Aeroperlas
Encyclopedia
Aeroperlas is an airline
based in Panama City
, Panama
. It is a regional airline
operating over 50 daily flights to 15 domestic destinations, as well as charter flights. It operates services as part of the Grupo TACA
Regional Airlines system. Its main base is Marcos A. Gelabert Regional Airport, Panama City, with a hub at Enrique Malek International Airport
, David
.
. According to Dan Garton in the late 1990s, AMR took a stake in Aeroperlas to find a way of streamlining American Eagles fleet and placing Shorts 360
aircraft with another airline. It is unclear if AMR remains a shareholder in Aeroperlas in 2009. (20%)..
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. It is a regional airline
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
operating over 50 daily flights to 15 domestic destinations, as well as charter flights. It operates services as part of the Grupo TACA
Grupo TACA
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system...
Regional Airlines system. Its main base is Marcos A. Gelabert Regional Airport, Panama City, with a hub at Enrique Malek International Airport
Enrique Malek International Airport
-Accidents and incidents:On July 13, 1943, there was an accident at this airfield that claimed the life of 12 airmen when their B-17 Flying Fortress stalled during approach and crashed in the runway....
, David
David, Panama
David is a city located in the west of Panama. It is the capital of the province of Chiriquí and has an estimated population of 144,858 inhabitants as confirmed in 2010. It is a relatively affluent city with most families and houses having basic living requirements, such as concrete houses, clean...
.
History
The airline was established and started operations in June 1970 as Aerolíneas Islas de las Perlas. It was government run from 1976 until 1987 when it was sold to private owners. In 1996 it began international operations, launching services to Costa Rica. It is owned by Apair (80%) and AMR American Eagle AirlinesAmerican Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
. According to Dan Garton in the late 1990s, AMR took a stake in Aeroperlas to find a way of streamlining American Eagles fleet and placing Shorts 360
Shorts 360
The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:...
aircraft with another airline. It is unclear if AMR remains a shareholder in Aeroperlas in 2009. (20%)..
Costa Rica
- San JoséSan José, Costa RicaSan José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
(SJO) – Juan Santamaria International AirportJuan Santamaría International AirportJuan Santamaría International Airport is located in Alajuela Province, about from downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is a hub airport for TACA/Lacsa, and focus city airport for Copa Airlines. It is named after Costa Rica's national hero Juan Santamaría, a courageous drummer boy who died in 1856...
Panama
- AchutupoAchutupo- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
(ACU) - Bahia Piña (BFQ) – Piña "Bahía Piña - Darién" Airport
- Bocas del Toro (BOC) – Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport
- ChanguinolaChanguinola-Transportation:Changuinola is accessible by air, land, or sea. Visitors can fly into Captain Manuel Nino International Airport from Panama City and Bocas del Toro. Direct flights from the United States, Canada, and Mexico are not available. Airlines may include , Aeroplas, Air Panama, and Nature Air...
(CHX) – Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International AirportChanguinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International AirportChanguinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport is an airport serving Changuinola, the capital city of the Changuinola District in the Bocas del Toro Province in Panama.-Facilities:... - David (DAV) – David "Enrique Malek" International AirportEnrique Malek International Airport-Accidents and incidents:On July 13, 1943, there was an accident at this airfield that claimed the life of 12 airmen when their B-17 Flying Fortress stalled during approach and crashed in the runway....
- Isla ContadoraIsla ContadoraIsla Contadora is a Panamanian island on the Pearl Islands archipielago in the Gulf of Panama...
(OTD) – Contadora Airport - JaquéJaquéJaqué is a town in the Darién province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
(JQE) – Jaqué Airport - Mamitupu (MPI)
- Ogobsucum
- Panama CityPanama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
(PTY) – Tocumen International AirportTocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities... - PedasiPedasíPedasí is one of five districts of the Los Santos Province, Panama.-History:Human settlement in the Azuero peninsula where Pedasí is located dates back anywhere from 11,000 years to 4500 years ago based on pre-Columbian artifacts and other archaeological evidence recovered from various sites on...
- Playón Chico (PYC) – Playón Chico Airport
- Puerto Obaldia (PUE) – Puerto Obaldia Airport
- TubualáTubualáTubualá is a town in the Kuna Yala province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
(TUW)
Incidents and accidents
During its early years of operation, Aeroperlas had a less than admirable safety record (as detailed below). However, since its commercial affiliation with TACA International Airlines (El Salvador)in 2004, great strides have been made to improve operational procedures and upgrade safety technology on aircraft. The installation of a new, safety-focused management team in late 2005 has further improved Aeroperlas' safety record. In 2006, according to official numbers published by the Panamanian Civil Aviation Authority, Aeroperlas suffered just one minor incident - the same safety record as Panama's COPA airlines achieved in the same period. To date (May 15) in 2007, Aeroperlas has a clean safety record and has begun pointing to its safety strength in commercial activities (e.g.; its "Fly Safely, Fly Aeroperlas" campaign).- On 18 April 1990 a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, Registration N187SA had the no. 2 engine fail and the aircraft entered a descending turn which continued until impact with the sea. On board were 22 occupants (3 crew and 19 passengers). There were 20 fatalities, including the crew members. - On 5 July 1990, De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
was hijackedAircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
. The hijacker(s) demanded to be taken to ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Duration of the hijacking: less than 1 day. The Twin Otter was stolen by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaRevolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaThe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
on July 5, 1990 on a flight from Colón. The aircraft was destroyed in August 1990. - On 17 March 2000 a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, registration HP-1267APP with 2 crew and 8 passengers on board crashed. The AeroPerlas Twin Otter departed Aeropuerto Marcos A. Gelabert at 08:46 for a flight of about 55 minutes to Puerto Obaldia. The aircraft disappeared some 20 minutes prior to the ETA. En route altitude was 7500 feet (2,286 m) and weather conditions allowed VFR. At first the aircraft was thought to have been hijacked to Colombia. On March 22 however a search party aboard HP-1355 found the wreckage on a mountainside 12.5 nm from Puerto Obaldia at 11:35. The wreckage was found at the 2500 feet (762 m) level of a 2790 feet (850.4 m) high mountain. All onboard were killed. - On 9 September 2000 a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, registration HP-1276APP with 2 crew and 19 passengers on board, was damaged when it overran the runway on landing and collided with a tree. The same aircraft, flown by the same pilot, had to make a precautionary landing at Enrique Jiménez airport because of engine problems on June 12, 2000. There were no fatalities. - On 16 August 2004 a Cessna 208Cessna 208The Cessna 208 Caravan is a single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft built in the United States by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers, with a single person crew, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver, it can seat up to fourteen passengers...
B Grand Caravan, registration HP-1397APP with 2 crew and 5 passengers on board suffered substantial damage when An emergency landing was carried out on a small active road in the Arrajian district after an apparent engine failure. The airplane struck a tree. All on board survived. - On 16 May 2009 a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, with 2 crew and approximately 15 passengers on board suffered damage shortly after landing at Carti airport in Kuna Yala when the airplane veered off the runway. The right main landing wheel stuck into the grass/mud and the plane turned 90 degrees to the runway before nosediving into the grass. The nose cone flew off on impact with visible damage to the fuselage and both wingtips. All on board survived.
Fleet
The Aeroperlas fleet includes the following aircraft :| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR-42 | 2 | - | Operated as TACA regional | |||
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 2 | - | ||||
| Total | 4 | - | ||||
| Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|
| De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter | Some sold to Rocky Mountain Aircraft in Canada, other are being scrapped for parts. |
| Shorts 360-200 Shorts 360 The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:... |
HP-1318APP is being operated by regional partner La Costena La Costeña La Costeña is an airline based in Managua, Nicaragua. It operates passenger services from Managua to eight domestic destinations as part of the Grupo TACA regional system. Its main base is Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, Managua.-History:... of Nicaragua, HP-1251 is stored in Panama |
| Convair 580 | HP-1445APP parked at Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (as of 2011) |