Português     Español
 
Fundação Ruben Beta > FRB-Par  > VARIG

 > VPTA

 > VPSC

 > Varig Cargo/Varig Log, Varig VEM, Pluna Uruguay

 > Rio Sul, Nordeste, Rotatur

 > SATA, Tropical, Varig Travel, Ícaro Brasil

 

The air cargo transport in Brazil began with VARIG’s creation in 1927. In addition passengers, VARIG’s first route also transported cargo. The route was known as "Lagoon Line" and linked Porto Alegre, Pelotas and Rio Grande with aquatic aircraft Dornier Wal. With air transport medicines, food and machinery parts arrived at their destination faster.
The first cargo flight began in 1944, between Porto Alegre and Pelotas with Junkers F-13 and Electra L10. Both aircraft could carry 880kg of cargo. Shortly after the Second World War, this route began to be made with the DC-3.

VARIG’s first purely cargo plane was received on January 27, 1948, it was a DC-3/C-47. Also at this time, VARIG began to acquire convertible aircraft, ie, they could be easily adapted for transport cargo or passenger. Also "Combi" aircraft, with an exclusive part for passengers and another exclusive part for cargo. The freighter routes were extended to Curitiba, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and VARIG’s cargo stations were created in Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

The Brazilian cargo market underwent a revolution in 1960 when VARIG bought its first Boeing 707 jet aircraft. Thereafter, cargo began to be transported in half time, even to other countries like the USA. In 1965 arrived the first Boeing 707-300C (Convertible), which proved to be very versatile for the company, since it could be easily converted to carry more cargo or more passengers, according to demand.

In 1969 came into operation the first Boeing 707-300F (freighter), ie, exclusively for cargo transportation. With B707F, VARIG launched “Varig Cargo” livery.

In 1975, VARIG’s freighter fleet was complemented by Boeing 727-100F. Thus B727F ware designed for domestic flights to South America routes, while B707F were designed for international flights and domestic flights with high demand.

 

70s

Fleet:
4xBoeing 707-300F
2xBoeing 727-100F
TOTAL: 6

After start flights to Europe, in 1965, VARIG increased its international fleet with Boeing 707-320. The first two B707-341C (PP-VJR and PP-VJS) arrived in Brazil on December 28, 1966, while the third (PP-VJT) arrived on March 22, 1967. These three aircraft were directly ordered from Boeing by VARIG, that’s why they have the number "41" at the end. These Boeing 707-320 were Combi type (recognized by letter "C" at the end), ie, convertible to cargo or passengers. Thus, these aircraft allowed the flexibility to carry more passengers or more cargo, depending on demand.
In 1969 VARIG began operate with Boeing 707 freighter version, known as Boeing 707- 300F. It was VARIG’s first purely jet freighter and the only until 1975, with the introduction of Boeing 727F.

Constructor

The Boeing Company, USA

Engine

four Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3, 18,000 pounds of thrust

Wingspread

145,74 feet

Length

152,92 feet

Height

42,42 feet

Cruising speed

546,83 miles/hr.

Flight reach

6,524 miles

Maximum flight altitude

41,996 feet

Cruising radius

12 h 45 min

Empty aircraft weight

143,353 pounds

Maximum take-off weight

331,722 pounds

Technical crew

05 (2 pilots, 1 flight mechanic, 1 navigator and 1 radio telegraph operator)

Maximum capacity of fuel tank

19,909 gallons

Normal consumption

1,300 gallons/hr.

Minimum runway length

10,039 feet

Minimum landing strip length

6,233 feet

To complement Boeing 707 and expand its network, VARIG began operating Boeing 727- 100F aircraft in 1975. The tri-jet Boeing 727 was widely used worldwide and is was the best-selling aircraft in the world at that time. B727 proved to be ideal for domestic and to South America freighter routes

B727-100 cargo
Manufacturer Boeing
Engine JT8D-7/9
Wingspan 35,92 m
Lenght 40,59 m
Height 10,36 m
Cruising Speed 865 km/h
Maximum Flight Altitude 41.000 feet
Aircraft Deadweight 40.300 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 76.882 Kg
Maximum Weight at Landing 64.637 Kg
Maximum Fuel Capacity 23.345 Kg
Regular Consumption 4.050 Kg

 

In 1985 was inaugurated São Paulo’s TECA (cargo center distribution), which could even store perishable, valuable and dangerous cargo. In 1987 was inaugurated Rio de Janeiro’s TECA.

In 1986, VARIG received its first DC-10-30F, Brazil’s first freighter wide-body aircraft.

80s

Fleet:
5xBoeing 707-300F
3xBoeing 727-100F
2xDouglas DC-10-30F
TOTAL: 10

In July 1974 VARIG received its first two DC-10-30, prefixes PP-VMA and PP-VMB, ordered in November 1972, that began operating international VARIG’s routes. They were Brazil’s first wide-body jets. In 1986 VARIG started operating its first full cargo DC10, known as DC-10-30F. The DC-10 represented a new level for Brazilian air cargo market, enabling the transport of larger loads and for faraway destinations nonstop. DC-10-30F was defined as Boeing 707F replacement.

DC10-30 cargo
Manufacturer Douglas
Engine GE - CF6
Wingspan 50.4 metros
Lenght 55.3 metros
Height 17.7 metros
Cruising Speed 900 km/h
Range 5.200 NM - max. fuel
Maximum Flight Altitude 42.000 Pés
Aircraft Deadweight 108.300 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 263.325 kg
Maximum Weight at Landing 192.323 kg
Maximum Fuel Capacity 111.000 kg
Regular Consumption 4.050 Kg

 

Finally, in 1993, Varig Cargo was officially established as VARIG’s cargo subsidiary. Varig Cargo's fleet consisted of five Boeing 727-100F and two Douglas DC-10-30F, besides using VARIG’s passenger aircraft. As VARIG, Varig Cargo adopted a new visual identity in 1997 and launched its online tracking service, the first in Brazil.

 

90s

Fleet:
5xBoeing 727-100F
2xDouglas DC-10-30F
TOTAL: 7

Domestic cargo destinations: Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Campinas, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, São Luis, Belém, Manaus.

International cargo destinations: Montevideo, Lima, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Amsterdam, Frankfurt.

 

  

In October 2000, Varig Cargo has become Varig Log, an independent company. Varig Log was born as the largest cargo airline in Latin America, with a fleet of eleven aircraft, a global network and distribution centers in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Miami, New York and Frankfurt.

Always thinking about the quality of its products, Varig Log started replacing the Boeing 727-100F by Boeing 727-200F and introduced the MD-11F in 2005, being the first airline in Latin America to operate this model in cargo version.

 

2000s

Fleet:
4xBoeing 727-100F
4xBoeing 727-200F
3xDouglas DC-10-30F
2xMD-11F
TOTAL: 13

Domestic cargo destinations: Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Campinas, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Cuiabá, Porto Velho, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, São Luis, Belém, Rio Branco, Manaus.

International cargo destinations: Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima, Caracas, Bogotá, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Amsterdam, Frankfurt.

In 2000, Varig Log received its first Boeing 727- 200F, a larger version of Boeing 727-100F. With B727-200F, Varig Log increased the offer in domestic market and flights to South America. The second arrived in 2001, the third in 2002 and fourth in 2003.

Aircraft B727-200 cargo
Manufacturer Boeing
Engine JT8D-17/17A
Wingspan 108 ft
Lenght 153 ft
Height 34 ft
Cruising Speed 467 kt
Alcance de vôo 6.150 nm - max. fuel
Maximum Flight Altitude 41.000 ft
Aircraft Deadweight 93.696 lb
Maximum Take-off Weight 195.000 lb
Maximum Weight at Landing 161.000 lb
Maximum Fuel Capacity 58.000 lb
Regular Consumption 4.409 lb/h

In 2005 Varig Log became the first airline in Latin America to operate the MD-11F, MD-11’s cargo version. This was the largest aircraft operated by Varig Log and was chosen to replace the DC-10-30F on long-haul routes.

MD-11
Manufacturer MCDONNEL DOUGLAS Aircraft Company, United States
Engine GE CF6-80C2 D1F
Wingspan 52meters
Lenght 61,40meters
Hight 17,93meters
Cruising Speed 890Km/h
Range 12.000Km
Maximum Flight Altitude 13.100meters
Range 14h 58min.
Aircraft Deadweight 133.500Kg
Maximum Take-off Weight 280.320Kg
Maximum Weight at Landing 199.581Kg
Maximum load capacity 44.673Kg

 

 

 

HOME

History
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
70s
80s
90s
2000s

 

Aircraft
Dornier Wal "Atlântico"
Dornier Merkur "Gaúcho"
Klemm L-25
Junkers A-50
Junkers F-13
Messerschmitt 108 "Taiffun"
Messerschmitt M20
Junkers JU52
Fiat G2
De Havilland DH89A
Lockheed Electra I
Nordwyn UC641
Douglas DC-3
Curtiss C-46

Convair 240
Lockheed Super G Constellation
Caravelle 1
Boeing 707-441
Douglas DC-6
Lockheed Electra II
Convair 990A
Douglas DC-8-33
Boeing 707-320
HS-748 "Avro"
Boeing 727-100
Boeing 737-200
Douglas DC-10-30
Airbus A300B4
Boeing 747-200
Boeing 747-300
Boeing 767-200ER
Boeing 737-300
Boeing 767-300ER
MD-11
Boeing 747-400
Boeing 737-700
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 777-200ER
Boeing 757-200

 

Routes

 

Website
1996
2000
2002
2005

 

Varig Group
Fundação Ruben Berta
FRB-PAR
VPSC
Ícaro Brasil
Rio Sul and Nordeste
Varig Cargo and Varig Log
Varig VEM

 

 

Marketing
1927-1969
70s-80s
90s-2000s

 

Design

 

Collections
On board
Postal card, Images and others
Aircraft Images
Logos & Boarding Pass
Time Table