TAXADER (Taxi Aereo de Santander)
Operator Identification
9 March 1948 to 15 January 1965
Colombia
TYPE: Airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil
HEADQUARTERS: Bucaramanga, Colombia (1948-1959), Bogota, Colombia (1959-1965)
OTHER NAMES: TAXADER (Taxi Aereo de Santander) (1948-1961), Lineas Aereas TAXADER (1961-1965)
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil
Operator History
TAXADER (Taxi Aereo de Santander) was established by businessman Gonzalo Galvis and retired Air Force Major Alberto Parada on 9 March 1948. It was based in Bucaramanga, capital of the department of Santander and was the first air taxi company in that region where mountains and rivers are an obstacle to land communications. While Gonzalo Galvis contributed financial capital to company and managed the administration, Alberto Parada contributed only in technical industry as a pilot of airplanes, and he was responsible for obtaining the airline operating certificate, which was delivered by the aviation authority on 5 April 1948.
The operation began with a 3-seat Stinson 165 christened "Bolivar". The initiative was well perceived by the general public as a fast and safe alternative means of transportation. Very soon there was a need to expand and modernize the fleet, and another Stinson and Cessna 180s were added. The expansion program that followed included the importation of larger DHC-2 Beavers and a DHC-3 Otter in May 1950. Scheduled services were established to Barrancabermeja and Ocana.
When LANSA, the second largest airline in the country, suspended its operations by merging with Avianca in 1954, Gonzalo Galvis saw an opportunity for his small airline. He invested more money, with the capital reaching 2 million pesos, and he secured the clearance from aeronautical authorities to operate his first trunk route between Bucaramanga and Bogota. At the time, the military government of General Rojas Pinilla promoted civil aviation by building airports around the country. Gonzalo Galvis expanded TAXADER's routes to the newly built airports of Tunja, Paipa, Sogamoso and Duitama in 1955. More Beavers were purchased, along with five Douglas DC-3s.
In October 1956, two prominent Barranquilla investors, Celio Villalva and Alberto Marulanda, brought fresh money to TAXADER. These new shareholders had interests on the Atlantic coast, and therefore permits were obtained to operate routes to Valledupar, Santa Marta, Riohacha, San Juan del Cesar, Maicao and the trunk route to Barranquilla, in competition with Avianca. However, on 9 March 1957, one of TAXADER's DC-3s crashed in Barranquilla.
TAXADER modernized its image when it introduced three luxurious Commandos fitted for 50 passengers in 1959. They were marketed as "Super 46T". In December, the company moved its base of operations to the newly built Bogota Eldorado International Airport. In 1960, routes were inaugurated from Bogota to Medellín, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Pasto and Popayan. Flights to the island of San Andres were inaugurated on 18 May 1960. San Andres quickly became the favorite vacation center for Colombians, as imagined years before by General Rojas.
In 1961, the company was restructured as Lineas Aereas TAXADER and Douglas DC-4s were purchased to compete with Avianca. Dr. Hernando Suárez Mantilla became president of the company. Unfortunately, 1962 was a bad year for the company, which lost two DC-3s in accidents. However TAXADER continued to expand, taking over the routes of bankrupt Lloyd Aereo Colombiano in 1963 with a leased Douglas DC-6B. But the operation was a failure, and the company incurred financial losses which were compounded by another DC-3 crash the following year. Competitors Avianca and Aerocondor were now lining up Super Constellations and Boeing 720Bs, and TAXADER's load factor started falling.
After a failed attempt to merge with Aerocondor in late 1964, TAXADER's fleet comprised of DC-3s, DC-4s and Commandos was grounded due to lack of spare parts and engines. The company was liquidated on 15 January 1965.
Commando Operations
1960* to 1968*
Last edited: 29/03/2021