LAPSA (Lloyd Aereo Paraguayo SA)

  September 1960 to 1965

  Paraguay

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TYPE: Scheduled passenger airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Asuncion, Paraguay

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

LAPSA was founded in Asuncion, Paraguay on 14 September 1960, with 88% Paraguayan shareholding. Two Commandos were acquired in late 1960, and in May 1961 a twice-weekly scheduled service was started to Rio de Janeiro via Curitiba and Sao Paulo, Brazil. An additional Commando was added in 1962 and service was maintained through the following year.

In January 1964, the carrier purchased a Lockheed L-049 Constellation in the US for use on a new service to Buenos Aires, Argentina. While the Rio run continued and appropriate Argentinian authorizations were sought, company pilots went to the USA to take delivery of the new “Connie”. However, on a flight to Brazil, they suffered an engine failure over Campina, near Sao Paulo. Meanwhile, officials in Argentina informed LAPSA that they would not grant them traffic rights to Buenos Aires. With its new airplane grounded in Rio waiting for a new engine, and its new route cancelled, the financially overstretched company shut down in 1965.

September 1958 to March 1966

LAPSA operated three Commandos.

• Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando: ZP-CAB
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: ZP-CAP