AESA (Aerolineas El Salvador SA)

  March 1960 to 1991

  El Salvador

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: SZ / SZA

HEADQUARTERS: San Salvador

SUBSEQUENT NAME: TACA International (merger)

AESA was a venture by Nicaragua's LANICA into the Salvadorian market. The company's stock was 55% Salvadorian (the minimum required by law), while the rest belonged to LANICA and its CEO E. S. Moreira. AESA was founded on 4 March 1960 and operations started in August 1960 using a Commando in cargo configuration. The main route was a twice-weekly service between San Salvador and Miami, FL, flying frozen shrimps on the way out and livesotck and manufactured goods back to El Salvador. The US CAB issued AESA a three-year common carrier permit in May 1961, later renewed in 1965 and 1968.

AESA apparently merged into TACA International in 1991.

March 1960* to February 1965*

AESA started its operations with a single cargo Commando transferred from LANICA, YS-012C, which crashed on 13 February 1965. It was replaced by YS-016-C, with a third one (YS-014C) being purchased but not taken up. Commandos were replaced by Douglas DC6BFs from 1970.

• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: YS-012C
• Smith Super 46C Commando: YS-016-C
• Other Commando: YS-014C (NTU)