APR is established at San Juan in the fall of 1982 to offer scheduled services linking its base and Aguadilla with New York. A Boeing 707 is acquired and revenue flights commence in December. Operations are suddenly suspended in February 1983 as the company, unable to generate traffic during a recession, cannot meet its obligations.
AERONAVES DEL CENTRO, S. A.: Avenida Francisco de Miranda, Edificio Tecoteca, PH-Terraza, Los Palos Grandes, Caracas 1062, Venezuela; Code AG; Year Founded 1980. This third-level carrier is formed at Valencia in early 1980 to offer commuter frequencies in the northern part of the nation. A fleet of three Shorts 330s is assembled and daily or near-daily scheduled services begin during the summer. These link Valencia with Maracaibo, Barquisimeto, Maracay, Barcelona, Puerto Ordaz, Vallede la Pascua, Caracas, and the vacation island of Margarite.
One Shorts 330 is withdrawn in 1985 and is replaced by a Fokker F.28 jetliner in 1987. The carrier encounters significant financial difficulties at the end of the decade and, by 1993-1994, only one Shorts 330 remains in service. That situation remains unchanged during the remainder of the decade.
AERONAVES DEL PERU, S. A.: Jr Jose Calvez 711, Lima 18, 1429, Peru; Phone 51 (14) 476 488; Fax 51 (14) 479 558; Code XX; Year Founded 1965. When APSA (Compania de Aviacion Aeronaves de Peru, S. A.) is organized at Lima in November 1965, it is not immediately licensed for scheduled operations. Following a four-year wait, during which time it elects, while flying charter services with three Douglas DC-6s, to be known by its marketing name of Aeronaves del Peru (AP), the carrier is designated by the government in 1969 as an all-cargo carrier suitable for the route to the U. S.
A Douglas DC-7CF is acquired and charter flights to Miami are started in early 1970. In June, AP receives the green light for scheduled service to Miami when the U. S. CAB grants it a foreign air carrier permit.
The company is reorganized in 1971, with the Zanetti family purchasing 58.8% majority shareholding. Shortly thereafter, twice-weekly flights commence from Lima to Miami via Iquitos and Pucalipa. Two Canadair CL-44s join the Douglas freighter in 1975.
AP maintains its international route over the next decade; although frequencies change, the all-cargo services offered do not. Profits grow and the fleet is upgraded by introduction of 2 Douglas jet freighters, 1 DC-8-43F purchased from Alitalia, S. p.A. in 1978, and 1 DC-8-33F.
Operations continue apace in 1979, but in 1980, both Jet Traders are lost.
En route from Lima to Mexico City on August 1, the DC-8-43F with seven crew crashes into a mountain at Cerro Lilio, Mexico (three dead). The DC-8-33F with four crew crashes into the jungle while on final approach to Iquitos on September 12; there are no survivors.
Leased units and the original propeller equipment is flown in 1981. In April 1982, the carrier pays $4 million to purchase 59% control of financially troubled pioneer carrier Faucett Peruvian Airlines, S. A. The lost Italian airliner is replaced by a DC-8-61. A DC-8-55F is acquired in 1983. Without a current bilateral agreement, operations between the U. S. and Peru are suspended between 1984 and 1987. A total of 20.14 million FTKs of freight are flown during the latter year, partially with the help of the DC-8-54F Santa Elena placed into service during the fourth quarter.
Following the resumption of services in 1988, the employee population of President Alfredo Zanetti’s specialized airline grows to 150 and the fleet is upgraded by the addition of two more DC-8-55Fs. Despite all of the positive news, cargo drops 11.9% to 18 million FTKs.
Traffic is down again in 1989 as freight declines by a whopping 58.8% to 8.67 million FTKs.
Operations continue apace in 1990-1991. The DC-8-54F is withdrawn from service in 1992 and is replaced by a pair of leased Boeing 707-351Cs Stratoliners formerly operated by Northwest Airlines. Statistics are released for the first eight months of the year and show a total of 13.01 million FTKs of freight flown.
In 1993, President Alfredo Zanatti oversees a workforce of 65 and continues to provide regularly scheduled international all-cargo flights from Lima to Miami, with occasional stops at Iquitos. With business beginning to improve in 1994, a DC-8-61F is acquired. The fleet is rationalized in 1995 as the Stratoliners are parked at Lima.
Airline employment does not change during 1996-2000; however, the Boeings are returned to service.
World History
