SAHSA (Servicios Aereos de Honduras SA)

  January 1945 to January 1994

  Honduras

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: SH / SHA

HEADQUARTERS: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

OTHER NAMES: TAN-SAHSA (1990-1991)

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

SAHSA was founded as the national airline of Honduras on 2 January 1945, with help from Pan American Airways. Pan American Airways owned 40%, the Honduran government owned 20% and the remaining 40% was owned by private Honduran investors. The airline began operations on 22 October 1945, using a DC2 to fly to destinations within Honduras. In late 1945, it acquired a DC3 and a Beech 18, and by March 1949 international services were initiated to San Salvador, and Belize. In 1953, SAHSA acquired rival airline TACA de Honduras, by which time SAHSA had introduced the first Commando in its fleet.

Equipment with modern pressurised airliners began in the mid-1960s, and the first turboprop joined the fleet in 1969. In 1970, Pan Am gave up its stake in SAHSA and TAN took over, but SAHSA continued to operate independently.

SAHSA and TAN merged into TAN-SAHSA in 1990, but a year later only the name SAHSA was kept. On 14 January 1994, plagued by corruption and a poor safety record, SAHSA closed down.

June 1960* to December 1973*

SAHSA operated a single Commando in the mid-1950's, while the purchase of TACA de Honduras brought another one in the fleet. Most operations were actually conducted with DC3s. In June 1960, two additional Commandos joined the fleet. HR-SAL was lost in 1962 but soon replaced, and these two remained in service until 1973-1974.

• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: XH-SAL / HR-SAL
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: XH-SAI
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: HR-SAN