APSA (Aerolineas Peruanas SA)

  September 1956 to May 1971

  Peru

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TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: EP / PRU

HEADQUARTERS: Lima

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

APSA was founded by C. W. Shelton in September 1956, with 77 percent of the company's shares spread amongst private Peruvian investors. Scheduled passenger operations were launched in mid-1957, on the Lima to Santiago and Miami routes. Originally not a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association), APSA could significantly undercut the usual airline fares for flights between South America and the USA. To strengthen its market position, APSA went into a partnership with TAN (Transportes Aereos Nacionales) of Honduras and CEA (Compania Ecuatoriana de Aviacion) of Ecuador. Another deal was struck with Aerolineas Argentinas, and from 1958 two Commandos were operated on the Tegucigalpa - Lima - Buenos Aires route.

Douglas DC6s formed the core of APSA's fleet, linking the Lima hub to most Latin American capitals and Miami, FL. APSA joined the jet age on 1 December 1963 with the introduction of the Convair 990 Coronado, later complemented by Douglas DC8s which expanded the international network to Los Angeles, Paris, London and Madrid. In 1966, the company had become a major player in the South American airline industry, and it joined IATA. By 1967, it employed over 1,000 personnel.

In the early 1970's, APSA found itself in a worsening financial situation. Plans for a take-over by the Peruvian government and Spanish national airline Iberia failed, so that the company was forced to cease all flight operations on 2 May 1971.

May 1957 to 1970

Commandos were operated on the low-fare Tegucigalpa to Buenos Aires route via Lima. The DC6 replaced them from 1961 when the route was extended north to Miami, FL. Commandos were then operated by APSA's cargo division, Aerolineas Peruanas Carga until 1970.

• Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando: OB-WBA-471 / OB-OAB-471
• Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando: OB-LGU / OB-OAA-470
• Curtiss R5C-1 Commando: OB-R-829