VARIG

  May 1927 to July 2006

  Brazil

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: RG / VRG

HEADQUARTERS: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: GOL Transportes Aereos

VARIG was the first national airline established in Brazil. Its founder was Otto Ernst Meyer-Labastille, a German aviator decorated in World War I who had migrated to Brazil in 1921.

VARIG grew slowly until the end of World War II, at which time its fleet was reorganized around DC3s and then Commandos. The airline greatly expanded its domestic network with these two aircraft types despite the fierce post-war competition.  On 30 May 1953, flights to Buenos Aires started, using the Commando. In January 1956 VARIG served 55 cities in Brazil and four abroad, being the second Brazilian airline in terms of passengers transported.

On 6 July 1959, VASP, Cruzeiro do Sul and VARIG initiated an air shuttle services between Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont and Sao Paulo Congonhas, the first of its kind in the world. The three airlines coordinated their schedules, operations, and shared revenue. This service was a direct response to the competition imposed by Real Transportes Aereos. In a matter of a few months, the shuttle service led by VARIG won the battle against Real, which ended up being bought by VARIG in 1961 after a lengthy battle for the Brazilian market. Sadia Transportes Aereos joined the shuttle service in 1968.

VARIG kept on growing in the following decades, until facing new competitors on the Brazilian market, such as TAM and GOL. After a sharp decline in the 2000's, VARIG went bankrupt in 2005 and its unsuccessful revival attempt was integrated into GOL in 2006.

1948 to February 1971*

VARIG was one of the largest Commando operators in the world, with a total of 29 aircraft going through its fleet over a period of 22 years. It flew several of the enhanced Commando variants.

• Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando: PP-VCB
• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: PP-AKG, PP-NBN
• Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando: PP-VCI, PP-VCN (NTU), PP-VCJ (I) (NTU?), PP-VCJ (II) (NTU), PP-VCC
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: PP-VDE (NTU), PP-NBO, PP-VBY (Palas), PP-VCR (NTU), PP-VBX, PP-VCF (Palas), PP-VDI, PP-VBZ
• Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: PP-VCE (Palas, then Super 46C)
• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: PP-ITJ, PP-NBP, PP-VCA
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: PP-ITA, PP-ITB, PP-ITC, PP-ITE, PP-XDR / PP-VBS (Super 46C)
• Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando: PP-ITI
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: PP-VBI
• Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando: (44-78020) (TBC)
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: PP-VDJ, PP-AKE, PP-VBM
• Smith Super 46C Commando: PP-VCM (converted PP-VDJ), PP-VCL (converted PP-VDI), PP-VCG, PP-VCT