Loide Aereo Nacional

  August 1949 to 1962

  Brazil

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: -- / ---

HEADQUARTERS: Brazil

FORMER NAME: TCA (Transporte Carga Aerea)

SUBSEQUENT NAME: VASP (Viacao Aerea Sao Paulo) (merger)

On August 24, 1949, all-cargo airline TCA was rebranded as Loide Aereo Nacional as it started scheduled passenger services using Commandos. The initial network, which included Rio de Janeiro, Sao Luís and Fortaleza, later grew to include the whole Brazilian territory. In 1951, Loide Aereo Nacional incorporated LAP (Linhas Aéreas Paulistas) and TABA (Transportes Aereos Bandeirantes), and in 1961 NAB (Navegacao Aerea Brasileira).

Between 1956 and 1958 Loide Aereo Nacional and Panair do Brasil had an agreement to avoid harmful competition, in which the Brazilian territory was divided into areas of influence. It also included the cross-leasing of aircraft.

Business started to decline in 1960 and finally, in 1962 Loide Aereo Nacional was sold and merged into VASP (Viacao Aerea Sao Paulo).

November 1949 to 1964*

Loide was one of the largest Commando operators worldwide. It flew the aircraft mostly in the passenger configuration on a scheduled network that spanned 22 destinations across Brazil at its peak in 1956.

• Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando: CP-550 / PP-LDM
• Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando: CP-539
• Curtiss C-46A-15-CU Commando: PP-XCR / PP-LDK
• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: PP-LEF, PP-LDU / PP-LEP
• Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando: PP-LDO, PP-LDR / PP-LFE, PP-VCJ (I) / PP-LDP, PP-LDS
• Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando: PP-XCW / PP-LDG, PP-LEB, PP-LDW (II), PP-LEH
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: PP-LEI (NTU), PP-LDB, PP-LDZ, PP-XCQ / PP-LDJ, PP-LDY, PP-LDX, PP-LEG (NTU), PP-XCS / PP-LDI / PP-LDQ, PP-LDD, PP-XCU / PP-LDH, PP-LDT, PP-XCO / PP-LDC, PP-LEE (probably NTU)
• Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: PP-AXO / PP-LDV, PP-XCT / PP-LDF / PP-LEO
• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: PP-LDW (I) (NTU), PP-LEA, PP-LED (NTU), PP-LEJ (NTU)
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: PP-LEN (NTU), PP-XCV / PP-LDE