ARCA Colombia

  January 1956 to January 1997

  Colombia

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: ZU / AKC

HEADQUARTERS: Bogota, Colombia

FORMER NAME: Nil

OTHER NAMES: Aerovias Colombianas

Aerovias Colombianas was founded on 1 January 1956 by the former manager of Avianca, Hernando el Pote Gutierrez. Domestic cargo operations slowly developed from Bogota, using up to five Douglas C-47s. The cities of Cali, Cartagena and Medellin were among the destinations served from the start. It was not until 1969 that another type of aircraft became available with the Curtiss Commando. A few years later a Douglas DC6 was added to serve Miami, FL with a stopover in Barranquilla. Management quickly realized that larger aircraft were needed for the missions at hand. In 1975, a Boeing 707 was leased, and exchanged two years later for a Douglas DC8. This type of aircraft was to become the company's fleet core. ARCA ended up using 12 aircraft of this type at different times.

The main focus was now on the transport of flowers, cars, car parts and horses from Bogota to Miami and back. Furthermore, an application for passenger carriage was made to the relevant authorities, which was rejected. From the 1990's, the USA tightened the entry regulations for aircraft with regard to noise and exhaust emissions, which hit ARCA hard with their old DC8s. The company's financial resources did not allow renting or purchasing another type of aircraft. Since drugs from Colombia were repeatedly imported into the USA illegally, these planes were checked accordingly, which in turn cost time and money. Due to these circumstances, ARCA Colombia filed for bankruptcy on 24 January 1997.

March 1968* to 1975*

ARCA operated a single Commando in cargo configuration.

• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: HK-1322