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Former Bolivian airline From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TAM – Transporte Aéreo Militar (Military Air Transport) was an airline based in La Paz, Bolivia. It was owned by the Bolivian Air Force, and was established to offer flights to rural communities where commercial airlines could not operate profitably. It also operated in competition with commercial airlines on many of Bolivia's trunk domestic routes.[1] In September 2019, the airline suspended all operations.[2]
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| Founded | 1945 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 23 September 2019[citation needed] | ||||||
| Hubs | El Alto International Airport Teniente Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport El Trompillo Airport | ||||||
| Focus cities | Trinidad Rurrenabaque | ||||||
| Fleet size | 20 | ||||||
| Destinations | 4 Regular Service Charter Routes (by request) | ||||||
| Parent company | Bolivian Air Force | ||||||
| Headquarters | La Paz, Bolivia | ||||||
| Key people | Walter Arze Rojas | ||||||
| Website | www.tam.bo | ||||||
TAM began operations on June 15, 1945, with the acquisition of new Douglas C-47s. In 1955, the squadron of the Bolivian Air Transport decided for TAM to begin commercial operations.
"El Grupo Aéreo "71" (the Air group "71") known by the civil populace as Transporte Aéreo Militar (TAM), is an essential part of the structure of the Bolivian Air Force and the fundamental element for the development and integration of the populations in the distant parts of the national territory."
—TAM website, Historical summary/review.[3]
The original name (from 1944) was "El Escuadrón de Transporte Aéreo" (ETA). In 1953 the name was changed to Transporte Aéreo Militar. This heritage is reflected in the words "Grupo Aéreo 71" appearing as part of the TAM logo.
The airline has stopped their flights since July 2018. On March 27, 2019, the airline gained authorization to begin flying again, but during that period failed to obtain an operating authorization from the ATT;[citation needed] this failure lead to them ceasing all operations again in September, 2019.[2]
Transporte Aéreo Militar serviced the following destinations:[4]
The TAM fleet consists of the following aircraft as of February 2014:[1]
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 727 | 1 | 0 | |
| Boeing 737 | 6 | 0 | |
| British Aerospace 146 | 6 | 0 | |
| CASA C212 | 2 | 0 | |
| Convair CV-580 | 1 | 0 | Stored at La Paz |
| Douglas C-47 | 1 | 0 | Preserved at La Paz |
| Fokker F27 | 1 | 0 | |
| Xian MA60 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 0 |
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