Hoy se cumplen 53 años del terrible accidente del vuelo 742 de Viasa operado por Avensa, que ocurrió cuando el DC-9-32 YV-C-AVD despegaba desde el antiguo aeropuerto Grano de Oro en la ciudad de Maracaibo, el domingo 16 de marzo de 1969 a horas del medio día. Sinopsis El vuelo 742 cubría la ruta Maiquetía-Maracaibo-Miami. Era un vuelo de Viasa operado por Avensa, es decir, Viasa se encargaba de la promoción y venta de boletos mientras que Avensa se encargaba de la operación. El avión estaba registrado a nombre de Avensa, pero estaba pintado con la librea de Viasa. Los pilotos eran empleados de Avensa, sin embargo, las azafatas y los sobrecargos eran empelados de Viasa. Avensa estaba a cargo del despacho del vuelo. Durante el despegue en el aeropuerto de Grano de Oro de Maracaibo, al avión le costó ascender y debido a esto su ala izquierda chocó contra varios obstáculos, entre ellos un poste eléctrico en la avenida Ziruma, justo al otro lado de la cerca del aeropuerto. Se dice que el motor izquierdo también sufrió un incendio cuando el avión aun se encontraba en el aire, probablemente al ingerir combustible derramado del tanque izquierdo. Sin el ala izquierda era imposible que el avión volase. Toda la sustentación que le daba el ala derecha, aun en buen estado, hizo que el avión virara bruscamente hacia la izquierda hasta quedar invertido y estrellarse en la urbanización La Trinidad. En total 155 personas murieron, 84 a bordo del avión (incluyendo 10 tripulantes) y 71 en tierra. Para la fecha, fue el peor accidente aéreo por número de víctimas. Hoy lleva el puesto número 74 en la infame lista. ¿Qué pasó? La causa directa del accidente fue que el avión estaba muy pesado para las condiciones atmosféricas, particularmente la temperatura. Sin embargo, el reporte oficial de la investigación, si es que existe, no está disponible al público. Así, que solo se puede especular sobre la cadena de factores que desembocaron en este suceso. La página aviation-safety.net menciona que los sensores de temperatura del aeropuerto estaban erróneamente indicando un valor más bajo que el real, que quizás sí le hubiese permitido al avión despegar con el peso que a la final fue cargado. Por su parte el Comandante Luis Emiro Cañas relata en su autobiografía Guiado por la Providencia que él actuó como representante de Viasa ante el congreso cuando ocurrió este accidente. En su exposición explicó que el peso máximo para la temperatura de 38 grados que hacía en Maracaibo al momento del despegue era de 72.000 libras, pero que con el visto bueno de la tripulación el avión fue cargado con 90.000 libras. Según el relato del Comandante Cañas, la temperatura correcta, 38 grados, sí era conocida. Sin embargo, parece que hubo un exceso de confianza que resultó en negligencia por parte de la tripulación de mando. Pero es probable que el trasfondo de la situación nunca se sepa. Grano de Oro Estaba Acorralado Otro factor, fue que la ciudad crecía alrededor de Grano de Oro mientras que las pistas de este se expandían literalmente hasta la cerca para poder acomodar las necesidades de la nueva generación de aviones a reacción que cada vez eran más grandes y pesados, y necesitaban pistas más largas. La pista 04 izquierda (04L), no contaba con la zona libre de obstáculos reglamentaria que se extiende más allá desde donde se termina el pavimento, precisamente para permitir un ascenso seguro cuando el desempeño de una aeronave es marginal. Las limitaciones de Grano de Oro eran bien sabidas, y el nuevo aeropuerto de Caujarito (hoy conocido como Aeropuerto Internacional La Chinita), mucho más amplio y apto para la era de los aviones a reacción, ya estaba en construcción a 16 kilómetros al suroeste de Grano de Oro. Luego del accidente, la construcción de Caujarito fue acelerada, y este abrió meses después. La galería de abajo muestra tres etapas del aeropuerto de Grano de Oro. (1) La primera imagen es un plano de fecha desconocida, pero de antes de 1960, y muestra las pistas 04/22 (se convirtiría en la 04R/22L con la aparicion de la pista paralela), 30/12 y 35/17. (2) La segunda imagen es un diagrama de taxeo de 1960 que ya muestra a la mas larga 04L/22R, y muestra a la 30/12 cerrada. (3) La tercera imagen es un diagrama de taxeo de 1962 y muestra todas las pistas clausuradas excepto la 04L/22R. Anécdotas Personales Yo estaría naciendo en Maracaibo unos 18 años luego de este accidente, y crecí viendo las viejas instalaciones de Grano de Oro desde la ventana de la sala de un octavo piso. Los fines de semana mi papá me solía llevar a ver los espectáculos de aeromodelismo a control remoto del GOCA (Grano de Oro Club de Aeromodelismo), quienes se encargaron de mantener los cielos de Grano de Oro congestionados por varias décadas luego de su cierre como aeropuerto comercial. Para los interesados, acá hay un artículo sobre el GOCA. Muchos años después aprendí a conducir por las pistas y calles de rodaje abandonadas de Grano de Oro, al igual que todos los maracuchos que sabemos manejar. Luego de haber aprendido a manejar, cuando aun vivía en Maracaibo, seguía frecuentando los terrenos del antiguo aeropuerto explorando la señalación aeronáutica que aun quedaba desde hacía casi cuarenta años. Las imágenes de abajo son capturas de pantalla de Google Earth. La primera imagen muestra una vista general de como lucía Grano de Oro en el 2001. La segunda imagen muestra las marcas de las pistas que en ese entonces aun quedaban. Tambien se ve como la cabecera de la pista 22R (que es el final de la pista 04L, que fue la que utilizó el vuelo 742) está ajustada a la cerca que separaba al aeropuerto de la avenida Ziruma y la urbanización La Trinidad, donde cayó el avión. Por su parte mis padres, al igual que el resto de los habitantes de Maracaibo para el momento en el que ocurrió el accidente, tienen sus historias particulares sobre la tragedia. Mi padre cuenta que pasó manejando con un amigo por la avenida Ziruma, justo en frente al sitio donde el avión caería en un corto rato, y vieron la cola anaranjada del avión que se encontraba estacionado frente al terminal. Pocos minutos después, desde una fuente de soda, escucharon una lejana explosión y vieron una torre de humo en la distancia. Los rumores de un avión pequeño que había tenido un accidente empezaron a circular por la ciudad, así que mi papá y su amigo decidieron ir a explorar. Cuando llegaron al sitio se encontraron con que no era ningún avión pequeño el que se había accidentado, sino el vuelo de Viasa a Miami. Les recuerdo que esta era para entonces la peor catástrofe aérea de la historia; me cuentan que lo que se vivía era un caos absoluto. El Avión El avión era un McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 con la matrícula YV-C-AVD. Había hecho su primer vuelo el 6 de enero de 1969 (solo tres meses antes del accidente), y había sido entregado a Avensa, aunque ya venía con los colores de Viasa de la fábrica, el 27 de febrero de 1969, solo 18 días antes del accidente. El avión estaba literalmente nuevecito. Y por último lo que vincula a esta historia con este sitio: Un Modelo a Escala del YV-C-AVD Ya que al fin y al cabo este sitio web se trata de explorar la historia de la aviación venezolana a través de los modelos a escala, acá tenemos fotos de una réplica a escala 1:400 del YV-C-AVD. El modelo fue lanzado por la marca Aeroclassics en marzo del 2020 y ya este fue muy bien reseñado por Richard Stretton en su artículo titulado Maracaibo Mayhem en modelairliner.com, así que no hay mucho más que decir, salvo un error garrafal que me parece que merece volver a ser mencionado. El modelo erróneamente trae toda la panza cromada, incluyendo el área de la proa, cuando en realidad esta última estaba envuelta en una extensión del mismo color blanco con el que contaba la parte de arriba del fuselaje, y la punta de la nariz era negra. En defensa de Aeroclassics, no es fácil crear réplicas de aviones de los cuales no hay muchas fotos disponibles. En el caso de YV-C-AVD, solo existen dos fotos conocidas, y ambas son de cuando el avión aun se encontraba en la fábrica ya que el aparato solo duró 18 días en servicio antes de quedar brutalmente destrozado. Personalmente, al principio yo no estaba al tanto del error del modelo porque la única imagen que tenía para entonces como referencia era la foto de la colección de Werner Fischdick disponible en aviation-safety.net y que muy amablemente me permitió compartir con ustedes en este artículo (verla arriba en la sección "El Avión"), y esta no muestra claramente la proa del avión. Y aunque viendo la imagen detenidamente sí se puede ver la envoltura blanca alrededor de la nariz, inicialmente parece un reflejo del sol en el metal. No fue sino hasta que adquirí una copia de la revista Airways de marzo/abril del 2021 cuando pude ver la otra foto conocida de este avión tomada por Terry Waddington y publicada en el artículo de Roberto Leiro “Viasa, Venezuela’s Clockwork Orange,” que me percaté del error del modelo. Sin embargo, no culpo a Aeroclassics, ya que como dije, no es fácil crear estas replicas y ni yo mismo me percaté inicialmente del error. Al contrario, agradezco a Aeroclassics su dedicación a producir estás cautivadoras réplicas de aeronaves clásicas que nos ayudan a preservar la historia. En memoria de los fallecidos en la tragedia del Vuelo 742 de Viasa en Maracaibo el 3 de marzo de 1969. Jorge A. Zajia Fuentes: Aquel RC, Grano de Oro Club de Aeromodelismo Aviation-Safety.net Viasa 742 Cañas, L.E. (2020) Guiado por La Providencia (p.313) Rzjets.net Historial del YV-C-AVD Stretton, R. (2020) Maracaibo Mayhem: VIASA Douglas DC-9-32 YV-C-AVD by Aeroclassics Model Airliner. Link. Wikipedia: Accidentes aéreos por número de víctimas mortales (accedido mar, 15, 2022)

Today is the 53rd anniversary of the terrible crash of Viasa’s flight 742, operated by Avensa, which happened as a brand new DC-9-32 registered as YV-C-AVD was attempting to take off at Maracaibo’s old airport, Grano de Oro, on Sunday, March 16, 1969, around noon. Overview Flight 742 was a scheduled service between Maiquetía airport near Caracas and Miami with a stop at Maracaibo. Although the flight was being operated by Avensa, the cabin crew was composed of Viasa employees. During takeoff from Grano de Oro airport in Maracaibo, the aircraft struggled to climb and as a result, the left wing hit several obstacles, including a power-line post, just on the other side of the airport fence. There are eyewitness reports of a fire on the left engine just before the aircraft crashed, likely as a result of fuel ingestion from the ripped fuel tank on the left wing. The aircraft quickly rolled to the left and crashed violently on top of the densely populated La Trinidad neighborhood. In total 155 people lost their lives, 84 onboard the aircraft (including 10 crew members) and another 71 on the ground. At the time, it was the worst aviation accident in terms of the number of fatalities. Today it is number 74 on the infamous list. What Happened? The accepted cause of the crash is that the aircraft was too heavy for the atmospheric conditions, namely it was too hot and the runway too short for the aircraft to take off with its planned load. But the official report, if it exists, is not available to the public, so the chain of events that resulted in the accident is largely left to speculation. The website aviation-safety.net states that aerodrome temperature sensors gave an erroneous reading, presumably colder than actual, which resulted in the erroneously optimistic load planning of the flight. On the other hand, Viasa Captain Luis E. Cañas in his autobiography states that he was appointed by the airline to give a presentation to the congress about the accident. In his presentation, he stated that with the known temperature of 38 degrees Celsius the max takeoff weight was 72,000 pounds, but that the crew agreed to take on 90,000 pounds. So according to Captain Cañas, the actual temperature was known, but there seems to have been overconfidence on the part of the crew that led to a negligent act. The truth probably will never be known. Grano de Oro was Boxed In Another factor was the fact that the city had grown around the airport, while its runways had expanded all the way to the fence, literally, to accommodate the rapidly growing performance needs of jet aircraft. Runway 04L, which was the runway used by flight 742, did not have the required clear way beyond the runway end mandated precisely so that aircraft with marginal performance could still safely climb. While flight 742 was outside legal performance parameters, a slightly wider safety margin in terms of airport design could have made the difference. Grano de Oro limitations were well known and the new Caujarito airport (today known as La Chinita International, MAR), much more apt for jet operations, was close to being finished 16km (9.9 miles) southwest of Grano de Oro. As a result of the crash, the construction of the new airport was accelerated and it was opened months later. The gallery below shows three stages of Grano de Oro. (1) The first image is an early undated map, and it shows runways 04/22 (would become 04R/22L), 30/12, and 35/17. (2) The second image is a taxi diagram from 1960 that already shows the longer 04L/22R. 30/12 had been closed by then. (3) The third image is a taxi diagram from 1962 and shows all runways decommissioned except for 04L/22R. Personal Anecdotes I would be born in Maracaibo some 18 years after the crash of flight 742 and grew up overlooking Grano de Oro’s former facilities from the living room window of an 8th-floor apartment. On the weekends my father used to take me to watch the displays of remote-controlled airplanes by the GOCA (Grano de Oro Club de Aeromodelismo, or in English: Grano de Oro RC Club), which kept the skies over the old airport crowded for decades after its closure. For those who are interested, here is an article about the GOCA (in Spanish, but with several pictures). Years later I learned how to drive on Grano de Oro’s old runways and taxiways, as everyone else who has learned to drive in Maracaibo has done ever since the airport closed. After I had learned how to drive, while I was still living in Maracaibo, I would frequently return to the old airport and explore it to find the runway markings that were still present after almost 40 years. The images below are Google Earth screenshots. The first image shows a general view of how Grano de Oro looked in 2001. The second image shows the surviving runway markings of runway 22R (the end of runway 04L, used by flight 742). It can be seen how the runway extended all the way to the fence that separated the airport from Ziruma avenue and the La Trinidad neighborhood, where the aircraft crashed. My parents, like everyone else who was in Maracaibo at the time of the crash, have their own personal stories about that 1969 Sunday. My dad’s story is particularly interesting. He tells me that shortly before noon he and a friend drove by the airport on Ziruma avenue, which is the road that separated it from the La Trinidad neighborhood. They literally passed by the same location where the aircraft was going to crash within the next hour, and they saw the orange tail of the airplane parked in front of the terminal. Some 20 minutes later, while at a snack bar, they heard a distant explosion, and looking in the direction of the airport they could see smoke rising. The rumors that a small aircraft had crashed quickly spread throughout the city, so he and his friend decided to go back to the airport surroundings to explore. When they arrived, they quickly learned that it was not a small plane that had crashed, but the Viasa flight to Miami. Remember that this was the deadliest aviation crash at the time; I am told that everything was complete chaos. The Aircraft YV-C-AVD was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32. It had flown for the first time only three months before the crash on January 6, 1969. It was delivered to Avensa, although it came with Viasa colors from the factory, on February 27, 1969, only 18 days before the crash. Finally what links this particular story to this site: A Scale Model of YV-C-AVD Since after all this site is about exploring Venezuelan aviation history through the world of scale models, here is a 1:400 replica of YV-C-AVD. The model was released by Aeroclassics in March of 2020 and it was beautifully reviewed by Richard Stretton in his article Maracaibo Mayhem published on modelairliner.com, so there is not much more to say about the model, with the exception of a particular error that I think is worth pointing out again. The entire bottom half of the model, including the nose area, is bare metal. But in reality, the nose was wrapped around by a white band that came down from the top half of the fuselage, and it also had the characteristic black radome of those days. In defense of Aeroclassics, it is not easy to accurately replicate aircraft of which not very many photos are available. In the case of YV-C-AVD, there are only two known photos, both of which were taken at the factory since the aircraft was brutally destroyed only 18 days after it was delivered. Personally, when the model was released I did not realize the livery had an error because the only image that I had seen of the aircraft until then was the one from Werner Fischdick Collection available on aviation-safety.net, which he kindly gave me permission to share with you on this article, and unfortunately the nose of the airplane cannot be clearly seen on that picture. Now, when you take a closer look, you can see the white band extending downwards and wrapping the underside of the nose, but at first glance this can easily be mistaken with the sun reflecting on the bare metal. It was only when I acquired a copy of the MAR/APR 2021 edition of Airways Magazine that I saw for the first time the other known picture of this aircraft: a nose shot also at the Long Beach factory taken by Terry Waddington and published on Roberto Leiro’s article “Viasa, Venezuela’s Clockwork Orange.” In Terry Waddington’s picture one can clearly see the black radome that the aircraft had. In spite of all this, I do not blame Aeroclassics. On the contrary, I thank Aeroclassics for taking the initiative to produce these replicas of classic airliners that help us preserve aviation history. As I said, for all I could tell, the model looked accurate to me when it was released. In memory of those who lost their lives in the crash of Viasa 742 in Maracaibo on March 16, 1969. Jorge A. Zajia Sources: Aquel RC, Grano de Oro RC Club (Spanish) Aviation-Safety.net Viasa 742 Cañas, L.E. (2020) Guiado por La Providencia (p.313) Rzjets.net YV-C-AVD Reg. History Stretton, R. (2020) Maracaibo Mayhem: VIASA Douglas DC-9-32 YV-C-AVD by Aeroclassics Model Airliner. Wikipedia: List of Aircraft Accidents by the Total Number of Fatalities (accessed Mar 15, 2022)

My latest acquisition has arrived and sits on its display shelf. The model in question is an American Airlines 767-200 by Dragon Wings. When I started collecting, I didn’t think I was going to be building fleets of airlines other than Viasa. But as the collection follows its natural course, some fleets of other airlines are starting to appear. AA not only was the most prominent international airline in Venezuela for many years, but it also was one of the airlines in which I traveled the most as a kid in the 1990s and 2000s. No wonder a noticeable concentration of silver birds has formed in my modest collection. Since the downfall of Pan Am up until the sanctions of 2019 AA’s 727-200s, 757s, A300s, 767s, and 737-800s were staples of CCS’s traffic. You had to be lucky to find the international terminal without at least one silver bird parked somewhere. During its peak AA was offering five daily flights to MIA as well as single daily services to JFK, SJU and DFW. From the mid to late nineties AA also offered a daily flight between Miami and Maracaibo. Service started around 1995/96 on 727-200s, but it only lasted about a year initially. Service was restored around 1998 with 737-800s and was eventually upgraded to 757s in early 2006. Eventually, Maracaibo was downgraded again to a mix of 737-800 and A319s, and the frequency significantly reduced shortly before the sanctions of 2019. The first time I visited the U.S. was on board an AA 727-200 in 1994. On a flight that took us from Caracas to Miami, where we boarded a second AA 727-200 to continue our journey to Houston. A300s and 767s were generally seen covering JFK. 727s were the workhorses between MIA and CCS, eventually replaced by 737-800s. 757s covered every single AA route out of CCS. My AA fleet: The 747-100 is completely outside of my collecting criteria, but it is one of those models that can fit in any collection. The great American jumbo wearing the livery of an airline proud to bear the name. The MD-11 is also one of the outsiders of my collection, but I got it on a visit to the C.R. Smith Museum in DFW, so it passes as a souvenir. I did get to see them at MIA, so it also brings some memories back. While the MD-80s never visited Venezuela, I flew on them a few times between Miami and Houston, and I always found these “advanced DC-9s” to be very cool. Because you can’t have too many 727-200s… Another very small criterion of my collection, besides the visitors of Venezuela, includes the domestic traffic of the Houston skies of the nineties, this is really where the AA MD-80s fit in my collection. So, I am thinking that some American Eagle ATRs and ERJs would nicely fill in some of the empty spaces on those shelves, if I can find them of course… While snapping these pics I also realized that maybe is time to look for a wingletted 757. Up until recently winglets were a bit too modern for my collection, but as priorities get fulfilled new models can be considered. Unfortunately, this means a new loop of the never-ending cycle of chasing sold-out models that I did not get when released because they did not attract me at the time. Oh well, it would be too boring otherwise. Jorge A. Zajia

Contemplo la colección de modelos a escala. Para nosotros los apasionados por la aviación estas pequeñas figuras de metal fundido con forma de avión representan algo místico. Un rincón en las repisas que albergan la colección llama la atención por su brillo, pues allí se encuentra concentrado un grupo de aviones plateados, sus colas adornadas con dos letras “A”, una roja y otra azul, la invocadora silueta de un águila entre ellas. No es intencional, pero tampoco coincidencia que este grupo de aviones plateados resalte tanto entre el resto de la colección. Cuando uno se deja guiar por los instintos cosas reveladoras suceden. Esta historia empieza en 1987, no porque sea el año en que nací, sino porque casualmente también es el año en el que American Airlines empezó a volar a Sur América, a Caracas precisamente. Este fue uno de los pasos que el gigante americano dio para convertirse en la aerolínea más grande del mundo y en una autentica leyenda de la aviación americana. Con el legendario Bob Crandall al mando, American devoró el mercado latinoamericano con una fuerza vertiginosa. Fue United Airlines la compañía que heredó las rutas suramericanas de Pan Am, que hasta entonces había sido la aerolínea estadounidense con más presencia en la región, mientras que American por su parte se quedaría con las de Eastern, quien tenía menor presencia en Latinoamérica. Pero años atrás American ya se había asomado en la región al adquirir las rutas caribeñas de Trans Caribbean Airways. Incluso, el primer destino con el que American conectó a Venezuela - y a su vez a Sur América - fue San Juan, Puerto Rico. A parte de esto, también ayudó que el colapso de Eantern vino más o menos un año antes que el de Pan Am. Este par de hechos ventajosos le cayeron como aniño al dedo a Crandall y los planes ambiciosos que tenía para American. American contaba con solo 18 vuelos al día y alrededor de 200 empleados en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami en 1989. Para octubre del 2008 American contaba con 9000 empleados en Miami, y servía 41 destinos en Latinoamérica, incluyendo Caracas y Maracaibo. De forma directa o indirecta, American Airlines ha tocado la vida de muchos venezolanos de forma positiva. En el auge de sus operaciones en Venezuela, la compañía llegó a operar cinco frecuencias diarias entre Caracas y Miami, así como frecuencias diarias a Nueva York (JFK), Dallas y San Juan. Casi que siempre había al menos uno de estos pájaros plateados posado en el terminal internacional de Maiquetía sin importar la hora. A esto se le sumaba un vuelo diario entre Miami y Maracaibo. Con su presencia en el país American dio trabajo a muchos venezolanos por muchos años, así como el privilegio de poder contribuir a la conectividad global, y muchas oportunidades de desarrollo profesional. De igual manera, fue abordo de los aviones de American, más que de cualquier otra aerolínea en décadas recientes, que llegaron cantidades de familiares cargados con aquel montón de cosas materiales que tanto nos gustan a los humanos. Cosas que terminaban llegando a varios rincones de Venezuela, permitiendo a muchos poder disfrutar así sea de un pedacito de todas esas cosas buenas del país del norte. También fue a bordo de esos aviones que muchos venezolanos de todos los ámbitos pudieron conocer otras latitudes, y aprovechar nuevas oportunidades. Pero para los aficionados a la aviación lo mejor que American nos brindó fue sin duda el placer de poder deleitarnos por varios años con sus aviones cromados paseándose por nuestros aeropuertos. Recuerdo gratamente las mañanas desde la terraza de La Chinita, aire fresco y húmedo, vibrando con la fuerza del calor que se aproximaba para instalarse por buena parte del día. Una tranquilidad en el aire por estar uno alejado del caos marabino y el “águila del norte” posada en el muelle internacional. A la hora precisa, vistiendo el clásico uniforme con charreteras de rayas blancas, y el águila cosido en el sombrero, llegaban los pilotos junto al resto de la tripulación a romper el silencio con el agradable chillido del APU. De la experiencia homologa que se vivía en Maiquetía – con La brisa caribeña de un lado, y el aire frio que caía desde el Ávila del otro – ni hablar. Durante varios años American nos deleitó con sus 767-200, 767-300, A300, 757-200, 737-800 y, porque lo mejor se deja para el final, 727-200. Nueva York generalmente era servido por algún cuerpo ancho, A300 o 767, mientras que los caballos de batalla que iban y venían entre Caracas y Miami eran los 727-200, que eventualmente cedieron el puesto a los 737-800. Sin embargo, Miami tambien fue servido por todos los otros equipos que AA llevó a Venezuela, y de igual manera el 757 sirvió todos los destinos que AA operó desde CCS. Cabe hacer la mención especial de un 777-200 que aterrizó en Maiquetía el 6 de abril del 2012, debido a una emergencia médica abordo, mientras cubría la ruta Nueva York-Buenos Aires. Abajo: galería de fotos de modelos a escala 1:400 de las Aguilas de Plata que recuerdo haber visto en Venezuela en los noventa y a principios de la década del dosmil. Estos modelos son una forma de hacer que los recuerdos se vuelvan tangibles. Fotos Reales de Aviones de American Airlines en Venezuela Maracaibo por su parte vio al 727-200 por un corto periodo entre Julio de 1995 y principios del 1996. Luego de ausentarse por cinco años, American volvió a Maracaibo en el 2001 con 737-800. En abril del 2006 el equipo fue ascendido a nada más y nada menos que 757-200. Recuerdo la primera vez que vi este avión llegar a La Chinita, aun cuando las redes sociales no existían era muy difícil enterarse en tiempo real de este tipo de cambios de equipo, así que esto me agarró por sorpresa. Estaba al este del terminal internacional viendo hacia la rampa y noté que el puente de embarque de la posición internacional número 4 estaba mucho más alto de lo normal, pensé que lo estaban probando. Para mi sorpresa, cuando llega el vuelo no es el habitual 737-800, sino un 757-200. Esto explicaba la pocisión inusual del puente de embarque. Maracaibo había entrado al grupo de los destinos latinos grandes ligas de AA, pensé. Abajo: galería de documentos de referencia sobre las operaciones de American Airlines en Maracaibo. 1) mapa de rutas del itinerario (timetable) del 5 de junio de 1995 mostrando a Maracaibo como nuevo destino a partir del 1ro de julio de 1995. 2) Porción de artículo del periódico Panorama explicando el cese de esa operación inicial de AA en MAR a menos de un año de haberse iniciado. 3) Porción de artículo del periódico Panorama documentando el inicio de operaciones en el equipo 757 en la ruta MIA-MAR en abril del 2006. Especial agradecimiento a Luis Enrique Peraza Villamizar quien se hizo cargo de la noble tarea de guardar esos recortes de periódico - documentando así aspectos poco conocidos de la historia contemporánea de la aviación civil venezolana - y quien muy amablemente me los suministró para ayudarme a documentar las operaciones de American Airlines en nuestra ciudad natal. American operó con el 757-200 a Maracaibo desde Miami diariamente por casi diez años. Justo hoy hace ocho años, el 5 de mayo del 2016, el 757-200 fue finalmente reemplazado por el Airbus A319, un avión considerablemente más pequeño que en aquel entonces era nuevo en la flota de American. Alrededor de la misma época el vuelo dejó de ser diario (Caracas también sufrió drásticas reducciones de destinos y frecuencias en esa época). El A319 eventualmente fue alternado con el 737-800, pero el 757-200 no volvió a Maracaibo. En el 2019 debido a las sanciones políticas todas las operaciones de American Airlines en Venezuela se vieron obligadas a ser suspendidas. Los casi diez años exactos en los que American operó el 757-200 a Maracaibo representan hasta hoy la época más larga en la que una aerolínea haya operado una ruta diaria desde y hacia Maracaibo con un avión tan grande. Volviendo al segundo párrafo de este escrito… “Cuando uno se deja guiar por los instintos cosas reveladoras suceden…” Estos modelos a escala son una forma de rendir homenaje a aquellos enigmáticos aparatos voladores que han influenciado mi vida de forma palpable y especial. Siempre he coleccionado lo que me provoca y sin darme cuenta American ha llegado a ocupar el segundo lugar en mi colección detrás de Viasa. Esto para mí se traduce en una sola cosa: American Airlines representa algo que ha sido muy influyente en mi vida, y estoy seguro que también en la vida de muchos otros venezolanos. Los tiempos han cambiado en muchos aspectos, pero hoy Bob Crandall, para bien o para mal, es considerado uno de los buenos CEOs de aerolíneas estadounidenses, y muchos se refieren a él como una leyenda. Yo por mi parte no puedo discutir con el hecho de que estuvo al mando de un fenomeno que fue verdaderamente trascendental. Jorge A. Zajia Actualización, 9 de Mayo del 2022: Este artículo fue modificado para mencionar el hecho de que la primera ruta que American Airlines cubrió en Venezuela fue SJU-CCS-SJU, antes de establecer su centro de coneecciones en MIA. Modificación hechas luego de recibir obserbvaciones al respecto de parte del entusiasta aeronáutico venezolano Ricardo Haddad, quien es una de las personas con más antiguedad en el ámbito. Fuentes: American Airlines Latin America Fact sheet, September 2008 American Airlines June 5, 1995 Timetable Route Map Diario Panorama, recortes de periódico obtenidos por medio de Luis Enrique Peraza Villamizar University of Houston - Robert Lloyd Crandall Usuario JulioAir, foro Aeroclub Veneuela de Skyscrapercity, tema CARACAS | Aeropuerto Intl Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía | SVMI / CCS | XVIII Edición, respuesta número 8577 Usuarios ve_yukinho y AngeloMiranda, foro Aeroclub Veneuela de Skyscrapercity, tema MARACAIBO | Aeropuerto Intl La Chinita | SVMC / MAR | XI Edición, respuestas número 7257, 7270 y 7272.

From left to right: Magic Model N749WA, Aeroclassics N749WA, Aeroclassics PH-BUG, Phoenix Models PH-BUG With the recent release of KLM/Viasa 747-200 PH-BUG by Phoenix Models, the total number of Viasa 747s in 1:400 scale became four: two versions of N749WA, one by Aeroclassics and another one by Magic; and two versions of PH-BUG, one by Aeroclassics and one by Phoenix. I took the opportunity to compare Phoenix's new release with its Aeroclassics counterpart, which you can see here. Then, I also thought it would be opportune to do the same with N749WA. The Aircraft Line number 237 was delivered to World Airways on June 10, 1974 as a Boeing 747-273C, the C designation stood for "convertible," which meant it could be quickly configured to carry freight or passengers. In the case of the Boeing 747-200, this was done through a nose cargo door, that easily allowed for the passenger seats to be installed or removed. During its time with World Airways it was registered as N749WA. It was never seen wearing the colors of World Airways, but rather the liveries of its numerous lessors as follows: Korean Air: June 1974 - May 1979 Braniff International: April 1979 - June 1981 Viasa: June 1981 - September 1984 (Subleased from Flying Tigers, flew freight for Lufhtansa and American Airlines in late 1983 and in mid-1984 respectively) Flying Tigers: October 1984 - December 1989 (Flying Tigers bought it off the lease in May 1985 making the livery match with its owner of record for the first time) In December 1989 it was bought by Evergreen International and registered as N470EV. Between July 1994 and September 1995 it was leased to Southern Air Transport, and then it went back to Evergreen to become the first 747 firebomber "947." It was retired in February 2012 and stored at MZJ. (Sources: rzjets.net, Airliners.net) It is important to note that during its busy life, it was only seen carrying passengers during its time at Braniff. The Models Both versions appeared in late 2007, the Aeroclassics one was part of their November releases of that year. As expected, the Aeroclassics version is superior to the Magic version. However, both examples have some serious mistakes/omissions. Magic Model on the left and Aeroclassics on the right The Magic mould has a nice shape and it looks good next to the well-known and respected Big Bird mould used by Aeroclassics, though I think it would have looked better without their signature early antennas. It also has more printed details than the Aeroclassics one. I particularly like the opaque metal of the belly, the paint of the wing box fairing, the dark fan blades of the engines, and the different tone of grey of the reversers (Magic has been guilty of producing models with the reversers deployed. In favor of this model, I'd like to think that is not the case here, but rather a touch of realism). Magic pros however, are overshadowed by their poor colors, specially the blue cheatline and Venezuela titles. The font is also notoriously off, and the cheatline too low below the middle of the nose cone. Note how Magic does have an antiglare, while the Aeroclassics is missing it, more on that later. Finally, Magic Models is infamous for poor manufacturing techniques, specially paint application, which has resulted in bubbles. Luckily, the example I own only has some very minor paint irregularities in the wing roots, not any worse than issues found in many of my models from other manufacturers. Looking at the port side, overall both manufacturers did a good job aligning the fuselage elements. The titles match their position in relation to the windows. On the tail however, it can be seen that Magic placed the Viasa titles too high. When looking at the model by it self it is almost impossible to notice this. What is fairly noticeable is that Magic's font is too straight, especially Viasa's "V." The starboard side elements also look properly aligned on both examples, and the font still looks better on the Aeroclassics one. One thing that comes up on this side is a bit of over detailing by Magic. While I like the APU intake and the belly cargo doors, the service doors seem to have too much detail when compared to how the real aircraft looked. The real aircraft. (Copyrights: Richard Vandervord, Steve Williams) Antiglare, Nose Cargo Door, and Other Missconceptions As mentioned earlier, Aeroclassics omitted the antiglare on their version, which is a significant error. Magic did print an antiglare, but it is the wrong shape, too wide and round, whereas N749WA's antiglare was pointy towards the nose. Ironically, when the models are looked at from the side, it becomes less obvious that the Aeroclassics is missing its antiglare, while Magic's wide antiglare makes the model look a bit odd. Another important feature of this aircraft that both manufacturers omitted is the outline of the nose cargo door. At least judging by my two other 1:400 747 factory freighters (excluding the interactive ones), when a nose cargo door is present, it should be printed. Additionally, small Viasa titles that were located under the nose cargo door are also missing on both models. I am tempted to assume that when this model was produced neither manufacturer was fully aware that this aircraft was a freighter for Viasa. It doesn't help that its designation was C instead of F, and that it was actually seen plugged to jetbridges and passenger terminals when it flew for Braniff. Also, Viasa painted the aircraft with their standard livery, and no cargo markings. In fact, this was the only 747 that was fully painted in Viasa colors ever. In his autobiography "Guiado por La Providencia," Captain Luis Emiro Cañas, who was one of only 9 Viasa pilots that got assigned to fly N749WA, offers some details of Viasa cargo operations using this aircraft. Captain Cañas states that the lease agreement was done with Flying Tigers (not World Airways), and also indicates that Viasa flight crews flew other Flying Tigers 747s and routes as part of the agreement between the two companies. So, in a way Viasa acted as a flight crew contractor for Flying Tigers. Magic Models also released N749WA in the Viasa/Flying Tigers hybrid livery that it wore after the Viasa contract was over. The models with Captain Cañas book, which features N749WA on its cover The Box The Aeroclassics version comes in the standard Latinclassics box with the black craddle. The Magic box design is quite nice, and the material is sturdy. The box also includes the standard Magic stand, which is well made, and I use (to display another model). However, Magic used a bunch of well-known photos without giving any sort of credit to the authors, which I think lacks decency and detracts from the otherwise nice design. In Summary These are two nice 1:400 747 replicas of an important aircraft in Viasa's history. Both are strong moulds, but once again, Aeroclassics fine lines and clean finish makes their version the winner, even without the antiglare. I have seen an extensive amount of Viasa aircraft's pictures and I can see where Magic might have gotten the idea to use that light shade of blue. However, it stands out from the rest of my Viasa models, and not in a good way. It is also nice that Magic noticed the antiglare, but it is a shame that they got the wrong shape. Aside from that, this could have been a strong opponent to the Aeroclassics version. As far as the nose cargo door goes, I think it is an important omission on both models. I am hopeful that the numerous errors around the nose section on both of these models are a good reason to see it re-released in some future generation of classic 747s in 1:400. Jorge A. Zajia Part 1, PH-BUG Sources: Airliners.net N470EV Airliners.net N749WA Cañas L.E. (2020) Guiado por La Providencia Rzjets.net N749WA

From left to right: Magic Model N749WA, Aeroclassics N749WA, Aeroclassics PH-BUG, Phoenix Models PH-BUG Recently, Phoenix Models announced the release of KLM's PH-BUG in its split livery with Viasa from the early seventies. This brings the total number of Viasa 747s in 1:400 scale to four, though there are only two registrations represented by these models: PH-BUG and N749WA. Aeroclassics released one of each, while Magic released N749WA, and Phoenix PH-BUG. Phoenix's release of PH-BUG was interesting as Viasa, and especially their split-livery aircraft, generally is Aeroclassics material. Although, it would not be the first time Phoenix impresses us, by showing some love to the fairly overlooked South American nation, as they are responsible for a beautiful Aeropostal 727-200 released in 2004. Additionally, with so many 747 classics that are long sold out, I find it an odd surprise that PH-BUG in KLM/Viasa colors was chosen by Phoenix. With the new PH-BUG recently unboxed, I thought it would be a good opportunity to go back and review Viasa 747s in 1:400 scale. PH-BUG, Orinoco Delivered on December 15, 1971, PH-BUG was the last of the initial batch of seven 747-206Bs that KLM received. These aircraft all were christened with names of rivers, and KLM fittingly gave -BUG the name of Orinoco after Venezuela's largest river. From the very beginning, Viasa requested help and guidance from KLM to become the flag carrier of Venezuela and position itself as a prominent airline in the region. KLM happily took the airline of the promising South American oil superpower under its wings, first developing the DC-8 program, and then putting Viasa at the forefront of the industry with an ambitious 747 program. The jumbo, however, quickly proved to be too big for Viasa, and the DC-10 was finally chosen as the airline's wide-body transoceanic flagship. However, two KLM 747s, PH-BUD " The Nile," and PH-BUG "Orinoco," did operate for Viasa between 1972 and 1974 before the arrival of the DC-10s. -BUD was seen wearing Viasa stickers, while -BUG received full Viasa colors on the starboard half of the fuselage. This made Viasa the first airline in South America to put its livery on a 747 (at least one half of it) and to offer jumbo service. Below is a picture of PH-BUD in Madrid wearing Viasa stickers (posted on Facebook by multiple users, copyright unknown), and a Viasa ad from the seventies showcasing service on PH-BUG. While PH-BUG might have just been one of many 747s in KLM's fleet, when looked at from the Viasa side of the field, it is an icon that holds a paramount place in Venezuela's aviation history. The Models Phoenix Models on the left and Aeroclassics on the right Aeroclassics released its version in November 2007, while Phoenix released theirs in January 2022. The Aeroclassics version has consistently ranked among the rarest 1:400 models, like most of their 747-100/200s. It is too early to tell if the Phoenix version will become as rare. It is the same unique aircraft, but the stigma that surrounds the Phoenix mould might put off a lot of collectors. After looking at these models for a while I am not sure if one is definitely better than the other, to me they look more like two different representations of the same aircraft. The Aeroclassics 747 mould does have finer lines and a better shape, especially around the hump and nose section, and that alone goes a long way. Their model also has a nicer overall finish but is not perfect. Likewise, the Phoenix version has some nice attributes worth mentioning. The nose section of the Phoenix example is probably the worst part of this model, especially on the Viasa side. Overall I don't think the Phoenix 747-200 mould is as ugly as the general consensus says it is, I think it is just different. However, the top of the cockpit (the forehead of the model if you will) is so poorly shaped that it does make the model look odd. Additionally, the titles are notoriously compressed, and thus the font angle is too pronounced. The Aeroclassics font is also not perfect but initially looks better than the Phoenix version. Phoenix's orange might also be on the light side, but I don't think it is bad enough. In this section of the model we can also see what I think is the worst mistake: the name is displayed as "The Orinoco," when in fact it was only "Orinoco." What is more puzzling, as you will see, is that the name is correctly displayed on the KLM side of the aircraft. Aeroclassics' orange looks better and while the font also looks better, I don't think it is quite right either. I would say AC used the standard generic Viasa font, which looks acceptable, while Phoenix tried to match it to how it looks in pictures of this particular aircraft without fully refining their design. Phoenix's Viasa titles are better aligned with the upper deck windows and doors. Aeroclassics got the name of the aircraft right, though Phoenix's mistake is easily fixable. Of course, the Aeroclassics version looks nicer because the shape of their hump and nose section is near perfect. But if you are into antennas Phoenix has that for you. Phoenix with name fixed on the Viasa side. Orinoco. I actually went ahead and removed the word "The" from the name of the Phoenix version while I brewed my second cup of coffee. It was a bit more involved than what I expected. I usually take models as they are, but this one was a fairly easy fix, and I was having a hard time getting over it. Conveniently enough, after fixing the name, the word Orinoco became correctly aligned with the 4th window ahead of the R1 door. On the Aeroclassics version the name is not properly aligned. The real aircraft. Copyright: Gavin Hughes The tail section I think is one of the strong points of the Phoenix model. The angle seems to make less obvious the compression of the font, and this section of their mould does not look as odd as the nose does. The model also enjoys some printing details that the Aeroclassics version doesn't have, such as the APU intake and a more detailed aft section of the wing box fairing. Another interesting thing that can be seen from this angle is the overwing reg. Overwing markings in general do not receive a lot of attention in scale models. In this case, neither manufacturer seems to have gotten it right, but I think Phoenix's is closer to the real thing. See pictures here for reference. Though not accurate, I do like Aeroclassics' blue overwing reg. The real aircraft. Copyright: S.S. Klop On to the KLM side. Phoenix Models on the left and Aeroclassics on the right. I am obviously less critical of this side of the aircraft, but from what I can see, both manufacturers did a good job with the livery. Once again, the Phoenix one has a few extra details typical of modern times, and Aeroclassics's titles alignment in relation to the windows is better than on the Viasa side. One thing I noticed, is that Aeroclassics omitted the flag trio under the cheatline on the aft section. I couldn't find any pictures of PH-BUG from that angle, in that livery, but by looking at other KLM 747s from that time, it looks like the flags should have been there since they were on the nose section of the aircraft. Phoenix did put the flags there, but then again, it is difficult to be certain whether they were there or not. I'd say most likely the flags were there, making the Phoenix model correct in this area. It would not be the first time that ambiguity surrounds a vintage livery of which photos are difficult to find. I think both manufacturers did a fine job on the livery design, printing, and alignment on the nose section. Note that Phoenix did display the name correctly on this side. I did not have to remove the word "The" like I did on the Viasa side, weird. The real aircraft. Copyright: Mick Bajcar Finally a front view. Phoenix painted the fan blades in black, giving them a more realistic look. The dihedral also differs between both models. I think Phoenix's representation is more in line with how the wings hang while the aircraft sits on the ground in real life. Phoenix models on the left, Aeroclassics on the right. One last thing, while not a decisive factor, I do pay attention to the box of the model. I have to say that while LatinClassics boxes have a good-looking design, and the 747s that come inside them are top-notch, I do like a personalized touch. Phoenix's box artwork is nice, Caribbean (?) in the front and Dutch in the back, with some other nice details, but honestly I was expecting something better. In Summary The Aeroclassics version has a well-earned excellent reputation. The hump and nose section are spot on, and on a 747 replica that goes a long way. Its overall artwork design also looks nice, even though it is dated and rather basic. Phoenix offers a promising product that takes advantage of a lot of the modern-day features, such as antennas, a more detailed landing gear, and more printed details. I also applaud them for trying to satisfy the unfulfilled demand for these ultra-popular classic 747s that have been sold out for years. However, it is a shame that their 747-200 nose section looks particularly odd, especially when seen from the side. I also think that a bit more tweaking of the Viasa titles, including more attention to color, would have produced a much nicer model. I personally do not think Phoenix's 747-200 warrants the shower of harsh words that it constantly gets. When I look at it I see a detailed replica of a 747-200 in 1:400 scale, nothing more, nothing less. Unprocessed cellphone snap of the Phoenix version. Of course, I was very subjective when it came to purchasing the Phoenix version of PH-BUG, as I try to get my hands on anything from Venezuela in 1:400 scale, everything else aside. I reckon that it is easy to have that collecting criterion since there are so few Venezuelan models. However, collectors that really would like to have a replica of this unique 747, and can't find or afford the Aeroclassics version, should get the Phoenix version without any reservations. Sometimes the aircraft's sentimental and historical value takes precedence over other factors. This article was updated on February 20, 2021 to remove a statement indicating that the cockpit crew of PH-BUG was KLM's. After reading Captain Luis Emiro Cañas autobiography "Guiado por La Providencia" it became clear that there was a small group of senior Viasa pilots that did become qualified on the 747 by KLM, and operated the CCS-MAD-ORY segments. Part 2, N749WA Jorge A. Zajia