RUTACA Airlines
RUTACA Airlines (legally Rutas Aéreas C.A.) is an airline headquartered in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela with its home base at Tomás de Heres Airport and a hub at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas.[1]
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Founded | February 6, 1974 | ||||||
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Hubs | Simón Bolívar International Airport | ||||||
Fleet size | 8 | ||||||
Destinations | 13 | ||||||
Headquarters | Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela | ||||||
Founder | Evard Mares Bianchi | ||||||
Website | www |
History
RUTACA Airlines was founded by Evard Mares Bianchi on February 6, 1974, and began operating non-scheduled cargo and passenger flights with small aircraft.[2] It currently operates scheduled and charter services throughout the country.
The airline's operations suffered gravely during the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis, including suspending flights between key routes.
Destinations
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As of October 2023, RUTACA Airlines serves the following destinations:[3]
Fleet
Current fleet
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The RUTACA Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (as of March 2023):[13]
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Boeing 737-200 | 1 | — | 120 | |
Boeing 737-300 | 3 | — | 148 | |
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 2 | — | 166 | One operated by Venezolana |
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | 2 | — | 166 | |
Total | 8 | — |
Former fleet
RUTACA Airlines formerly operated the following aircraft:[2]
Accidents and incidents
- On June 5, 1987, a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (registration YV-230C) was disarmed in flight over the area of Upata, Bolívar state. All 10 occupants on board died.
- On January 25, 2001, RUTACA Airlines Flight 225, a Douglas DC-3 (registered YV-244C) crashed shortly after taking off from Ciudad Bolívar, killing all 20 passengers and four crew members.[14]
- On October 16, 2008, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV162T) landed on runway 28R at Simón Bolívar International Airport following a domestic flight from Puerto Ordaz. After touchdown, the airplane swerved to the left. The nose came to rest on the runway embankment.[15]
- On February 15, 2009, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (registered YV1950) overran the runway at Guasdualito Airport following a domestic flight from Las Flecheras Airport. The airplane sustained damage to the propeller and underside of the fuselage.[16]
- On July 27, 2010, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV169T) made an emergency landing at Ciudad Guayana international airport following a domestic flight from Ciudad Bolivar after problems in engine number one.
See also
References
- "Rutaca Airlines information". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- "Rutaca Airlines". Rzjets.net.
- "Rutaca - Destinos".
- "Puerto la Cruz y San Cristóbal: Nuevos destinos de Rutaca en Barquisimeto". Noticiasbarquisimeto.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- "Rutaca Airlines inaugurates a new route between Maracaibo and Santo Domingo". Aviacionaldia.com. 11 July 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
- "Rutaca Airlines: nueva aerolínea que opera en Panamá". Ecotvpanama.com (in Spanish). Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- Grevic Alvarado. "Over 100 Trinidad and Tobago tourists head to Margarita". Newsday.co.tt.
- "Venezuela: Rutaca resumes flights to Barcelona". Aviacionline.com. 25 August 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- "Rutaca incorpora a Ciudad Bolívar entre sus destinos nacionales". Versionfinal.com.ve. 8 April 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- "Rutaca Airlines abrirá vuelo entre Maracaibo, Venezuela y Punta Cana". Arecoa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 28, 2021.
- "Flights to Venezuela: Rutaca Airlines schedules flights between Caracas and Maturín". Aviacionline.com. 23 April 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- Daniel Martínez Curiel. "Rutaca Airlines inicia vuelos entre Caracas y Santo Domingo del Táchira". Torreeldorado.co (in Spanish). Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- "Rutaca Airlines Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- Aviation Safety Net accessed 15 August 2009
- Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2H4 YV162T Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Grand Caravan YV1950 Guasdualito-Vare Maria Airport (GDO)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.