ba10ad

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Flugfelag-Islands--/Fairchild-Swearingen-SA-227AC/0942685/L/&sid=00236f246ccec6bcd910c3e4b9ba10ad

AC-467 was finally acquired by Flying America of San Fernando Airport (FDO), Province of Buenos Aires, on 02Nov06 and reregistered as LV-BGH which it was still operating as at least until 2011 and possibly to this day.  The charter company flew AC-467 and at least one other Metro for Linea Aerea Entre Rios from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) to the cities of Corrientes (COC) and Parana (PRA), both in Entre Rios province.  

The aircraft has also been used for the transport of medical patients as seen in this photo:

http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2007/04/lv-bgh-sw-4-evacuacion-sanitaria.html

Sources:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/search?q=bgh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_States_Airlines
http://www.aviacioncr.net/buscar.php?matricula=LV-BGH
http://www.flyingamerica.com.ar/aeronaves.asp?titulo=Aeronaves

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #3 of 20+ - LV-AOP (c/n AC-460)

Transportes Aereos Neuquen Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-AOP, (c/n AC-460) reportedly at Rio Gallegos (RGL) Argentina in June 1996.  (Phil Perry Collection) 

This aircraft first flew in June 1981 with Fairchild registration N3029F and was delivered to the Provincia de Neuquen government on 21Dec81 with the LV-AOP registration that it was apparently to wear throughout its service life.  It was transferred to Transportes Aereos Neuquen on 04Aug94 for which it flew until being stored in Neuquen (NQN) in western Argentina in 2000. 

LV-AOP was last seen in Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) on 19Jul10 where it was photographed parked in a hangar which had belonged to the defunct Brazilian carrier VASP.  

Sources: 

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-aop-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2010/07/lv-aop-ayer-y-hoy.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #2 of 20+ - LQ-MLV (c/n TC-257-208)

Fairchild Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II, LQ-MLV, (c/n TC-257-208) at the Museo Nacional de Aeronautica in Moron, Provincia de Buenos Aires on 10Oct12.  (Phil Perry Photo) 

This aircraft first flew in June 1978 wearing registration N5462M being delivered to the Argentine Direccion de Emergencias Nacionales as LQ-MLV on 11Dec78.  It apparently flew in the MEDEVAC role until the early 2000's and was airworthy as recently as 2009 but joined the aircraft on display at the National Aviation Museum in Moron in 2010 where it has been ever since.     

Source: 

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lq-mlv-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #1 of 20+ - AE-180 (c/n AT-071E-253)

Ejercito Argentino (Argentine Army) Fairchild Swearingen SA226-AT Merlin IVA, AE-180 (c/n AT-071E-253) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) in March 2000. (Phil Perry Collection)

The Fairchild / Swearingen Metro family of aircraft is the most popular 19-seater aircraft type to have flown in Argentina with at least 53 airframes having served in the country, according to the excellent Argentine aviation blog "Historias Individuales".  Argentina Aviation News, Photography & Spotting will produce a series of posts featuring photos and short histories of 23 of these aircraft in the coming months.     

This aircraft first flew in 1979 as N5656M and was delivered directly to the Argentine Army in May of that year which gave it the military registration of AE-180.  It has always flown for this same operator with at least one of its roles being as a MEDEVAC aircraft equipped with 6 stretchers or facilities for one patient requiring intensive care and accompanying medical crew.  It is still in service today. 

Source:  

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/ae-180-fairchildswearingen-sa-226.html

Possible Door of Crashed Air Class Metro, CX-LAS, found by Fishing Boat

On the morning of 11Feb13, the Uruguayan fishing boat "Dartesa I" caught in its fishing nets what appeared to be the door of an aircraft, some three miles east of Isla de Flores, near the "exclusion zone" established last year for the search of the remains of Air Class Metro, CX-LAS.  The aircraft crashed into the Rio de la Plata sea on 06Jun12 with the loss of its two crew members while operating a freighter flight from Montevideo (MVD) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE).

Last September the professional diver, Hector Bado, had located the remains of the CX-LAS' fuselage, Flight Data Recorder, and Cockpit Voice Recorders (both of which yielded no information) when further search operations were called off by the Uruguayan Navy.  Since then, Judge Mariana Mota had ordered resumption of the search for more remains of the aircraft but the Navy had not complied, sparking accusations of a possible cover-up.  More recently, before the recent discovery, the Navy finally relented and was making plans to start the search again with Mr. Bado.

Mr. Bado has reasoned that the finding of the door a couple of miles east of the fuselage's location suggests that it might have detached from the aircraft in flight.  Although not an aviation expert, he has further speculated that the door might be the rear cargo door and that it detached and hit the aircraft's tail causing the plane to crash.  Further fueling this theory is the ATC recording of the plane's copilot asking "What happens if we go to 8,000 feet?" which is the altitude at which they would have started pressurizing the aircraft.  There have been rumors that the rear cargo door had had problems which would fit in with the co-pilot's comment.

Source:  http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/243385/una-puerta-
            atrapada-en-redes-de-pesca-reabre-misterio-aereo/

Macair Operations for LAER (Lineas Aereas Entre Rios)

Similar to Macair's operations for Aerochaco detailed in the posting of 04Nov12, the aircraft charter company also operates Jetstream 32EP's for LAER (Lineas Aereas Entre Rios) from Buenos Aires to points in Corrientes and Entre Rios provinces, both to the north/northwest of the Argentine capital.  

These routes are for local and business travelers plus foreign tourists looking to fish in Corrientes, for example.  There is also a route to the resort city of Necochea in southwestern Buenos Aires province.      

The routes and frequencies flown include: 

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Parana, Entre Rios (PRA), 6x/weekly

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Parana, Entre Rios (PRA) - Goya, Corrientes (OYA), 1x/weekly

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Concordia, Entre Rios (COC), 3x/weekly

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Concordia, Entre Rios (COC) - Goya, Corrientes (OYA), 2x/weekly

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Necochea (NEC), 2x/weekly

The airline is planning to soon extend flights from Goya (OYA) to Reconquista (RCQ) and Mercedes (MDX) near the Esteros del Ibera marshlands tourist area.

LAER dates back to 1967 and has flown aircraft as diverse as the Argentine small transport FMA IA-50 Guarani II, Jetstream 31, ATR-42-320, and F.28-1000.   

For a view of these aircraft types, click the www.airliners.net links below:

Jetstream 31:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/LAER---Lineas/British-Aerospace-BAe-3100/1475498/&sid=7862c4f8a1dcfe1cd6f640cbda39848d

ATR- 42-320: 

http://www.airliners.net/photo/LAER---Lineas/ATR-ATR-42-320/1834102/&sid=7862c4f8a1dcfe1cd6f640cbda39848d

F.28-1000:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/LAER---Lineas/Fokker-F-28-1000-Fellowship/0496420/&sid=7862c4f8a1dcfe1cd6f640cbda39848d

Another aircraft charter company, Flying America, previously operated two Metro III's for LAER as illustrated below:

Flying America Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-YIC, (c/n AC-448) rests at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 10Jul10.     

Flying America Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-BGH, (c/n AC-467) being towed at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 24Sep10. 

Former LAER Jetstream 31, LV-VEI, (c/n 830) sits dismantled at Moron Airport (MOR) west of Buenos Aires on 10Oct12.  

Sources:  http://www.flyingamerica.com.ar/
                 http://www.airliners.net
                 Aviacion News

                 LV - Lima Victor magazine 

              Wikipedia

Photos:    Phil Perry

SAPSA Solicited to fly Metros within Rio Negro Province

SAPSA Fairchild Metro SA-227DC Metro 23, LV-ZXA, (c/n DC-901B) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 01Oct10. This aircraft was delivered new from the manufacturer's San Antonio, Texas factory to Argentina in October 2000 and was reportedly the next-to-last Metro built. 

The Minister of Tourism of the Patagonian province of Rio Negro, Angel Rovira Bosch, is recruiting SAPSA (Servicios Aereos Patagonicos Sociedad Anonima) to operate scheduled flights linking several cities in the province that spans from the foothills of the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean in south central Argentina.   

SAPSA operates charters carrying passengers, cargo, and mail using two Fairchild Metros from its Viedma (VDM) base near the Atlantic Ocean.  It is 90% owned by the Via Bariloche bus company but it was founded by the Province of Rio Negro in 1998 as a state-owned company. The airline is also known to have operated subservices for Sol Lineas Aereas out of Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP).

Mr. Bosch is looking for SAPSA to operate a circle route, Viedma (VDM) - Roca (GNR) - Bariloche (BRC) - Jacobacci (IGB) - Viedma (VDM), within the province three times per week starting in early 2013. 

Sources: Aviacion News
             http://www.sapsa.com.ar/
             http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2008/05/cambio-de-imagen-
             en-el-lv-zxa.html

Air Class Metro CX-LAS - More Details on Finding

More details have emerged on the discovery of the remains of Air Class Metro CX-LAS yesterday submerged in the Rio de la Plata approx. one mile southeast of Isla de Flores. 

Hector Bado - Treasure Hunter

The Uruguayan Navy patrol boat "ROU 12 Paysandu "set sail yesterday morning with the famed treasure hunter Hector Bado and his diving team aboard to search using radar to detect anomalies in the sea floor followed with dives to confirm the nature of any objects that were potentially part of the lost aircraft. 

Mr. Bado has led the discovery of several high-profile shipwrecks off the Uruguayan coast, the most famous dives being not for the purposes of discovery, but rather recovery of several items from the sunken World War II German Navy heavy cruiser, the Graf Spee, scuttled by its commander off the coast of Montevideo in December 1939.  Objects recovered include a 27-ton "telemeter" range finder and the ship's Nazi eagle emblem.

Moment of Discovery

At about 3:30pm, after three dives that had not turned up anything, Mr. Bado saw on the radar screen of the sweeping device an object 6-8 meters long that he believed could be the plane's fuselage.  Two divers went down in the shallow waters to investigate.  Mr. Bado and the ship's crew anxiously waited for them to resurface and they were not disappointed as the two men emerged with part of what appeared to be the Metro's nose landing gear.  On further dives they recovered a part from the wing and an "electric charger".  The three objects were determined to be from the Metro confirming that they had found the aircraft. 

What appears to be the plane's tail was located some 40 meters from the fuselage.  Additionally, there are many unidentified small objects scattered around the plane's fuselage.  Maybe the packages that it was carrying ?

Mr. Bado first announced the find to the world through his Facebook page exclaiming "We just found the plane, God exists!".

Possible Crash Hypothesis

There is speculation that something happened disabling the aircraft but that the commander of the flight, Captain Walter Rigo, was able to control the plane until it hit the water, possibly in a ditching maneuver.  This would explain why the plane is relatively intact and no floating parts were ever found which would have been more likely if it had crashed into the sea at high speed, resulting in a breakup.

There were at least three eyewitnesses, including one highly-qualified one that saw two explosions in the air south of Montevideo on the night of the crash which would suggest that there might have been some sort of uncontained engine failure leading to the aircraft's descent to the sea, possibly with the flight controls still being effective.

Recovery

The priority now is to recover the bodies of the two crewmen, Captain Walter Rigo (63) and First Officer Martin Riva (34), possibly tomorrow (Sunday, July 22) as weather conditions are unfavorable today. The Uruguayan Navy ship ROU Vanguardia will perform this task with Mr. Bado and his divers leading the effort.  Recovery of the Metro's "black box" that should help determine the cause of the crash will follow later on.

Source:  El Pais Uruguay 21Jul12
  

Air Class Metro CX-LAS FOUND !

The website of Argentine newspaper La Nacion reports that Uurguayan military authorities have confirmed that the remains of Air Class Metro CX-LAS, disappeared on the evening of Wednesday 06Jun12, were found this afternoon by a group of divers led by apparent elite diver Hector Bado and the Uruguayan Navy.  The aircraft is submerged in the Rio de la Plata sea approximately two miles southeast of Isla de Flores.  Family members of  the two flightcrew members Walter Rigo (63) and Martin Rivas (34) have been advised.   

Sourcse: www.lanacion.com.ar
             www.elpais.com.uy 

Air Class Metro CX-LAS Disappearance Update

The search for the aircraft missing after departing Montevideo's Carrasco International Airport (MVD) on the evening of Wednesday 06Jun12 continued in the days after its disappearance without a trace. 

Some plastic bags washed ashore near Carrasco and it was thought that maybe they were the type used by the airline to wrap cargo but this hypothesis was discarded when Air Class confirmed that the bags were of a different material than what they use.  Hopes were raised when long streaks of a fluid were spotted on the surface of the Rio de la Plata some six miles southwest of Isla de Flores, near where the aircraft is thought to have gone down.  Samples of the liquid were taken for testing to see if it was a petroleum-based or similar product, such as hydraulic fluid or the jet fuel used to power the Metro's turbine engines but the substance was too diluted to determine definitively what it was.   

On Saturday, 09Jun12, three days after the plane went missing, the Uruguayan Air Force performed a demonstration flight with a twin-engined turboprop similar to the Metro seeking to recreate its flight path to possibly gain insights on what happened.  The first objective was to determine if the radar used to track the Metro was working properly to make sure the trackings that it showed of the Metro's flight were accurate.  This exercise confirmed that the radar was functioning normally.  

Following the Metro's tracks, the air force plane made several abrupt moves emulating the final seconds that the Metro was on radar, first with a sharp left turn going out of its planned flight path, then back on to its routing, followed by a sharp right turn and another to the left before disappearing from the radar.  The air force plane traced this routing simulating the Metro's flight with the exception of some maneuvers that were so extreme that they could have endangered the air force crew.  Further analysis led to the conclusion that the Metro crew executed maneuvers that were unsafe but appeared to be in an attempt to recover from a critical flight situation.  The Metro disappeared from radar when it was at 2,400 ft. and is presumed to have taken 5-10 seconds to hit the surface of the water reinforcing the earlier assumption that it went down very near Isla de Flores, some 10-12 miles off the coast of Uruguay.

Another theory that was considered was the possibility of a hijack since no trace of the plane has been found.  One motivation for hijack would be drug dealers stealing a plane to use it for transporting drugs, especially because one such attempt took place at Montevideo's Melilla Airport in 2003.  However, reviews of security cameras at MVD in the two hours prior to the Metro's departure revealed no one boarding the plane except the flight crew.  

Also considered was the possibility that cargo of a hazardous nature might have been boarded, such as flammable or explosive materials, but a review of the freight manifests for the flight revealed little likelihood of "hazmat" making it onboard the Metro. 

As of this writing, it appears that the Metro crashed into the sea with the loss of both crewmembers, Captain Walter Rigo (63) and First Officer Martin Riva (34).  Both men became pilots because they loved to fly.  "Walter disappeared doing one of the things he most loved: flying." said his family members.  Martin's father, Julio Riva, said that his son had always wanted to fly.  He worked at different jobs but always pursued his desire to become a professional pilot until he was hired by DHL three months before the Metro's disappearance.  Martin commented that before being hired he paid to fly but now they were paying him to fly !  "He couldn't have been happier" commented the elder Riva.  

Assuming that both men perished in the aircraft's disappearance, may they both rest in peace.  

Sources:  El Pais (Uruguay), 09Jun12, 11Jun12, 12Jun12, 15Jun12

Details on "Search and Rescue" of Missing Air Class Metro CX-LAS

The search for Air Class Metro CX-LAS started on Wednesday night, 06Jun12, at 2200 hours, two hours after the aircraft went missing, when a Uruguayan Air Force aircraft took off from a nearby air force base.  This plane was joined by the Uruguayan Navy ship ROU "Maldonado" that set sail at 0200 on Thursday morning in the direction of Isla de Flores some 10 miles off the Uruguayan coast near the aircraft's last-known position. 

Throughout the day on Thursday 07Jun12 two FAU (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya) aircraft - a CASA 212 "Aviocar" and Cessna (no information on which model) - and an AS-365 "Dauphin" helicopter performed an aerial search.  Accompanied by the ROU "Maldonado" and two expeditions mounted by the Maritime Rescue Association, the search started at daybreak from the port of Montevideo eastwards as far as Piriapolis.

A reporter for El Pais, Uruguay's leading newspaper, was on board the last search flight of the day on a CASA-212 that departed Montevideo at 1715 hours.  Nine crewmembers - the captain, two first officers and six observers - manned the aircraft plus three reporters and two photographers accompanied the flight.

The plane flew parallel passes about two miles apart back and forth around Piriapolis Bay at a flight level of about 1,000 ft.  The observers looked out the side windows of the CASA but the flightcrew also dropped the rear loading ramp of the plane and three of the observers secured themselves to the seats and looked out the wide-open rear of the aircraft with binoculars looking for any signs of debris that might be from the Metro.   At 1812 hours with the light of day diminishing, the rear loading ramp was closed and the CASA headed back to Montevideo without finding anything.

Also joining the search were two Uruguayan Navy ships equipped with sonar, the "Oyarbide" and "Paysandu", which did "sweeps" of the sea floor, only 12-15 meters deep, in a three mile by three mile square area corresponding to the last known position of the Metro.  Unfortunately, neither ship found anything resembling remains of the aircraft or crew but will continue working throughout the weekend weather permitting.  

Should remains be found, the Uruguayan Navy ship "Vanguardia" will be deployed with divers trained to recover bodies, if necessary.  Recovery of the aircraft itself would come at a later date.  

On Saturday (the day of this writing) the Argentine Air Force was due to join the search with an aircraft searching Argentine territorial waters in the area around Mar del Plata, about 200 miles south of the last position of the Metro.  

Sources:  

http://www.elpais.com.uy/12/06/07/ultmo_645137.asp?utm_source=news-elpais&utm_medium=email&utm_term=text-link&utm_content=Extienden%20zona%20de%20b%C3%BAsqueda%20para%20hallar%20avi%C3%B3n%20desaparecido&utm_campaign=El%20Pa%C3%ADs%20al%20Mediod%C3%ADa

http://www.elpais.com.uy/120608/pciuda-645309/ciudades/sin-rastro-del-avion-perdido-en-vuelo/

http://www.elpais.com.uy/120608/ultmo-645319/ultimo-momento/retomaron-busqueda-del-avion-desaparecido-en-vuelo/?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=950&caption=El+Pa%25C3%25ADs+Digital+-+%25C3%259Altimo+Momento

http://www.elpais.com.uy/120609/ultmo-645501/ultimomomento/argentina-se-suma-a-tareas-de-busqueda-del-avion/