Psychedelic Revolutions 1: TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES
Jun 29, 2019 1:07:22 GMT
Harerton Dourado - HJG, Falcon, and 2 more like this
Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Jun 29, 2019 1:07:22 GMT
"Psychedelic Revolutions 1: TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES"
Undoubtedly inspired by BRANIFF's Flying Colours revolution of the 1960's and 70's, TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES .... similarly motivated by the Latino lust for colour .... proudly demonstrated its own psychedelic creativity throughout the 1970's and 80's as the airline transitioned from BAC ONE-ELEVEN to B727-100 aircraft and later aircraft types.
The origins of TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES dates back to 1954 and the formation of SA INDUSTRIA E COMERCIO CONCORDIA .... which operated non-sked type air services to transport food products from Concordia to Sao Paulo for onward distribution to markets throughout Brasil.
Taking advantage of government incentives during the 1950's this operator then became a sked type carrier from March 16th 1956 and was renamed SA TRANSPORTES AEREOS .... more popularly known as SADIA .... and extended its services to Videira and Florianópolis .... then later to Londrina, Bauru, Ribeirão Preto, and Brasília.
Prior to 1963 the airline operated a mixed fleet composed of classic C-46 COMMANDO and DC-3 prop-liners
A partnership was established during 1957 that resulted in SADIA becoming a feeder operator for REAL TRANSPORTES AEREOS .... with the airline also then relocating to Sao Paulo and its services being further extended to include Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre .... although this partnership was terminated during 1961 with the demise of REAL.
During 1962 SADIA acquired TASSA .... and benefiting from additional government assistance during the 1960's also began acquiring British-built HP DART HERALD 200 turbo-props from 1963 .... and by 1966 the airline had phased out the its last C-46 and DC-3 prop-liners.
SADIA then entered the jet age from September 17th 1970 when it acquired British-built BAC ONE-ELEVEN 500 jetliners .... 3 of which were leased from AUSTRAL LINEAS AEREAS of Argentina (PT-SDP) and BRITISH AEROSPACE (PT-TYV and -TYW) in order to further boost the airlines BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet strength and capacity.
Throughpout its existence between 1956 and 1972 SADIA suffered 3 major accidents ....
DC-3/C-49E PP-SLL struck a hill on approach to Videira during poor visibility and with the loss of all 10 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: DC-3 PP-SLL ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630804-0
On November 3rd 1967 HP DART HERALD 214 PP-SDJ struck a hill on approach to Curitiba and with the loss of 21 of the 25 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: HP DART HERALD PP-SDJ ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19671103-0
DC-3/C-47A PP-AST impacted high altitude mountainous terrain near Tacna, Peru, on March 16th 1968 and with the loss of all 4 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: DC-3 PP-AST ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19680316-0
During 1972 SADIA again relocated .... this time to Brasilia .... and the airlines name was also then changed to "TRANSBRASIL SA LINHAS AEREAS".
During the early 1970's the airline considered acquiring 2 A300B aircraft .... but .... for economic reasons this option never advanced.
From 1973 the airline began replacing its HP DART HERALD fleet with EMB 110C BANDEIRANTE turbo-props .... then from late1974 it also began replacing its BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet with 2nd-hand B727-100 and -100C jetliners which became the backbone of the airlines operations later during the 1970's and into the early 1980's.
Upon being introduced to service TRANSBRASIL's first B727's supported the same colourful SADIA livery theme that had been applied to its BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet .... featuring 2-tone colours .... the upper fuselage and tail of each aircraft supporting a light shade, with the lower fuselage and wings supporting a darker and contrasting shade, separated by darker coloured mid fuselage and engine stripe. 3 variations of this livery are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet .... with one particular aircraft (PT-TCA) supporting more than one variation of this particular livery theme between 1974 and 1975.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-79 PT-TCA beige/brown
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA yellow/ocher
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB light blue/dark Blue
From 1976 these colourful liveries were revised. The airlines same basic 2-tone livery theme was retained .... but .... each variation of this new livery was based on light cream upper and lower fuselages .... with darker and contrasting tail and mid fuselage sections .... the upper portion of each mid fuselage section being tapered forward towards the nose .... and with wing surfaces matching the darker fuselage and tail shades on each individual aircraft. 5 variations of this particular livery theme are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB light cream/orange
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-162 PT-TYN light cream/dark blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA light cream/green
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYP dark cream/maroon
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYT dark cream/tierra cotta
Then from 1977 these liveries were further revised .... to the extent of becoming even more psychedelically interesting as TRANSBRASIL introduced its "Energia Colorida" livery themes .... created by 12 year old Giofranco BETING. Each of these liveries were based on the airlines previous 2-tone fuselages and wing theme, but, were composed of brighter and even more contrasting shades. Again each aircraft supported a different colour combination .... each of which was named for a particular energy source (for example the Fuchsia and Orange scheme used on PT-TYT was named "Energia Solar"). 8 different and very colourful variations of these particular liveries are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet .... with some aircraft featuring more than 1 variation of this particular livery theme throughout the period of its use.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA medium blue/dark blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYU orange/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO yellow/brown
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYS yellow/blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB yellow/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYQ Ocher/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYT orange/fuchsia
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-78 PT-TYR yellow/fuchsia
From late 1978 the airline revealed another colourful but comparatively tame new livery style. This identity featured a simple pattern of 4 multi-coloured rainbow tail stripes with a light cream/sand coloured fuselage .... and different coloured fuselage titles and logos with matching wing surfaces on each individual aircraft. One particular aircraft (PT-TYM) also supported an experimental multi-coloured TRANSBRASIL fuselage logo during this period.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27 PT-TYM (original tail stripes) light cream fuselage/dark blue wings/titles/multi-colored logo
During early 1979 TRANSBRASIL then further revised this rainbow stripe tail livery theme to feature a more complex pattern of multi coloured bands and pin-striping .... and which would become the airlines best-known identity. Each aircraft supported the same colourful tail livery but retained its different coloured fuselage titles, logos, and wing wing surfaces. Once again the titles, logos, wing colours on some aircraft varied throughout the period of this particular livery. B727's PT-TCD and PT-TYS became the first aircraft in the airlines fleet to support this new rainbow stripe theme. Sadly B727-27C PT-TYS was written off on approach to Florianopolis during a thunderstorm on the evening of April 12th 1980 with the loss of 55 of the 58 POB .... the only B727 to be lost in TRANSBRASIL service.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: B727-100 PT-TYS ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19800412-0
Throughout its operational history TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES suffered 2 other major accidents ....
On January 22nd 1976 EMB 110-C PT-TBD crashed on T/O from Chapeco with the loss of 7 of the 9 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: EMB 110 PT-TBD ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19760122-1
B707-349C PT-TCS struck a building and crashed during approach to Sao Paulo on March 31st 1989 and with the loss of all 3 POB and also resulting in 22 ground fatalities.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: B707-320C PT-TCS ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890321-0
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES CARGO B727-21C PT-TCA green wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-77 PT-TCD dark blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-76 PT-TCF orange wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-191 PT-TYJ light blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO medium blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYQ green wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYU red wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO yellow wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-77 PT-TCD "Unicor Flying Hospital" dark blue wings/titles
By this time the TRANSBRASIL fleet was solely composed of 21 B727-100 aircraft .... featuring both standard -100 and convertible -100C versions.
Throughout their service to the airline the "convertible" capability of its B727-100C's was exploited to great advantage .... with average daily utilization of these aircraft approaching some 18 hours. These aircraft could be switched from PAX to pure freighter configuration within 45 minutes .... generally flying PAX by day and freight services by night.
By 1980 B727-21C PT-TCA had been dedicated to pure freight operations .... large "CARGO" titles were added to the tail and its "TRANSBRASIL" titles were relocated slightly lower on the forward fuselage of this particular aircraft.
B707-320C jetliners entered service with TRANSBRASIL from 1983 .... operated in both PAX and pure freight configurations.
AERO BRASIL was also established during the early 1980's as TRANSBRASIL's charter subsidiary. This saw B727-27C PT-TYK frequently exchanged between both operators for short intervals. Between 1984 and 1985 this aircraft supported both "AERO BRASIL" and "TRANSBRASIL" fuselage titles and logos over the parent companies rainbow themed tail livery with light blue wing surfaces .... then "AERO BRASIL" titles only with the charter operations definitive tail livery, fuselage stripe, and light blue wing surfaces .... followed later by "TRANSBRASIL" titles only over the same AERO BRASIL identity.
TRANSBRASIL/AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
B707-320C aircraft were also operated by AERO BRASIL .... also in both PAX and pure freighter configurations.
TRANSBRASIL had also by this time originally mooted the B727-200 ADV as a potential replacement for it's ageing B727-100 fleet .... however .... this plan evolved to favor the B757-200 .... before eventually being exercised in favor of wide-body B767-200's which began to enter service from 1983 when the airline commenced international services .... initially operated as charter type services before becoming sked type services to Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washing DC from 1989 .... and later to Amsterdam, Beijing, Buenos Aires, London, and Vienna.
From 1986 TRANSBRASIL also began to acquire B737-300's .... then B737-400's from 1989 .... and then wide-body B767-300's from 1991. These aircraft first supported the airlines 1980's introduced multi-coloured rainbow tail stripe livery with different coloured lower fuselage titles and wing surfaces on each aircraft .... but .... later during the 1990's the titles on most aircraft assumed a standard colour and were relocated to the fuselage crown skin and without coloured wing surfaces.
By this time TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES had grown become Brasil's 3rd-largest airline .... superseded only by both VARIG BRASILIAN AIRLINES and VASP.
By 1989 the airlines B737 fleet was sufficiently large to promote retirement of its venerable B727-100 flight line. Despite these aircraft having been among the first of the type to enter service with their original operators during the early 1960's, each of the airlines 21 surviving B727 fleet members quickly found new homes abroad, with several of these aircraft even flying into the 21st century. PT-TYI became the last ex-TRANSBRASIL B727-100 to remain in service .... finally ending its career with UPS during 2008 as N954UP.
In service with TRANSBRASIL the B727-100 more than earned its keep .... especially whilst serving as the airlines sole aircraft type between 1978 and 1983.
During the early 1990's the airline also considered acquiring wide-body B777-200 aircraft for its long range international routes .... and ERJ 145 aircraft for its domestic routes .... but .... for economic reasons neither of these options eventuated.
During January 1994 the airline formed its own feeder service .... INTERBRASIL STAR .... and which commenced operations from July 3rd 1995 using EMB 120 turbo-props .... and ATR42-400 turbo-props from 1999 when the airline participated in an air service shuttle agreement with TOTAL LINHAS AEREAS on the Rio De Janeiro/Belo Horizonte route.
During the late 1990's TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES introduced an entirely new but equally colourful livery .... based on an entirely white fuselage with bold titles composed of a revised/new font style, and featuring a dark blue tail and rear fuselage section, with an abstract arrangement of 5 curved and multi-coloured tail bands.
Despite the airlines progressive expansion and increasing market share, TRANSBRASIL began to experience managerial difficulties from 1986 (at the request of founding chairman Omar FONTANA control of the airline was awarded to Brasilan government military appointees during 1987 .... then rescinded during 1989 after operational disagreement .... resulting in the controversial appointment of relative Celso CIPRIANI upon FONTANA's departure) .... further exasperated by increased domestic, regional, and international competition .... and which ultimately evolved into a major financial crisis .... to the extent that "the colourful rainbow airline" was finally grounded on December 3rd 2001 when SHELL PETROLEUM refused to provide fuel until its mounting debt had been adequately serviced.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES never flew again and was formally declared bankrupt during 2003 .... with legal investigations into the airlines management (allegations of both corruption/fraud and criminal misconduct) continuing until 2010 and by which time the Brasilian Court Of Justice eventually invalidated the debt that had resulted in the airlines demise.
At the time of its 2001 grounding the TRANSBRASIL fleet was composed of 13 B737-300's, 5 B737-400's, 9 B767-200's, 5 B767-300's, and 8 EMB 120's .... and it was also by this time operating domestic services to Aracaju, Bauru, Belém, Belmonte, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Caçador, Caculé, Caetité, Campina Grande, Campinas, Campo Grande, Caratinga, Caravelas, Cascavel, Chapecó, Cianorte, Concórdia, Criciúma, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Diamantina, Erechim, Feira de Santana, Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Foz do Iguaçu, Garanhuns, Goiânia, Ilhéus, Itabuna, Jacobina, Januária, Jequié, Joaçaba, João Pessoa, Joinville, Juazeiro do Norte, Lages, Lagoa Vermelha, Londrina, Maceió, Manaus, Maringá, Montes Claros, Nanuque, Natal, Navegantes, Pato Branco, Penedo, Petrolina, Poços de Caldas, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Prado, Quixadá, Recife, Ribeirão Preto, Rio de Janeiro, Salinas, Salvador, São José do Rio Preto, São Lourenço, São Luís, São Paulo, Guarulhos, Teresina, Toledo, Uberlândia, Umuarama, Varginha, Videira, Vitória, and Vitória da Conquista .... and international services to Buenos Aires, and Córdoba/Argentina; Vienna/Austria; Santiago de Chile/Chile; Amsterdam/Netherlands; Lisbon/Portugal; London/UK; and Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washington DC/USA.
Mark CRANSTON & Erik INGRAM
Thanks to Erik INGRAM for each of the above featured B727-100 textures .... and thanks also to Harerton DOURADO for his much appreciated research assistance too .... both of which have made this incredibly colorful and historic project possible.
Undoubtedly inspired by BRANIFF's Flying Colours revolution of the 1960's and 70's, TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES .... similarly motivated by the Latino lust for colour .... proudly demonstrated its own psychedelic creativity throughout the 1970's and 80's as the airline transitioned from BAC ONE-ELEVEN to B727-100 aircraft and later aircraft types.
The origins of TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES dates back to 1954 and the formation of SA INDUSTRIA E COMERCIO CONCORDIA .... which operated non-sked type air services to transport food products from Concordia to Sao Paulo for onward distribution to markets throughout Brasil.
Taking advantage of government incentives during the 1950's this operator then became a sked type carrier from March 16th 1956 and was renamed SA TRANSPORTES AEREOS .... more popularly known as SADIA .... and extended its services to Videira and Florianópolis .... then later to Londrina, Bauru, Ribeirão Preto, and Brasília.
Prior to 1963 the airline operated a mixed fleet composed of classic C-46 COMMANDO and DC-3 prop-liners
A partnership was established during 1957 that resulted in SADIA becoming a feeder operator for REAL TRANSPORTES AEREOS .... with the airline also then relocating to Sao Paulo and its services being further extended to include Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre .... although this partnership was terminated during 1961 with the demise of REAL.
During 1962 SADIA acquired TASSA .... and benefiting from additional government assistance during the 1960's also began acquiring British-built HP DART HERALD 200 turbo-props from 1963 .... and by 1966 the airline had phased out the its last C-46 and DC-3 prop-liners.
SADIA then entered the jet age from September 17th 1970 when it acquired British-built BAC ONE-ELEVEN 500 jetliners .... 3 of which were leased from AUSTRAL LINEAS AEREAS of Argentina (PT-SDP) and BRITISH AEROSPACE (PT-TYV and -TYW) in order to further boost the airlines BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet strength and capacity.
Throughpout its existence between 1956 and 1972 SADIA suffered 3 major accidents ....
DC-3/C-49E PP-SLL struck a hill on approach to Videira during poor visibility and with the loss of all 10 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: DC-3 PP-SLL ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630804-0
On November 3rd 1967 HP DART HERALD 214 PP-SDJ struck a hill on approach to Curitiba and with the loss of 21 of the 25 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: HP DART HERALD PP-SDJ ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19671103-0
DC-3/C-47A PP-AST impacted high altitude mountainous terrain near Tacna, Peru, on March 16th 1968 and with the loss of all 4 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: DC-3 PP-AST ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19680316-0
During 1972 SADIA again relocated .... this time to Brasilia .... and the airlines name was also then changed to "TRANSBRASIL SA LINHAS AEREAS".
During the early 1970's the airline considered acquiring 2 A300B aircraft .... but .... for economic reasons this option never advanced.
From 1973 the airline began replacing its HP DART HERALD fleet with EMB 110C BANDEIRANTE turbo-props .... then from late1974 it also began replacing its BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet with 2nd-hand B727-100 and -100C jetliners which became the backbone of the airlines operations later during the 1970's and into the early 1980's.
Upon being introduced to service TRANSBRASIL's first B727's supported the same colourful SADIA livery theme that had been applied to its BAC ONE-ELEVEN fleet .... featuring 2-tone colours .... the upper fuselage and tail of each aircraft supporting a light shade, with the lower fuselage and wings supporting a darker and contrasting shade, separated by darker coloured mid fuselage and engine stripe. 3 variations of this livery are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet .... with one particular aircraft (PT-TCA) supporting more than one variation of this particular livery theme between 1974 and 1975.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-79 PT-TCA beige/brown
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA yellow/ocher
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB light blue/dark Blue
From 1976 these colourful liveries were revised. The airlines same basic 2-tone livery theme was retained .... but .... each variation of this new livery was based on light cream upper and lower fuselages .... with darker and contrasting tail and mid fuselage sections .... the upper portion of each mid fuselage section being tapered forward towards the nose .... and with wing surfaces matching the darker fuselage and tail shades on each individual aircraft. 5 variations of this particular livery theme are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB light cream/orange
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-162 PT-TYN light cream/dark blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA light cream/green
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYP dark cream/maroon
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYT dark cream/tierra cotta
Then from 1977 these liveries were further revised .... to the extent of becoming even more psychedelically interesting as TRANSBRASIL introduced its "Energia Colorida" livery themes .... created by 12 year old Giofranco BETING. Each of these liveries were based on the airlines previous 2-tone fuselages and wing theme, but, were composed of brighter and even more contrasting shades. Again each aircraft supported a different colour combination .... each of which was named for a particular energy source (for example the Fuchsia and Orange scheme used on PT-TYT was named "Energia Solar"). 8 different and very colourful variations of these particular liveries are known to have been applied across the airlines B727 fleet .... with some aircraft featuring more than 1 variation of this particular livery theme throughout the period of its use.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCA medium blue/dark blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYU orange/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO yellow/brown
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYS yellow/blue
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-21C PT-TCB yellow/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYQ Ocher/dark teal
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYT orange/fuchsia
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-78 PT-TYR yellow/fuchsia
From late 1978 the airline revealed another colourful but comparatively tame new livery style. This identity featured a simple pattern of 4 multi-coloured rainbow tail stripes with a light cream/sand coloured fuselage .... and different coloured fuselage titles and logos with matching wing surfaces on each individual aircraft. One particular aircraft (PT-TYM) also supported an experimental multi-coloured TRANSBRASIL fuselage logo during this period.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27 PT-TYM (original tail stripes) light cream fuselage/dark blue wings/titles/multi-colored logo
During early 1979 TRANSBRASIL then further revised this rainbow stripe tail livery theme to feature a more complex pattern of multi coloured bands and pin-striping .... and which would become the airlines best-known identity. Each aircraft supported the same colourful tail livery but retained its different coloured fuselage titles, logos, and wing wing surfaces. Once again the titles, logos, wing colours on some aircraft varied throughout the period of this particular livery. B727's PT-TCD and PT-TYS became the first aircraft in the airlines fleet to support this new rainbow stripe theme. Sadly B727-27C PT-TYS was written off on approach to Florianopolis during a thunderstorm on the evening of April 12th 1980 with the loss of 55 of the 58 POB .... the only B727 to be lost in TRANSBRASIL service.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: B727-100 PT-TYS ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19800412-0
Throughout its operational history TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES suffered 2 other major accidents ....
On January 22nd 1976 EMB 110-C PT-TBD crashed on T/O from Chapeco with the loss of 7 of the 9 POB.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: EMB 110 PT-TBD ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19760122-1
B707-349C PT-TCS struck a building and crashed during approach to Sao Paulo on March 31st 1989 and with the loss of all 3 POB and also resulting in 22 ground fatalities.
ACCIDENT SUMMARY: B707-320C PT-TCS ....
aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890321-0
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES CARGO B727-21C PT-TCA green wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-77 PT-TCD dark blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-76 PT-TCF orange wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-191 PT-TYJ light blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO medium blue wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYQ green wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYU red wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-27C PT-TYO yellow wings/titles
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES B727-77 PT-TCD "Unicor Flying Hospital" dark blue wings/titles
By this time the TRANSBRASIL fleet was solely composed of 21 B727-100 aircraft .... featuring both standard -100 and convertible -100C versions.
Throughout their service to the airline the "convertible" capability of its B727-100C's was exploited to great advantage .... with average daily utilization of these aircraft approaching some 18 hours. These aircraft could be switched from PAX to pure freighter configuration within 45 minutes .... generally flying PAX by day and freight services by night.
By 1980 B727-21C PT-TCA had been dedicated to pure freight operations .... large "CARGO" titles were added to the tail and its "TRANSBRASIL" titles were relocated slightly lower on the forward fuselage of this particular aircraft.
B707-320C jetliners entered service with TRANSBRASIL from 1983 .... operated in both PAX and pure freight configurations.
AERO BRASIL was also established during the early 1980's as TRANSBRASIL's charter subsidiary. This saw B727-27C PT-TYK frequently exchanged between both operators for short intervals. Between 1984 and 1985 this aircraft supported both "AERO BRASIL" and "TRANSBRASIL" fuselage titles and logos over the parent companies rainbow themed tail livery with light blue wing surfaces .... then "AERO BRASIL" titles only with the charter operations definitive tail livery, fuselage stripe, and light blue wing surfaces .... followed later by "TRANSBRASIL" titles only over the same AERO BRASIL identity.
TRANSBRASIL/AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
AERO BRASIL B727-27 PT-TYK
B707-320C aircraft were also operated by AERO BRASIL .... also in both PAX and pure freighter configurations.
TRANSBRASIL had also by this time originally mooted the B727-200 ADV as a potential replacement for it's ageing B727-100 fleet .... however .... this plan evolved to favor the B757-200 .... before eventually being exercised in favor of wide-body B767-200's which began to enter service from 1983 when the airline commenced international services .... initially operated as charter type services before becoming sked type services to Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washing DC from 1989 .... and later to Amsterdam, Beijing, Buenos Aires, London, and Vienna.
From 1986 TRANSBRASIL also began to acquire B737-300's .... then B737-400's from 1989 .... and then wide-body B767-300's from 1991. These aircraft first supported the airlines 1980's introduced multi-coloured rainbow tail stripe livery with different coloured lower fuselage titles and wing surfaces on each aircraft .... but .... later during the 1990's the titles on most aircraft assumed a standard colour and were relocated to the fuselage crown skin and without coloured wing surfaces.
By this time TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES had grown become Brasil's 3rd-largest airline .... superseded only by both VARIG BRASILIAN AIRLINES and VASP.
By 1989 the airlines B737 fleet was sufficiently large to promote retirement of its venerable B727-100 flight line. Despite these aircraft having been among the first of the type to enter service with their original operators during the early 1960's, each of the airlines 21 surviving B727 fleet members quickly found new homes abroad, with several of these aircraft even flying into the 21st century. PT-TYI became the last ex-TRANSBRASIL B727-100 to remain in service .... finally ending its career with UPS during 2008 as N954UP.
In service with TRANSBRASIL the B727-100 more than earned its keep .... especially whilst serving as the airlines sole aircraft type between 1978 and 1983.
During the early 1990's the airline also considered acquiring wide-body B777-200 aircraft for its long range international routes .... and ERJ 145 aircraft for its domestic routes .... but .... for economic reasons neither of these options eventuated.
During January 1994 the airline formed its own feeder service .... INTERBRASIL STAR .... and which commenced operations from July 3rd 1995 using EMB 120 turbo-props .... and ATR42-400 turbo-props from 1999 when the airline participated in an air service shuttle agreement with TOTAL LINHAS AEREAS on the Rio De Janeiro/Belo Horizonte route.
During the late 1990's TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES introduced an entirely new but equally colourful livery .... based on an entirely white fuselage with bold titles composed of a revised/new font style, and featuring a dark blue tail and rear fuselage section, with an abstract arrangement of 5 curved and multi-coloured tail bands.
Despite the airlines progressive expansion and increasing market share, TRANSBRASIL began to experience managerial difficulties from 1986 (at the request of founding chairman Omar FONTANA control of the airline was awarded to Brasilan government military appointees during 1987 .... then rescinded during 1989 after operational disagreement .... resulting in the controversial appointment of relative Celso CIPRIANI upon FONTANA's departure) .... further exasperated by increased domestic, regional, and international competition .... and which ultimately evolved into a major financial crisis .... to the extent that "the colourful rainbow airline" was finally grounded on December 3rd 2001 when SHELL PETROLEUM refused to provide fuel until its mounting debt had been adequately serviced.
TRANSBRASIL AIRLINES never flew again and was formally declared bankrupt during 2003 .... with legal investigations into the airlines management (allegations of both corruption/fraud and criminal misconduct) continuing until 2010 and by which time the Brasilian Court Of Justice eventually invalidated the debt that had resulted in the airlines demise.
At the time of its 2001 grounding the TRANSBRASIL fleet was composed of 13 B737-300's, 5 B737-400's, 9 B767-200's, 5 B767-300's, and 8 EMB 120's .... and it was also by this time operating domestic services to Aracaju, Bauru, Belém, Belmonte, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Caçador, Caculé, Caetité, Campina Grande, Campinas, Campo Grande, Caratinga, Caravelas, Cascavel, Chapecó, Cianorte, Concórdia, Criciúma, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Diamantina, Erechim, Feira de Santana, Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Foz do Iguaçu, Garanhuns, Goiânia, Ilhéus, Itabuna, Jacobina, Januária, Jequié, Joaçaba, João Pessoa, Joinville, Juazeiro do Norte, Lages, Lagoa Vermelha, Londrina, Maceió, Manaus, Maringá, Montes Claros, Nanuque, Natal, Navegantes, Pato Branco, Penedo, Petrolina, Poços de Caldas, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Prado, Quixadá, Recife, Ribeirão Preto, Rio de Janeiro, Salinas, Salvador, São José do Rio Preto, São Lourenço, São Luís, São Paulo, Guarulhos, Teresina, Toledo, Uberlândia, Umuarama, Varginha, Videira, Vitória, and Vitória da Conquista .... and international services to Buenos Aires, and Córdoba/Argentina; Vienna/Austria; Santiago de Chile/Chile; Amsterdam/Netherlands; Lisbon/Portugal; London/UK; and Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washington DC/USA.
Mark CRANSTON & Erik INGRAM
Thanks to Erik INGRAM for each of the above featured B727-100 textures .... and thanks also to Harerton DOURADO for his much appreciated research assistance too .... both of which have made this incredibly colorful and historic project possible.
