BTA is established by Ioannis Ammersonis at Sao Paulo in March 1994 to undertake ad hoc cargo services to a variety of South American destinations. With himself as president and Sergio R. C. Siquera as director general, Ammersonis begins operations with a single leased Boeing 707-336C. An owned B-707-351C joins the fleet later in the year.
Business is expanded in 1995 as a B-707-330C is acquired. During 1996-1997, a marketing agreement is signed with VASP Brasilian Airlines, S. A. The company is reformed in late 1998, becoming Beta Cargo, S. A.
BRATSK AIR ENTERPRISE: Bratsk Il Aeroport, Bratsk, Irkutsk Region, 665711 Russia; Phone 7 (39531) 71325; Fax 7 (39531) 71325; Code BRAT; Year Founded 1994. Bratsk, named for the city in the Irkutsk region of the CIS, is established in 1994 at Bratsk Airport to provide scheduled and charter passenger and cargo flights to destinations in Siberia, China, Mongolia, Turkey, and European Russia. Shareholding is divided between the state (51%) and company employees (49%).
Vladimir D. Odsnostorontsev is appointed general director and he commences revenue services with a fleet containing an unspecified number of Antonov An-2 and Yakovlev Yak-40s, plus one Tupolev Tu-154 and several Mil Mi-2 helicopters. Enplanements for the year total 163,227.
The 35 aircraft in the fleet haul a total of 141,200 passengers in 1995, a 15.6% decline while freight carriage falls 26.5% to 3.96 million FTKs.
Flights continue in 1996-1999, during which years the fleet comprises 4 Tu-154Ms, 1 Tu-154B, 11 Yak-40s, 12 An-2s, and 7 Mi-8 helicopters.
On August 6,2000, the carrier launches twice-weekly Tu-154M direct retrun service from Bratsk to Domodedov Airport at Moscow; one flight is direct while the other stops at Yekaterinburg.
BRAVIA: Bryansk Airport, Central Region, 341036, Russia; Phone 7 (08322) 48524; Fax 7 (08322) 40016; Code BYK1; Year Founded 1999. Bryansk Air Enterprise is reformed in the summer of 1999 and
Renamed in honor of a now-defunct U. K.-Russian joint enterprise set up to sell Rolls Royce-powered Tupolev Tu-204s.
Domestic and regional cargo services, both scheduled and cargo, continue to be offered during the remainder of the year and into 2000 with a fleet of 8 Yakolev Yak-40s, 5 Antonov An-24s, 36 An-2 biplanes, and 15 Mil Mi-2 helicopters
The media reports an aluminum theft at Bryansk on May 18—two propellers have been stolen from an An-2.
BRAZIL CENTRAL (LINHAAEREA REGIONAL BRAZIL CENTRAL, LTDA.): Brazil (1986-1996). To save it from collapse, the Brazilian government’s Departamento de Aviacao Civil (DAC) on July 31, 1986 authorizes the purchase of Rio de Janeiro-based Votec (Servi-cos Aereos Regionais, S. A.), operated by the nation’s largest helicopter operator, TAM (Taxi Aereo Marilia, S. A.).
Given government subsidy and having designed a marketing strategy to integrate the two carrier’s sales and schedules, TAM officials act within five months to consolidate the fleets and maintenance divisions of the two airlines. Led by Jose Rebelo de Meira Vasconcelos, the new CEO, the company reeducates newly acquired personnel and launches Brazil Central, S. A. as a wholly owned subsidiary. Votec (Servicos Aereos Regionais, S. A.) returns to the operation of helicopter services only.
With 8 former Votec Embraer EMB-110C/P Bandeirantes and 1 Fokker F.27-600 repainted in yellow and green, scheduled services are undertaken, beginning in January 1987, to Berra do Garcas, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Cuiba, Pamphula, Brasilia, Golani, Minacu, Niquelandia, Palmas, Redencao, Ribeirao, Santana do Araguala, Sao Felix de Ara-gusta, Sao Paulo, Uberaba, and Uberlandia. At the end of the year, the fleet is altered somewhat: 2 Bandeirantes are withdrawn from service and replaced by 1 F.27-200.
In 1988, services are inaugurated to Porto Nacional, Gurupi, Santa Terezinha, Confresa, Miracema do Norte, and Balsas with 3 Bandeirantes leased from TAM (Taxi Aereo Marilia, S. A.). Hubs are established at Belem, Brasilia, and Miracema do Norte and a new 2,000-sq.-ft. hangar is completed at the former point. Enplanements for the year reach 132,869.
Airline employment stands at 400 in 1989 and the fleet now includes 2 Friendships, 3 DC-3s, 6 Bandeirantes, and 1 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander.
Passenger boardings accelerate 12.5% to 151,850 and freight traffic moves ahead by 9% to 314,000 FTKs.
As a result of national economic reversals, passenger boardings drop 11.6% in 1990 to 177,122 and freight falls by 31.4% to 393,000 FTKs.
Airline employment stands at 171 in 1991 and the fleet includes 3 EMB-110Cs, 4 EMB-110Ps, and 1 each leased EMB-110P1, F.27-200, and F.27-600. Statistics are reported only through September, but show customer bookings down 6.2% to 199,893 and cargo off 14.1% to
244,000 FTKs. Expenses exceed income and there is an operating loss of $1.01 million. There is, however, a net gain of $411,363.
The employee population is increased by 24.1% in 1992 to 283. The decision is taken by the government to end six years of subsidy, forcing the carrier to be operated purely on a commercial basis. For the year as a whole, traffic declines once again.
Passenger boardings are off 20.5% to 212,981 while freight declines 19% to 6.94 million FTKs. Revenues jump 10.5% to $30.34 million while expenses are up only 2.6% to $29.22 million. As a result, there is an operating surplus of $1.12 million and a net profit of $1.28 million.
In 1993, CEO Vasconcelos oversees a workforce of 275, down 3% from the previous year, and a fleet that includes 1 each leased F.27-200 and F.27-600 and 8 EMB-110 Bandeirantes, 3 of which are out of service. The Fokkers are phased out as 20 Cessna 208 Caravan Is are acquired.
Destinations outside the main urban centers continue to be visited, many lacking infrastructure support such as paved runways. Markets served include Barras do Garcas, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Confreza, Cuiba, Pamphula, Brasilia, Golania, Gurupt, Minacu, Niquerlandia, Palmas, Rendencao, Ribeirao, Santa Terezinha, Santana do Arguala, Sao Felix de Araguaia, Sao Paulo, Uberaba, and Uberlandia.
Customer bookings fall another 19.9% to 168,759, but cargo, thanks to the new Caravans, skyrockets 101% to 14.7 million FTKs. Revenues, on the other hand, decline 14.5% to $27.1 million as expenses plunge 25.9% to $24.63 million. The operating surplus is $8.53 million while a net $2.74-million profit is generated.
The workforce is cut another 40.7% in 1994 to 163 as the Caravan I fleet is expanded to 41. Of the 8 Bandeirantes, 1 is taken out of service and 2 are leased to Pena Taxi, S. A. Toward year’s end, consideration is given to the charter of a Fokker 50 to be placed on certain growing routes.
Passenger bookings recover and climb 6% to 178.919; cargo increases 82.6% to 862,131 FTKs. Revenues swell 5.8% to $39.58 million while expenses are down 12.4% to $25.45 million. Pretax income advances to $14.3 million while net gain slips to $2.38 million.
Twelve workers are hired in 1995, a 4.9% increase. Traffic figures are only available for the first quarter and show an increase in enplanements of 48.7% to 52,564.
Airline employment grows a major 59.6% in 1996 to 273. Five Ban-deirantes are out of service, 1 remains out on lease to Pena Taxi, S. A., and only 1 Bandeirante is employed by the company. Meanwhile, the number of Caravan Is in operation grows to 48, all but 2 of which are chartered, with 2 subleased to Pena Taxi, S. A. The rotary wing fleet includes 1 Bell 206A, 7 Bell 206Bs, and 4 AS350Bs.
Destinations visited include Asuncion, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Campo Grande, Ciudad del Este, Cuiaba, Curtiba, Florianopo-lis, Fortaleza, Goliania, Macapa, Maceio, Manaus, Natal, Palmas, Porto Alegre, Porto Velho, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Sao Paulo, and Vitoria.
To supplement its domestic feeder routes, the rapidly expanding TAM (Transportes Aereos Regionais, Ltda.) purchases Helisul Taxi Aereo, Ltda. in August for two million reals ($2 million). The company, which is allowed to retain its independent identity, is assigned to this TAM subsidiary and continues to operate from its Foz do Iguaco base in Parana State.
In October, the company is granted long-haul authority by the Brazilian government. In recognition of this achievement, the carrier is renamed TAM (Transportes Aereos Meridionais, S. A.) in December.
This is an outstanding traffic year as customer bookings increase 50.3% to 643,102 and cargo skyrockets 111.6% as 2.59 million FTKs are operated.
World History
