PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Jet goes down on its way to Medellin, Colombia
Old 1st Dec 2016, 21:03
  #360 (permalink)  
WHBM
 
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It would be good for a competent aviation journalist to do a bit of research about Lamia. In Europe, both BAe and Cityjet, source of the aircraft, must have had some dealings with them.

They seem to have started up in Venezuela, and about 4 years ago bought four BAe RJ85 which were surplus at Cityjet in Ireland. These progressively worked through a range of registrations, first offshore in Aruba, then in Venezuela, and finally in Bolivia. Reported that the accident aircraft was physically owned by the Venezuelan company and leased to the Bolivian one, same name but some different shareholding. Attempts at scheduled operation had fallen through, and they dropped back to charter only. There aren't many RJ operators worldwide, but there is another in Bolivia called Ecojet who have operated for the last few years as well.


Apparently of Lamia's fleet of four only the accident aircraft had remained in service, the others being scattered withdrawn around South America, so their financials cannot have been great. It would be interesting to learn just how they managed to pick up such a charter - there are reports they had flown other soccer clubs, again not ones from their home country. Their chief pilot and part-owner is reported in command of the accident flight. I presume nothing is flying under their name now.
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