VOSTOK AIRLINES: Russia (1946-2001). Originally established as an aviation group in 1946, Vostok is reformed in 1993 and registered as a joint stock company, with shareholding divided between the Ministry of State Property (25.5%), the Kharbarovsk State Property Fund (31.9%), and private investors (42.6%). Fanis Mirayanov is elected director general.
The workforce totals 791 and the concern operates a fleet of 8 Let L-410UVPs, 4 Antonov An-28s, and 3 An-32s on intraregional passenger and cargo services. It also undertakes a complete portfolio of rotarywing aerial work, with a helicopter fleet that includes 16 Mil Mi-8s/-17s, 2 each Mi-6s and Mi-26TCs, and 8 PZL-Swidnik Mi-2s.
Flights continue without headline or reported incident through the remainder of the decade. On April 10, 2001, it will be reported that the company has been merged with Dalavia and another small local carrier, Nikolaevsk-na-Amur Air Enterprise, with the Dalavia name surviving. With the Khabarovsk regional administration providing $6 million to cover the Dalavia leasing package for two new Tupolev Tu-214s, Ministry of State Property ownership in Dalavia has been transferred to the region, so that the carrier might be joined with the other two into a stronger and more viable airline. The legality of the arrangement under which the JSC Vostok is amalgamated into two state-owned companies to form a new state owned concern will lead to local press discussion. Nevertheless, on May-effective August 1 —Dalavia and Nikolaevsk-na-Amur Air Enterprised are joined to form Khabarovskavia.
VOTEC (VOTEC SERVICOS AEREOS REGIONAIS, S. A./VOTEC TAXI AEREO, S. A.): Estrada Rio do Pau 2066, Rio de Janeiro, 21655611, Brazil; Phone (21) 455-1444; Fax (21) 455 1078; Year Founded 1966. On September 23, 1966, the air taxi operation VOTEC (Voos Tecni-cos e Executives, S. A.) is organized at Rio de Janeiro to offer nonsched-uled flights into the Tocantins and Araguaia Basins. The carrier is equipped with 3 Britten-Norman BN-2A Islanders and 1 Piper PA-23 Aztec and begins flight operations in 1967. Within the next few years, an autonomous division is formed to handle on-demand traffic in the Amazon area, VOTEC Amazonia Taxi Aereo, S. A.
During the remainder of the decade and into the next, VOTEC becomes a significant charter operation, offering executive air taxi and on demand passenger and express flights, offshore oil industry support, agricultural applications, and resource industry (e. g., logging) support. Douglas DC-3s are added to operate longer segments.
On November 12, 1975, the Brazilian federal government establishes the Sistema Integrado de Transportes Aereos Regional, a system calling for the formation of five regional airlines to provide third-level feeder service to outlying regions. A promise of subsidy is made, based on a 3% surcharge on tickets sold on trunk routes.
Early in 1976, VOTEC is reorganized and upgraded; a new division is established to handle scheduled operations under regional airline brand. Capitalization is now increased and former TAN (Transportes Aereos Nacional, S. A.) traffic manager Claudio Hoelck becomes a major shareholder and officer. Return scheduled passenger flights begin over a Goiania-Sao Simao-Uberlandia route on October 11 employing 2 new Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirantes.
While maintaining its previous charter and support operations, VOTEC over the next 5 years develops a regular network in the states of Goias and Minas Gerais, featuring 18 destinations. Among the communities visited are Rio de Janeiro, Uberba, Uberlandia, Sao Simao, Goiania, Brasilia, Argarcas, Arraias, Dianopolis, Porto Nacional, Carolina, Balsas, Grajau, Barra do Corda, Imperatriz, Sao Luiz, and Belem.
By 1981, the fleet comprises 6 DC-3s, 8 EMB-110P Bandeirantes, 3 BN-2A Islanders, 2 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, 1 Piper PA-23 Aztec, 3 Sikorsky S-61Ns, 5 Sikorsky S-58ETs, 4 Sikorsky S-76s, 4 Hughes 500, 24 Hughes 369s, and 14 Hughes 269s, the last 6 types being helicopters.
Coming in from Tucurui on February 24 in rain and high winds, an EMB-110P1 with 2 crew and 12 passengers collides with a ship in dry dock while on initial approach to Belem. The turboprop bounces onto two barges and breaks into two parts, one of which cascades onto a tugboat and the other, the tail section, sinks (11 dead).
Despite the tragedy, enplanements for the year total 135,721.
During the next 3 years, the fleet is upgraded through the addition of 3 Fokker F.27-200 Friendships, 2 EMB-110Ps, 3 BN-2As, 1 Piper Aztec, and 6 Sikorsky S-76s. Withdrawn are 1 DC-3 and 1 Sikorsky S-58ET.
Passenger boardings jump to 156,286 in 1982, but decline dramatically in 1983 to 113,431. Two F.27-600s are added in these years, wearing the company’s new “minimalist” style livery.
While on initial approach to Imperatriz, Brazil, on April 18, 1984, an EMB-110EJ with 2 crew and 16 passengers collides in midair with another company aircraft, an EMB-110P1 with 2 crew and 15 passengers. The EMB-110EJ crashes out of control and there are no survivors, while the EMB-110Pis able to make a forced landing into a river and sinks (1 dead).
Customer bookings this year slide to 104,959, a decline of 7% from the previous year.
Operations continue apace in 1985, but customer bookings plunge to 96,015. Atotal of $10.3 million in revenues is earned; however, a large, if unspecified, loss is suffered.
In desperate financial difficulty, VOTEC’s fixed-wing division is sold to TAM (Taxi Aereo Marilia, S. A.) in August 1986 and is reformed into the wholly owned subsidiary Brazil Central, S. A. Having abandoned its scheduled regional operation, VOTEC returns to its roots to concentrate on rotary-wing charter and oil industry support service as VOTEC Taxi Aereo, S. A. Elzo Freitas is managing director in
1999-2000 and his fleet includes 6 Sikorsky S-61Ns and 7 S-76As.
World History
