Thank you, Contrails for the information about the DC-8 at Paramaribo. My memory may be failing me but I think the aircraft was American registered(?) so the accident report might be available on the NTSB website.
I have just read today that Varig Cargo as we know it is to be shut down and will be replaced with a new operation called Varig Logistica with two DC-10-30Fs, six B727-100Fs and the plan is to eventually get five B747-200Fs from Lufthansa. What is the feeling on the ground at Sao Paulo and Rio about this? Will pay scales and conditions remain the same as with Varig? My first flight to mainland Europe was on Iberia to Barcelona in November, 1991 and after landing and entering the termimal the first aircraft I saw was a taxiing Varig Cargo DC-8-63F and she looked so good decked out in the old colour scheme in the late afternoon sun. It was great!
I wonder if the Air Arm of the Brazilian Navy is looking for new people to man her new aircraft carrier, the ex-French Navy Foch!? Brazil will shortly be taking delivery of refurbished ex-U S Navy A-4 Skyhawks and I guess it would be pretty cool to earn one's carrier qualifictions on such a classic military jet!
By the way you need not worry at all about your command of English - it is very good. If I was able to speak some Portuguese to one quarter of the level that you speak English I would be so proud of myself I would all ready be on my way to the Sugarloaf end of the threshold at Santos Dumont! Kind regards, TTT.