The Brazilian commercial aviation industry is rich and diverse, with data ch-aviation.com listing 500 commercial aircraft as currently active in the country. Among these planes, there is a significant age range, the youngest being less than a year old. However, what is the situation at the other end of the scale?
Three vintage freighters
The three oldest Brazilian-registered commercial aircraft in operation currently fly for a Belo Horizonte-based cargo and charter specialist known as Total Linhas Aéreas. Each is an example of the Boeing 727-200F, the oldest being PR-TTO. This classic trijet is arriving at an impressive pace 46.02 years of age.
The aircraft, which had accumulated 74,152 hours over 43,720 cycles as of February 2022, entered service in August 1976 with Hughes Airwest as its passenger aircraft. After serving several different US carriers in this role, she then became a freighter after a conversion in 1997. She joined Total Linhas Aéreas in August 2007.
Second on the list is PR-TTP, a 44.12 years old example with 65,383 hours accumulated over 38,899 cycles. This aircraft also entered service with Hughes Airwest, but was converted a little earlier (in 2000). To complete the first three, we have the 41.57 years old PR-TTW, whose career began with Eastern Air Lines in November 1980.
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Former military turboprops
The Brazilian military is also home to some of the country’s oldest active commercial aircraft, which have been repurposed for use in the country’s air force. The design in question is the Embraer EMB-120RT “Brasilia”, the oldest of which bears the registration FAB2002. Ranked fourth, he points to 35.32 years old old.
Overall, Força Aérea Brasileira’s EMB-120RTs represent seven of the country’s 15 oldest active aircraft, with the other six falling between 32.83 years old old (FAB2007) and 34.72 years old old (FAB2003). The design suffix “RT” signifies that the model was designed specifically as a military transport aircraft.
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The best of the rest – Boeing 737 freighters
A total of 20 of Brazil’s 500 active planes have exceeded 30 years in the skies. The rest are all Boeing 737s carrying cargo of one form or another, the oldest (and fifth oldest for Brazil as a whole) being the PR-SLI. This Sideral Linhas Aéreas 737-300F is 35 yearsand originally flew for TransBrasil.
In terms of aircraft that have passed the 30-year mark, Sideral Linhas Aéreas also flies another 737-300F, one 737-300SF, one 737-300QC, two 737-400Fs and two 737-400SFs in this category. Elsewhere in Brazil, a cargo carrier headquartered in Jundiaí called Modern Logistics flies the other two planes in the top 20.
The oldest of the pair is PP-YBC, a 34.13 years old Boeing 737-300F which is in ninth place overall. He is accompanied in the top 20 by PP-YBA, 14th, active since 33.25 years oldtotaling 67,669 hours over 25,365 cycles.
Have you ever traveled to Brazil? If so, what is the oldest aircraft on which you have traveled in the country? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
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