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Transport in Peru, page 3 - aircraft in 2011 (by Dick Gilbert)

Last updated 28 August 2024

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On public display in Lima city is this retired Peruvian Navy Mi-8T, HT-453, c/n 57368. It was just the first of many more Mi-8s to be seen later.

Peru is a vast country with a wide spectrum of transport interest. I have tried to capture a varied selection of items that we passed on our travels. This page looks at some of the aircraft I saw. I must say that Lima airport was a treasure trove of interesting items, such as I had not seen for many years. I hope you enjoy this selection as much as I did.

LAN Airlines (formerly specifically Chilean, but now operating throughout the continent) was the most common operator at Lima. CC-CPE is an Airbus A319 built in 2004.

At the larger end of LAN's fleet is CC-CWY, a Boeing 767-300 (ER) new in 2007.

You won't find this beastie on airliners.net (at the time of writing)! OB-1803-P is a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III, one of six belonging to Aero Transporte SA (ATSA), a Lima-based charter operator. Built in 1978 but acquired by ATSA in 2005, it had previously been N911VJ.

The classic Boeing 737-200 is becoming a rare sight these days. These two, OB-1841-P and OB-1954-P, belonged to Peruvian Airlines which started operations in 2009 and still flew daily services up into the high Andes mountains. OB-1841-P was originally built in 1980 as G-BGYK for Britannia Airways, becoming EI-CJG with Ryanair in 1994, then N58AD when withdrawn by them in 2005. The following year it came to Peru as OB-1841-P for Star Peru, moving to the Peruvian Airlines fleet in 2010, and has since been scrapped.

OB-1954-P is even more widely travelled. New in 1984 to Western Air Lines as N240WA, it was immediately bought by CAAC China, becoming B-2509. Flying for China Southern and later Xiamen Airlines, it moved to Ukraine International Airlines in 1994 as UR-GAC. I flew on it from Gatwick to Kiev in August 1996! It then went to Adam Air in Indonesia (2005), Aerogal in Ecuador (2007) and finally Peruvian Airlines in January 2011.

Five months after these pictures were taken, Peruvian Airlines was grounded by the government as a result of safety concerns, particularly regarding a couple of high altitude engine failures, including one at Cuzco. There were rumours that it was a political move, prompted by competitor LAN who have a lot of influence, and replaced Peruvian on the service to Cuzco (we flew with LAN). Peruvian was allowed to recommence some services shortly afterwards - but not to Cuzco, and not using B737-200s, only -300s. So these old classics were grounded for good.

I was surprised to find a British Aerospace 146 in Peru, but actually it's a good choice for operating to high or short strips. Star Peru has acquired nine of them since 2008 (-100s, -200s and -300s), for use on a network of 14 destinations radiating from Lima.

This is OB-1923-P, a 146-300 new in 1991, and which seats 112 passengers. Delivered to Thai Airways as HS-TBK, it returned to the U. K. in 1998 as G-JEBB with Jersey European Airways, and then Flybe in 2001. Star Peru acquired it in 2009.

The BAe 146s have replaced the geriatric Antonov An-24RV OB-1769 (left) in the Star Peru fleet. This aircraft - named Leonid - was built in 1975 and had previously been ER-AWX.

OB-1650-P on the right worked for Aero Condor Express, and was new to Tarom, Romania in 1973 as YR-AMH. It's been in Peru for at least a decade. I guess these two old girls operate cargo flights at night.

This 1985 Antonov An-26B-100 is another member of the ATSA charter fleet (see the Piper Cheyenne above). OB-1778-P has been rebuilt since it suffered a take-off accident at Lima in 2005. After lift-off and undercarriage retraction, the aircraft sank back onto the runway and skidded for 200 metres until coming to a halt. An overweight take-off and an incorrect flap setting was established as the cause.

Here is another An-26B. OB-1859-P is one of two currently flying for Amazon Sky. Both still wear the livery of Baltika, Ukraine, from whom they were imported in 2007.

This is Peruvian Army EP-835, an Antonov An-32B. It's a bit of a surprise to see this aircraft, as it suffered a serious accident at Cajamarca, Peru in 2001 and was declared damaged beyond repair. It was still at Cajamarca as late as 2008, but has now miraculously returned to the air (well, at least it has returned to Lima).

This Antonov An-32B EP-831 has a less chequered history with the Peruvian Army. Alongside is a Piper Cheyenne II (EP-821), a Beechcraft 1900D in the background, and the tail of Beech 200 King Air (EP-825) is visible on the left.

Peruvian Army PZL Mielec An-28 EP-827 is another aircraft with an interesting background. This 1988 machine was declared by the Antonov Design Bureau to be unairworthy in 2007, but has now emerged as another miraculous recovery. The primary trainer just poking its nose out behind the front of EP-827 (and another one visible between the two An-28s) is an incredibly rare Ilyushin IL-103.

The two mighty Peruvian Army Mi-26T helicopters in the background appear to be in store. The one on the right is EP-705, but the one on the left had no visible markings. Several Peruvian Mi-26s went to East Timor in 2008 to assist the United Nations efforts there. They were painted white for this duty, and I assume that the two in this picture have not been reactivated since being shipped back to Peru after that.

Close-up of the Peruvian Army Mil Mi-8MT EP-660 seen in the foreground of the previous picture.

This is a Peruvian Air Force Mi-8, and it looks like a VIP version to me. I can't read the tail number.

This is the Peruvian Air Force, celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2011 with a special livery. Number 325 is an Antonov An-32B.

Also seen in the special 50th Anniversary livery are these two Peruvian Air Force Boeing 737s. FAP 352 on the left is a B737-282, new to TAP Air Portugal in 1983 as CS-TEL, joining the Peruvian Air Force in 1999. FAP 356 on the right is the Force's only a B737-500, a VIP version bought new by the Air Force in 1995.

PP-BEX is a DC-8-73F from Beta Cargo of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Built as a DC-8-63 freighter in 1969 as N796FT for Flying Tiger Line, it was converted to a -73 model in 1984 and flew for Emery Worldwide thereafter. Beta Cargo bought it in 2004, but it looks very ragged now, and its flying days may be over.

Cielos del Peru is a cargo airline formed in 1997, with a fleet based on the DC-10. N900AR is a DC-10-30, originally with Ariana Afghan Airlines in 1979 as YA-LAS. It then joined British Caledonian as G-MULL in 1985, passing to British Airways in 1988. Converted to a freighter it went to USA as N47888 with Centurion Air Cargo in 2002 and came to Cielos in 2010.

DC-10-30 OB-1749 is a bit older, having started in 1973 as PH-MBG with Martinair, Holland. Its later career took it to Malaysia, Russia and Mexico (among other places), arriving in Peru with Cielos in 2000. It looks retired to me.

LAN Airlines Airbus A319 CC-CPQ took us from the coast at Lima up to Cuzco, 10,000 feet high in the spectacular Andes mountains. The approach to Cuzco, seen here, is exciting. You take a turn down this valley, a swivel down that valley, a jink to the left and a swerve to the right; meanwhile the earth's surface below seems a long way down, and you feel that the undercarriage and full-flap have been deployed very early. But then the terrain suddenly comes up to meet you and - wallop - you've arrived in Cuzco.

One of the first things we saw on the ramp at Cuzco was yet another Mil Mi-8. This is an MTV-1 bought new by the Peruvian National Police as PNP-501 in 1996.

Here is another of the Star Peru BAe-146 fleet. OB-1885-P was new in 1987 to Westair (United Express) as N292UE, joining Air Wisconsin in 1998. It came to Peru with Aerocondor in 2008 and was transferred immediately to the Star Peru fleet. Update: It went to Skyjet Airlines, Philippines in 2016 as RP-C3855.

Andes Services Aereos operate one Twin Otter 300 and a mixed fleet of helicopters. OB-1864-P, seen here in Cuzco, was built in 1970 as 9V-BCK for Saber Air, Singapore. It's subsequent career took it all over the world, especially the Caribbean, and it wound up with Andes in 2007. The ubiquitous Chinese tourist looks on.

OB-1949-P is an Aerospatiale 350B3 Ecureuil (Squirrel to you and me!), also from the Andes fleet. I think they bought it new.

How about this for a baggage carousel? The reclaim area at Juliaca is intended to entertain new arrivals with some local history while they wait to see if their bags arrived on the same flight as they did. As you can see, passengers are far more concerned about when some suitcases might turn up.

We flew from Cuzco to Juliaca (nearest airport to Puno, Lake Titicaca) because the train was cancelled due to a landslide. There were no other aircraft there, other than our LAN Airbus A319, and it was the same story at Arequipa on the ulti-stop service back to Lima, after our short stay at this high-altitude (13,000 feet) area.

This is Miami airport Concourse E. Why the hell is an Irish Luton Minor hanging from the ceiling? Apparently built in 1936 it seems to have arrived in USA (as N924GB) in the 1980s.

Here is Cielos del Peru again - so now I know where they fly to! Being towed around Miami is DC-10-30 N305FE, which has only ever had two owners and one tail number. New in 1984 to Federal Express, it was bought by Cielos in 2003.

Seen out of the window of our British Airways B747 on the last leg of our journey home to London, are probably the last working Convair 580s I will ever see. These three unidentified examples - although I believe the centre one is N171FL - belong to IFL Group (sometimes trading as Contract Air Cargo), who have about ten of them based in Waterford, Michigan. They normally carry cargo for the automotive industry - Ford, General Motors etc.

On the right is a Short 360 of Kissimmee-based Skyway Enterprises on contract to Federal Express, and a FedEx Feeder (Mountain Air Cargo) ATR-72.

A closer view of those fabulous 1950s Convairs reveals what looks like a Merlin in the background on the left, and a Fedex Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster in the centre.

As we climbed out of Miami, it afforded a view of mixed American Airlines aircraft. Having flown on an American Airlines Boeing 757 on the leg from Lima to Miami, and without meaning to be unkind, I can say that the British Airways hospitality, comfort, food and timekeeping on the Miami - London sector got our vote.

Goodbye Miami, and our wonderful journey to the Americas has finally drawn to a close.

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