Rolim Amaro
Encyclopedia
Captain Rolim Adolfo Amaro (September 15, 1942 - July 8, 2001), known as "Comandante Rolim," was a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian pilot and airline owner and founder of TAM Airlines.

Biography

At age 21, he became a pilot for a new air taxi company known as TAM – Táxi Aéreo Marília. The company began its operation in 1961 with the alliance of 10 young pilots. At the time, they transported cargo and charter passengers between Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...

, São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

, and Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...

. After six years in the company, Amaro left Taxi Aéreo Marília. At the same time, it was sold to businessman Orlando Ometto, its headquarters moved to São Paulo, and the company profile changed when it became a courrier company.

Upon leaving the company, Amaro, being at ease with personalized service, became an independent pilot. He bought his first airplane, a Cessna 170
Cessna 170
|-See also:-External links:* *...

, and moved with his family to Araguaia, where he began his first business project and founded Araguaia Transportes Aéreos (ATA). Two years later, the company had 15 airplanes.

Captain Amaro’s reconciliation with TAM took place in 1971, when Ometto asked him to become a minority partner owning 33% of the stocks. At the time, the company was going through a difficult financial period and was only transporting 3000 passengers. The following year, Amaro acquired half of the TAM stock and took over management of the company. He introduced his trademark and began practicing his primary philosophy: “Focus on the client by offering quality service”.

In 1976, TAM - Transportes Aéreos Regionais emerges as a scheduled regional airline, which learned from the experience of TAM - Táxi Aéreo Marília. By then, Amaro owned 67% of the new company. The first year, while domestic aviation was growing 15% a year, TAM was registering an increase of 70% every six months. Amaro later took full control of the company’s stock.

Amaro died in a helicopter crash at Fortuna Guazú, 38 kilometers from the Paraguayan city of Pedro Juan Caballero. At the time of his death, the company had grown to the point of being almost even with direct competitor Varig
Varig
VARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...

.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK