TRANSPORT IN ARGENTINA
PART (3) - AIR TRANSPORT
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Last updated 26 February 2012
Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737-5K5 LV-BNM is trundled around Buenos Aires Ezeiza airport on 1 March 2011.
These pages review some of the transport items of interest that caught my eye during a fascinating trip to Argentina and Peru in February and March of 2011.
The various parts of this story are;
1. Argentina; Buses in Buenos Aires
2. Argentina; "The search for Di Tella". Classic British saloon cars made under licence in
Argentina
3. Argentina; Air transport (this page)
4. Peru; Buses
5. Peru; Train travel in the high Andes
6. Peru; Air transport
7. Peru; Assorted transport
This page shows a selection of aircraft seen during our trip to Argentina in 2011. To South American locals and regular visitors to the country these aircraft probably seem very common and boring but, as a stanger in those parts, I found them all very intriguing.
We travelled from the regional airport in Buenos Aires (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery) up to Iguazu on an Austral MD-80, returning after a couple of days, and then departed on a TACA Airbus A321 to Lima, Peru on 1 March 2011 from the main international Buenos Aires airport - Ezeiza. All the pictures were taken at those three airports.
Iguazu International Airport is a pretty quiet place, and our Austral MD-80 (late, inevitably, as were all the flights we took in Argentina) was the only aircraft there, both on our arrival and departure. However the field may have had an active military history as an air force base in the past, as its position right on the northern border with Brazil might have been strategically important.
Here we see an ancient Douglas A-4P Skyhawk (ex US Navy A-4B) "C-215" stuck on a pole at the Iguazu airport entrance. The Argentine Air Force used the type for 40 years. I don't believe it is the real C-215. C-215 (of Grupo 5 de Caza) was shot down on 27 May 1982 at Ajax Bay by 40mm anti-aircraft fire from HMS Intrepid during the Falklands war. The pilot ejected, and this display (whichever aircraft it actually is) may be commemorating that event, although I don't know why it's at Iguazu.
And talking of Iguazu, here are the mighty Iguazu Falls seen from the air. Brazil is north of the river and Argentina to the south (below). Up close, the noise and power of those falls is just awesome.
Arriving back in Buenos Aires (the regional Aeroparque, alongside the river) our first view is of the Argentine presidential Boeing 757-200 "T-01". This aircraft entered service in 1995, replacing a Boeing 707 with the same number.
Above is a typical MD-80 from the fleet of Austral, who operate internal flights for Aerolineas Argentinas. The two companies are supposed to be partners, but seem to be constantly at each other's throats, and the passenger receives poor service as a result. This is their older livery, but the newer Embraer 190 aircraft have an updated turquoise and white colour scheme.
The next most common operator at Buenos Aires Aeroparque was LAN. Known for years as "LAN Chile", it is now a huge network covering north and south America, Europe and the Caribbean. Part of the Oneworld alliance, it is the 10th oldest airline in the world. Although its headquarters is still in Chile, their aircraft are now registered in many countries. For example, LV-BFO is an Argentine-based Airbus A320.
Wearing a striking livery, but unfortunately only visible from a distance, was this Canadair (Bombardier) CRJ-900LR Regional Jet from the fleet of Pluna, the flag carrier of Uruguay.
While waiting for the (inevitably) delayed flight from Buenos Aires International airport at Ezeiza to Lima, I spotted a few interesting aircraft, including this unexpected Ilyushin IL-76TD-90VD from Volga-Dnepr Airlines of Russia, RA-76950 dating from only 2006. This is the airline's home-grown, new, quiet (well, quieter !) version of the IL-76 that permits the type's continued operation into north America and Europe.
This Boeing 757-200 (EC-LHL) belongs to Mint Airways, but was delivered new in 1990 to Canada 3000. Mint Airways leases out two of these 757s, and is based in Madrid.
Aerolineas Argentinas has half a dozen Airbus A340-211 aircraft dating from the mid-1990s, and this is LV-ZPO at Ezeiza.
Also at Ezeiza, this is Aeromexico Boeing 767-3Q8 XA-APB, new in 1998.
Finally here is the TACA International Airlines Airbus A321 N564TA, which was to take us from Ezeiza to Lima, Peru. The aircraft in Peru were much more exotic, and you can see my selection of Peruvian aviation photos here.
The various parts of this story are;
1. Argentina; Buses in Buenos Aires
2. Argentina; "The search for Di Tella". Classic British saloon cars made under licence in
Argentina
3. Argentina; Air transport (this page)
4. Peru; Buses
5. Peru; Train travel in the high Andes
6. Peru; Air transport
7. Peru; Assorted transport
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SOME QUICK LINKS WITHIN THIS WEBSITE; Home Email THE CLASSIC BUSES WEBSITE SHOP Events Diary Halfcab list Links Small-Ads Classic Irish Buses