AIRCRAFT |
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VARIG was already well known in the international market, and had incorporated Boeing 727 aircraft to its fleet for domestic lines. Those B727 started flying in Brazil in 1970, when VARIG purchased its first four units: PP-VLD, PP-VLF, PP-VLG and PP-VLH. VARIG has always aimed the modernization of its fleet and used different series of 727. Boeing 727 replaced Electra II in most of domestic routes and also operated on international routes to South America destinations. The Boeing 727 also operated Rio de Janeiro - Manaus - Bogotá - Mexico City and São Paulo - Rio de Janeiro - Brasília - Manaus - Caracas - Miami route.
In March 1973 VARIG received more
two units, PP-VLQ and PP-VLR, previously operated by Delta Air Lines.
In April the company received another unit, PP-VLD, previously
operated by Airlift International, totaling seven Boeing 727s in the
fleet.
In January 1974, PP-VLS arrived, previously operated by Japan
Airlines. In February, VARIG received the PP-VLT, previously
operated by Delta Air Lines, reaching a fleet of 9 Boeing 727s.
In 1975, after purchase Cruzeiro, VARIG incorporated more eight
Boeing 727-100. In December 1979, PP-VLV arrived, previously
operated by Evergreen International. Between January and March 1980
this aircraft operated at Cruzeiro, and then was later operated by
VARIG.
The last unit was the PP-VLW, received in March 1980, previously
operated by Yemen Airways, totaling nineteen units operated
simultaneously (eleven by VARIG and eight by Cruzeiro).
In addition to passenger transport, Boeing 727 proved to be ideal
for cargo transportation. Initially Boeing 727-100 were converted to
cargo and passengers and vice versa several times, until 1975, when
VARIG started operating the first two exclusively freighters, known
as Boeing 727-100F or Boeing 727-100C.
From 1981 Boeing 727-100 began to be replaced by Boeing 737-200. The
first to leave the fleet was the PP-VLR, sold in October 1981 to
Saeta. PP-VLW was sold in September 1991, PP-VLF, PP-VLH, PP-VLQ and
PP-VLT were sold in October 1992.
From 1993 B727 started to operate only cargo flights. In 2000, with
the creation of VARIG LOG, all Boeing 727s were transferred to this
company. PP-VLD and PP-VLG were converted into cargo in 1989 and
started to operate for VARIG CARGO and later for VARIG LOG. They
were removed from operation in 2003. The PP-VLS was converted into a
freighter and started to operate at VARIG LOG. PP-VLV suffered an
accident when landed in Belo Horizonte on March 18, 2002 and was
dismantled.
VARIG's Boeing 727-100 internal configuration:
1st: 94 seats
Business Class: 22 seats (2+2 seats per row)
Economy Class: 72 seats (3+3 seats per row)
2nd: 114 seats (Economy Class only)
3rd: 117 seats (Economy Class only)
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