Aigle Azur
Operator Identification
1946 to present
France
TYPE: Airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: ZI / AAF
HEADQUARTERS: Paris, France
OTHER NAMES: Aigle Azur (1946-1955), Lucas Aviation (1970), Lucas Air Transport, Lucas Aigle Azur, Aigle Azur (present)
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil
Operator History
Aigle Azur was founded in 1946 by French entrepreneur Sylvain Floirat. It was France's first postwar private airline. It initially used Junker 52s in a 32-passenger configuration. Aigle Azur managed to secure several contracts with the French government, such as the transport of school teachers working in the colonies for holidays. The airline's first destinations were Tunisia and Lebanon. Soon, Aigle Azur was able to purchase more modern aircraft from American surplus, and this allowed the company to expand its lines to Indochina and Algeria. Personnel repatriation from these colonies became a large share of Aigle Azur's business.
On 1 May 1955, Sylvain floirat sold Aigle Azur to French airline UAT (Union Aeromaritime de Transport), including its entire fleet and 54 crew members. Aigle Azur was revived in 1970 as Lucas Aviation, a scheduled regional airline headquartered in Pontoise. It was later renamed Lucas Air Transport, Lucas Aigle Azur, and finally Aigle Azur. It kept on operating as a charter and scheduled airline until today.
Commando Operations
April 1954* to October 1955*
Aigle Azur operated Commandos during the first part of its existence, as a replacement of its initial fleet of Junkers 52s.
Last edited: 09/12/2023