In Peru, a private initiative, called Aerocoop, placed an order for three Fokker F-28 aircraft in 1971. It had been stipulated that these twinjets would fly domestic destinations. But the project did not prosper. Even so, in the second two months of 1972 the company from the Netherlands, confident in its product, arranged a special demonstration at the Lima airport. It was especially destined for the company SATCO/Servicio Aéreo de Transporte Comercial. This company's main mission was to provide links to disadvantaged areas in the interior of the country. Coincidentally, in April 72, the Peruvian authorities were seeking to restructure the SATCO fleet, which at that time was made up of four Douglas DC-6s, seven DC-3s and two Curtiss C-46s. The proposals received from abroad covered aircraft from Fokker: such as the F-27 and F-28, although the Boeing 727 and even the Yak 40 from the Eastern Bloc were also evaluated. The Peruvian State stated that the guarantee for the purchase of the aircraft would be assumed conditional on the best financing of the disbursement. In that sense, Fokker had an advantage, since it provided all means to place its products.
The cell cn. 11059 was reported on the Fokker assembly line in Dec72. On the side of the fuselage could be read "For SATCO". At the same time, it was realized that two other units that completed the order for the Peruvian user, -cn. 11065/6-, were in their initial assembly phase in Woensdrecht.
The aircraft were delivered in the first quarter of 1973. Throughout that same year, the Peruvian government gave way to the creation of an airline, which would be capable of providing air services to the main population centers of the country. -see AeroPerú creation document-.
Peruvian aero-commercial ventures have always had to challenge a far from docile geography. The new airline arose from the need to replace the services of the defunct Aerolíneas Peruanas SA., which until the previous year had served as the flag carrier. In this sense, the Minister of Aeronautics Rolando Gilardi Rodríguez confirmed during the month of Mar73 that AeroPerú was born on the basis of the SATCO company. The latter, at that time, operated 27 destinations within Peruvian territory. The machines received by the new airline corresponded to the Mk.1000 version. The Fellowship, thanks to its short takeoff run and its general performance, was ideal for most of the airports in the interior of Peru.
The first F-28 delivered on time to SATCO was promptly transferred to the new company in a short time. Awaiting delivery of the following copies, scheduled to arrive between May/Jun73. For a time, almost coinciding with the company's first steps, an F-28 was rented, although for a short period. This was the same aircraft that had been leased to SATCO as OB-R-390. This, at the time of being taken over by AeroPerú, adopted the identification OB-R-1030.
The first AeroPerú service took place on 03Oct73 with an F-28, from Lima to Cuzco. From the beginning of the services, the company launched a motivating motto "We work proudly to form a great team and to carry the name of Peru high."
At the begining, the machines sported a scheme inherited from SATCO, to which the titles and an original logo representative of the Inca culture were incorporated.
In Nov74 it was reported that to complement the services of the F-28, an agreement had been reached with the Dutch manufacturer, to supply a pair of Fokker F-27 Mk.600 to be delivered between Apr/May75. These devices would complement the company's activities in air terminals with less traffic or difficult access.
On December 8, 74, on the occasion of the inauguration of a monument in honor of the Battle of Ayacucho, an event was held, for which various dignitaries and authorities from South American countries met in the Peruvian city. The foreign ministers of Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and Cardinal Juan Landázuri Ricketts, were transported aboard an Aeroperú Fokker F-28.
The Fokker F-28 proved to be robust enough to operate from poorly prepared runways. During 1974, the Fellowship flight line provided services to Juliaca, whose runway was not yet paved.
As of Nov74, some of the Fellowships began to display the perhaps most remembered scheme of the Peruvian airline, consisting of a dominant upper part in red flanked by a thick fuchsia line. The ventral area remained gray, outlined by a thin white line. At the same time, the door frames were also demarcated by a blank line. The titles and logos were also expressed in white. This image was quickly adopted by the OB-R-1020 aircraft, and can be defined as an original expression of the schemes of the 70s.
Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 15Nov75.- PL415/416 Lima - Ayacucho. Monday Wednesday and Friday.- PL429/430 Lima - Ayacucho - Cusco. Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday.- PL433/434 Lima - Cusco. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.- PL463/464 Lima - Cuzco - Puerto Maldonado. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Saturday.- PL471/472 Lima - Arequipa - Juliaca. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Saturday.- PL491/492 Lima - Tacna. Mondays and Saturdays.- PL493/494 Lima - Arequipa - Tacna. Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday.- PL502/503 Lima - Piura. Diary.- PL506/507 Lima - Trujillo. Diary.- PL524/525 Lima -Tarapoto - Iquitos. Diary.- PL526/527 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Diary.- PL540/541 Lima - Pucallpa. Diary.- PL546/547 Lima - Tingo María. Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday and Sunday.- PL582/583 Lima - Huanuco. Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday and Sunday.- PL584/585 Lima - Anta (Huaraz). Monday Wednesday and Friday.- PL733/734 Cuzco - Arequipa. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.
Domestic passenger traffic in Peru grew rapidly during the course of 1976. But it then slowed abruptly due to the country's economic difficulties. In the course of 1979 the path of growth was only recovered. The route structure developed by Aeroperú and Faucett is radial, with Lima as the center feeding the different cities in the interior of the country. For many destinations, the F-28 was presented as an effective and ideal tool.
Since their arrival in Peru, the Fellowship operated tirelessly in the most arid destinations in the country, airports located in the jungle region, and also air stations located at high altitudes. Destinations like Puerto Maldonado barely offered a dirt runway, and a mere booth that served as an air terminal. Environments that demanded the maximum benefits of the Fellowship.
Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 16Oct78.- PL435/436 Lima - Cusco. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.- PL453/454 Lima - Arequipa. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.- PL520/521 Lima - Iquitos Diario # alternated with B727.- PL500/501 Lima - Talara - Tumbes. Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday and Sunday # alternated with team 727.- PL506/507 Lima Trujillo. Diary- PL524/525 Lima - Tarapoto - Iquitos. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.- PL526/527 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday.- PL540/541 Lima - Pucallpa. Diary.- PL546/547 Lima - Tingo María. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.- PL582/583 Lima - Huanuco. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.- PL720/721 Cuzco-Pucallpa - Iquitos. Monday and Wednesday.- PL733/734 Cuzco- Arequipa. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.- PL763/764 Cuzco - Puerto Maldonado. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.- PL771/772 Arequipa - Juliaca. Monday - Tuesday Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturday.
On some occasions, some of the Fellowship were referred to Fokker in order to be subjected to technical work that required specialties greater than those that could be provided in Peru. The aircraft OB-R-1020 was reported on a ferry flight between Reykjavik and Woensdrecht on 10May78, with a failure recorded in Keflavik on 17May78.
Towards the end of the 70s, AeroPerú implemented a new corporate scheme, which was simplified. Although the colors adopted in 1974 were respected. The cells of the aircraft were predominantly white except for the rudder, which remained red, housing the company logo. Two cheatlines in red and fuchsia ran above and below the window line, massing their meaning in front of, and below, the cabin windows. The ventral area did not receive any innovation, remaining gray.
Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 01Dec83.- PL451/2 Lima - Arequipa. Diary.- PL500/1 Lima - Trujillo Tumbes. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.- PL512/3 Lima - Talara. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.- PL514/5 Lima - Juanjui - Trujillo. Monday and Friday.- PL516/7 Lima - Rioja/Moyobamba - Chiclayo. Wednesdays and Saturdays.- PL526/7 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Diary.- PL528/9 Lima - Tarapoto - Yurimaguas - Iquitos. Thursdays and Sundays.- PL546/7 Lima - Tingo María. Diary.- PL582/3 Lima - Huanuco. Diary.- PL590/1 Lima - Trujillo - Cajamarca. Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday.- PL733/4 Cusco Arequipa. Diary.- PL771/2 Arequipa - Juliaca. Diary.
Unfortunately, on October 25, 88, the F-28 OB-R-1020 suffered a fatal accident after taking off from runway 29 of the Juliaca airport. During the maneuver the machine was unable to gain height. The plane crossed the end of the runway, traveling approximately 1,800 meters, hitting the nearby bridge. After the impact, the aircraft was destroyed in several parts. The forward section of the fuselage was separated from the rest of the aircraft, while the central part, near the front spar of the wing, was left in an inverted position.
The company's economy was tortuous, with losses of more than $2 million per month. The situation became more unviable every day. At the end of 1986, the Peruvian government announced a plan to privatize public companies, including AeroPerú. The airline was auctioned in 1992, with 70% awarded to a Peruvian consortium formed by Faucett and Naviera Santa for 41 million dollars.
In 1991, various complaints were made of fraud against the company for the sale of elements belonging to Fokker aircraft, a situation that complicated the services of these aircraft with the company.
In Apr92, AeroPerú's financial situation was far from optimal. Resulting in an excessive burden on the state coffers. A situation that did not escape the reality of the airlines of the South American states. In order to prolong survival, various alternatives were evaluated to continue operating. At that time, only one Boeing 727 and two DC-8-62s remained in service. The rest of the devices were in the middle of receiving scheduled checkups and technical reviews. In order to avoid the paralysis, it was decided to temporarily rent the F-28 belonging to the Peruvian Air Force FAP-390 cn. 11100.
On 14Aug92, an appraisal was carried out on the surviving aircraft OB-1018 US$300,000 OB-1019 US$500,000. During that same month these aircraft were offered for sale, the OB-1018 had TT. 43993/TC54824, while OB-1019 TT. 42961/TC 53499. While awaiting a possible privatization of the company.Finally, on January 16, 93, AeroPerú passed into the hands of an investment group, arising from the association of Mexicana de Aviación and Aeroméxico, which was called Alas de América. The first step was to renew the image of the airline company, for which a new painted logo very similar to that of Aeroméxico, the planes, was adopted. In a short time, Boeing 727 aircraft were acquired, standardizing the fleet.
The two remaining Fellowships continued to serve. One of them, OB-1018, adopted the corporate color scheme of the Cielos de América group. In Feb94, both devices were reported stored inside the company's old hangar in Lima. Starting in July 98, new reviews revealed that the Fellowships were beginning to show signs of shortages, until their complete destruction. Even so, the fuselage of the aircraft OB-1018, a large number of its elements, was reported at the Lima airport on March 12, 2001.
Upon the disappearance of AeroPerú itself, other Peruvian users used the Dutch model, namely, Andrea - Aerocontinente - TANS, a situation that proves that the reactor housed all the qualities that the Peruvian geography demanded.
Detail of the aircraft.*msn. 11032 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.*msn. 11059 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.*msn. 11065 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.*msn. 11066 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.
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