LANICA (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua)

  July 1945 to August 1981

  Nicaragua

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: NI / ---

HEADQUARTERS: Managua, Nicaragua

OTHER NAMES: Nil

LANICA was founded on 25 July 1945 as a subsidiary of Pan American Airways, which initially held 40% of the company while the Nicaraguan government took 10% and local private investors 50%. Domestic services began in 1946 with two Boeing 247Ds. The company bought the assets of a local airline called Flota Aerea Nicaraguense (FANSA) in 1950, acquiring control of the lucrative routes to the mining towns of Bonanza and Siuna in the north. By March 1955, the fleet comprised seven Douglas DC-3s and one Navion that operated local routes; that year, the airline carried 21,852 passengers.

LANICA's fleet in April 1965 was composed of one DC-3, one DC-4, one DC-6, and four Commandos, with the DC-6 flying the first international routes to Miami and San Salvador.

In early 1966, the carrier ordered a BAC One-Eleven 400. Pending delivery of this new aircraft, another BAC One-Eleven, leased from Aer Lingus, was deployed on the Managua-Salvador-Miami route in November 1966. Starting 19 October 1967, LANICA's own BAC One-Eleven was operated on a joint-ownership basis with TAN Airlines. The last BAC 1-11 was disposed of in October 1972 and LANICA re-equipped with Convair 880s.

Pan Am's participation in the airline had decreased to 10% by 1975. Private investors held 85% of the company until July 1972, when Howard Hughes took control of 25% of it, through Hughes Tool Company, in exchange for the lease of two Convair 880s. By March 1975, LANICA's fleet consisted of two Convair 880s, three Commandos and four DC-6s that served a route network including domestic services, as well as international passenger and cargo services to Mexico City, Miami and San Salvador. Two more Convair 880s were acquired in 1977.

The government of Somoza was overthrown following the rise to power of the Sandinistas in 1979. The shares held by the Somoza family — the major stockholders at the time — were seized by the Junta of National Reconstruction, but the airline's debts were not absorbed by the new government. LANICA was declared bankrupt by a Nicaraguan court in March 1981, ceasing all operations on 31 August 1981. In May that year, the airline still had a fleet of two Boeing 727-100s, three Commandos and one DC-6, and employed a 450-strong staff. LANICA was succeeded by Aeronica as Nicaragua's flag carrier.

1950* to May 1980*

LANICA received a Commando when it purchased the assets of FANSA in 1950. It later purchased its two additional ones in 1956. The fleet peaked at five in 1964, later reduced to three in 1966.

• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: AN-AMR, AN-ATA, AN-BGU, (43-47056)
• Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando: AN-AIN
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: AN-AIR, YN-BVL
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: AN-ADG
• Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: AN-AOD